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GUNS & AMMO

JANUARY 2017 | VOLUME 61, NUMBER 1 | PUBLISHED MONTHLY

CONTENTS

G&A HEADS
OVERSEAS TO
MEET THE NEW
P-10 COMPACT
9mm.

Guns & Ammos

subscriber cover
provides an
exclusive look
at CZs entry
into the market
of striker-fired
service pistols.
p. 56
COVER PHOTOS: MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ AND SEAN UTLEY, ABOVE: SEAN UTLEY

40

DIVINE INTERVENTION
Springfield Armorys Saint is more than just a
secret rifle. Its a new direction.
by eric r. poole

68

WHATS REALLY MATCH?

G&A puts .22LR ammo under the microscope.
by tom beckstrand

Reader Blowback 6
Editorial by Eric R Poole 13

Gun Tech by Chris Mudgett 29

Rifles & Glass by Tom Beckstrand 31

Gun Room by Garry James 15

Handgunning by Patrick Sweeney 21
The Carry Rig S&S Precision 757 Performance Denim 24

Lock, Stock & Barrel by SGM Kyle Lamb (ret) 37

Proofhouse Ruger LCP II 94
Spent Cases EC Ned Crossman 104

GUNS & AMMO Magazine, Copyright 2016 by Outdoor Sportsman Group. All rights reserved.
CAUTION: Some advertisements may concern products that are not legally for sale to California residents or residents in other jurisdictions.
Guns & Ammo (ISSN# 0017-5684) January 2017, Volume 61, Number 1 Copyright 2016 Published monthly by OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP, 1040 6th Ave, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018-3703 Periodical postage paid at New York,
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J A N U A RY 2 0 1 7

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6 G & A J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7
READER
BLOWBACK

WRITE US! Letters, Guns & Ammo, 2 News Plaza, 3rd Floor, Peoria, IL 61614, or email us at gaeditor@outdoorsg.com.
Please include your city and state of residence. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.

DECEMBER 67

DESTROY A PIECE
OF HISTORY?
Mr. Waldrons 6.5 Swedish
Mauser is a beautiful, functional work of art! Any firearms lover who appreciates
excellence in craftsmanship
and design would be proud
of his creation. The AAA+
Feather California Claro
Walnut stock makes the
gun come alive!
Just because we can
legally should we? That
is my question. A historically important and shootable rifle was destroyed to
achieve an end that could
have been achieved otherwise. Only the receiver, bolt
and triggerguard assembly
were utilized. All else was
unnecessary. Wouldnt a
wiser approach be to go
to a gun show and rescue
one of the many Swedish
Mausers that have been
cut down, neglected and
abused, with shot-out barrels? All that was needed
was the heart of the
rifle to transform it from a
forlorn relic into a exemplary display of functional
gun art. The Swedish Sniper

could have been placed

in the care of an appreciative guardian, and its
forlorn countryman could
have been rescued and
transformed into a thing of
beauty. There comes a time
when a battered ghost of a
gun can be either left as is
or brought back to something resembling original
configuration. I chose to
bring one back to its former
self, all things considered.
I have a scoped Siamese
Mauser, that I found in
terrible condition, that is
now in .45-70 modeled in
the English Rigby fashion.
Yes, it has a AAA+ Feather
Cal. Claro stock, and it was
worth every cent invested
in this fine resurrected gun.
Still, great article and all the
very best.
Jacob. A. Rathman
Colorado Springs,
Colorado

CONCERNING
HIGH PRICES
Great job, G&A! We all like
to see and hear about topnotch gear. What a boring
world it would be if all you

published were articles on

entry-level guns and gear.
Sorry to say, but NRAs
American Rifleman has that
covered. It is a shame that
people write such negative letters to you folks.
Knowledge is king. It is
the high-end custom guys
that challenge companies
like Ruger and Savage to
produce accurate firearms
with custom features that
people can afford! Wondering what Butchs price
range is? So better not
review anything he cant
afford! Geeze!
Gary Mason
Email

Roger Barlow reminded

G&A readers why the
venerable rimfire cartridge
remained popular among
all age groups in his article,
How to choose a .22 Long
Rifle. This feature was also
a buyers guide to rifles and
handguns of that era, including many models that have
long since been discontinued
such as the Ithaca Model 49
Saddlegun and Winchester
M150 leverguns.
Three rimfire favorites
appeared on this issues
cover, including the Mossberg Model 640 Chuckster,
the Ruger 10/22 autoloader
and the memorable Marlin
Model 39A lever action.

MORE ON HIGH
PRICES
I must disagree with Mr.
Butch Levin regarding the
high prices on some
of the guns featured in
the pages of G&A. I have
moved on from owning a
quantity of lower-priced
pistols to the quality of a
few high-priced pistols.
Until a person owns one of
these finely crafted pistols
from the likes of Les Baer,
Nighthawk or Wilson Combat, they do not know what
they are missing. Publishing articles on these finely
crafted firearms is a must. I
believe a pistol is made to
be shot and loved, not sit in
the gun safe to be looked
at. If I dont shoot any of
my guns, then I should go

sell or trade them off to

find one I will shoot! Do I
carry my high-end pistols?
Yes, yes, yes! My life may
depend on it. Besides, if it
gets scratches or blemishes
and Ive shot it a lot, then
its simple to send it back to
the factory to be refinished
and tested. Now for the
price of ARs going sky
high, it all depends on what
youre looking for. I still see
ARs being sold online for
$600 or less. I have personally built two AR-15s for
$495 by assembling kits.
Tom Clair
Adair, Oklahoma

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G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

RUGER MARK IV vs.

S&W VICTORY
I really love your magazine and look
forward to seeing it in the mailbox
every month. Youve got a great staff
and excellent content. Please keep up
the first-class publication. Im writing
about the new Ruger Mark IV. Im
sure it will go down as another huge
success for Sturm, Ruger & Co., but its
a shame that they ignored all of our
pleas for a cleanable firearm for 35
years (since the Mark II was released
in 82). The new (early this year)
release of the Smith & Wesson SW22
Victory was a response to Rugers
dismal failure to upgrade their pistol
for all these years. I bought a SW22,
and after shooting it, field stripping
it, cleaning it, then zeroing it, I sold
my Ruger Mark III, which Ive had for
almost 20 years and cussed it every
time it needed cleaning which, as
the article mentions, is nearly impossible. The last few years, I just took
off the grips and dunked the whole
pistol in a tub of CLP for an hour, blew
off all the gunk with my shop air blow
gun and called it good. What a joke!
I paid $390 for the S&W. The MSRP
for the model I bought is $429. It has
fiber-optic front sights, is suppressor
ready and came with two magazines. I
see the Mark IV MSRP is $630 in your
article, the Standard model, which
is the closest match to the S&W. Yet
the Ruger lacks a threaded barrel and
fiber-optic sight, and is a blued finish,
compared to the Victorys stainless
construction. Game, set and match to
Smith & Wesson.
Marc Rocque
Salem, Oregon

r e a d e r b l o w b a c k | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

MORE .22LR PLEASE!

I would like to agree with Richard Helms letter
request for More Rimfire, Please. In the last
two years, I have sold off my .45, .40 and almost
all my 9mms. I have exchanged them for .22LR
pistols and rifles. I can have a tricked-out .22LR
for about $1,000 to $1,500, and 50 rounds of
ammo only costs me $10. And I have more fun
at the range or hunting. I dont need a Kimber,
Ed Brown or other guns with prices climbing
to $5,000 and more. I can have the same good
time at the range. More articles on the .22LR
please. Also, I just ordered the new Ruger Mark
IV Hunter to add to my collection.
Terry Sprey
Fort Myers, Florida

JUST A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS

I look forward to Guns & Ammo every month and
generally appreciate the articles. I really enjoyed
In the A-Zone by Patrick Sweeney until his statement, Do I need a relatively plain, single-stack
1911 that runs me a latte less than $2,700? He
continued, Hey, if you want non-performanceenhancing bling, I say, Go for it!
What a pompous, unprofessional statement.
He killed the article with that statement. Ill stick
with my Glocks, Berettas and Rugers that always
go bang when I pull the trigger and hit where
they are pointed. I have no doubt that Ed Brown
has created another masterpiece, but Sweeney
undermined the effectiveness of the article with
his unscrupulous wording.
I thought that one statement was in poor
taste, but wait a few pages later Guns &
Ammo editor Eric Poole was touting that he
shot 728 doves in one afternoon! He is no
sportsman. He is a shooter of the same ilk that
decimated the American buffalo and wiped out
the entire population of carrier pigeons. I enjoy
reading about sportsmen or sportswomen, but
Poole is no sportsman. Hes just a shooter.
ben Parris
cumming, Georgia

G&a

I apologize for missing

the mark with you regarding the recent issues. Ill
pass along your critique
of Patrick Sweeneys story
on the Ed Brown 1911,
also. Not that it helps ease
the concern you have for
those birds, but the doves
I took in Argentina didnt
put a dent in the 22 million
doves flying those days,
especially given that the
females have repopulated
six times since my visit last
fall. Though I suspect that
youd disagree, Ive seen
with my own eyes the real
impact to agriculture that
Argentinas farmers face
with so many doves and
the lack of hunters pursuing
them in these rural areas. (I
am comparing just 15,000
annual Argentina dove
hunters to the 150,000
licensed dove hunters in
the U.S.) I would encourage
you to visit the Cordoba
region and Uruguay one
day to see it for yourself.
If youre at all a hunter,
seeing the different regions
for yourself would certainly
impact your position on
the subject one way or
the other. If for no other
reason, the people are
very hospitable, generous
and excellent at preparing
meals. Not to mention that
the sights are incredibly
beautiful.
Thank you for taking
the time to provide your
feedback. Im very grateful
and respectful of your time,
though our positions may
differ. I hope that upcoming
issues provide more enjoyable reading. Dont hesitate
to let me know if there
are any particular topics
youd like to see coverage
devoted to.
E. Poole

10

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r e A d e r b l o w b A c k

BRILLIANT FOR
COMPETITION?

No doubt youll receive

significant blowback
regarding your recent cover
featuring a $3,200 Les Baer
9mm 1911 that many of your
readers will find unaffordable. I have a different view:
Sweeney stated that this
pistol would be brilliant in
competition. For a handgun
of this quality and price to
not have the option of a
slide pre-cut for modern red
dots and other optics commonly used in pistol competition is inexcusable even
if the price were to increase
by $100 or $200. Using an
aftermarket optic mount on
an expensive pistol is tacky
at best and poorly engineered at worst.
d. kee
Pinehurst, North carolina

LOVE MY RUGER NO. 1,

EVEN THOUGH IT
DOESNT EXIST

STEEL FRAME
Full size
Barrel: 4.43
Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP

www.magnumresearch.com

There are no words to

express how ecstatic I was
when my October G&A
arrived featuring the most
elegant rifle ever produced.
Plus, two short stories. I
fought the urge to turn
directly to it and read starting at the front as normal.
Great job, Mr. Boddington, I
always enjoy your work. As a
left-handed shooter, it holds
a special place in my heart. I
own them, shoot them and
love them. I was amazed
at its level of accuracy,
although I can consistently
get sub-MOA groups with
my No. 1 V firing Winchester
90-grain PEP .25-06 loads.
Though, according to the
chart on page 100, the rifle
was never chambered in that
round.
dave Newsom
warrensburg, Missouri

SMITH & WESSON SPORT II?

I would like your opinion on the Smith & Wesson
M&P Sport ll. I saw it online from a dealer for
$619. I would like to buy an AR-15-type rifle,
and through my research this seems to be the
best buy for the money. In your opinion, is this
rifle good enough for casual shooting, and what,
if any, are the shortcomings of it? Thank you for
your time.
Frank Spivey
email
The Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II is an excellent buy, and I have no reservations in recommending one, especially given your expectations
of it. They are highly customizable later, if your
tastes change or you desire particular aftermarket
features. And $619 sounds like a good deal for a
new one.
E. Poole

BRING ME MORE GARRY!

I have been a longtime, on and off, reader of
G&A. Sometimes by subscription, sometimes
off the rack. Bouncing around the world working
as a professional soldier for nearly 40 years has
made it difficult at times to get my hands on
a copy of G&A. I generally love most articles,
though some do not touch on anything pertinent to me. Still, overall, I love it.
I was reading Reader Blowback and
came across a letter in your Oct. issue where
a disgruntled person was grousing about Mr.
James reviews on older guns. He says something about coming into the 21st century or how
you need a writer with a newer perspective,
or some such bull. Like you in your response, I
could only wish that G&A had the wherewithal
to review the old, antique and classic firearms
from all ages, starting with the hand cannon.
The writer mentioned being 70, or almost 70
years of age. I, too, am at that age and have
used most modern 20th century and some 21st
century worldwide military firearms. One thing, if

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

11

possible, sometime I would like to see

a review of the Mexican Mondragon
rifle. Personally, I think that it is an
underappreciated firearm. Keep up
the good work and keep Garry James
writing for a long time to come.
Roy Holbert
Harligen, Texas

MORE GARRY CONTD

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AT

In reference to Kyle Lambs Training

Day For Pistols (Oct. 2016, page 49),
where is he buying his ammo? $10,
50-round box ... $20 for 100 rounds?
Anywhere around here upstate N.Y.
you cant get a box of 50 anything
for less than $25 to $30. Im not
even talking about premium defense
ammo, which is usually $30 to $40 for
a 20-round box. Hell, we cant buy 50
pieces of empty 9mm brass to reload
for $10!
On page 113 of the same issue
theres a piece on UMC leadless
ammo indicating $23 per 50 rounds.
I want to know where Kyle is buying
this $10 for 50-rounds of ammo! It
certainly isnt in this hemisphere.
M.J. McGowan
Clifton Park, New York

SAME DAY

As seen on
Glenn Beck TV

Thank you very much for the vote of

confidence. I try to keep the stories interesting and relevant and do
appreciate you took the time to write.
Cheers.
G. James

W292S4498 Hillside Rd, Waukesha, WI 53189, Tel: 262-896-6780, Fax: 262-896-6756

www.midwestindustriesinc.com

BO

I just read the letter Get With The

Times! written by Mike Zorn in
the October 2016 edition of Guns
& Ammo. In his letter, Mr. Zorn
complains about the articles Garry
James writes about pre-20th-century
firearms. I strongly disagree more with
Mr. Zorns conclusion that very few
readers are interested in pre-20thcentury firearms. One of the primary
reasons I buy your magazine is for the
great articles that Garry James writes
about antique fireams. I absolutely
love them and eagerly look forward to
reading them each month.
Rusty Edwards
Tampa, Florida

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 G & A

13

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GUN ROOM

January 2017 G & A

15

Unfortunately, your piece is in extremely sad condition,

and while interesting, it has little collector value.

IDENTIFICATION
& VALUES

G A R RY J A M E S
G A R RY. J A M E S @
OUTDOORSG.COM

it is more than decoratorworthy and would suggest

you fashion a nice shadow
box for it. No matter what, it
is a very interesting arm.

NYPD S&W
MODEL 36

SPANISH KERR REVOLVER, <50%: $50

PHOTO: COLLEGE HILL ARSENAL

SPANISH KERR REVOLVER

Q: My cousin recently
passed and left me his
.38 Special he carried as
his second. He was a
senior detective with the
NYPD Bronx Division. Im
thinking it is dated about
1962 or thereabouts. It is

Q: I have an old cap-and-ball revolver that was my grandfathers. It has been in the same condition (poor) for as
long as I can remember. It appears to be a sidehammer version, but there is no manufacturer
THE AUCTION BLOCK
or writing of any kind. There is a three-digit
In todays volatile collectors market,
one genre is holding quite strong:
number on the right side of the frame (3XX)
Colts snake guns. It should come as no
and two markings on the cylinder. I hope they
surprise that a rare pair of Colt Python
come out in the pictures. An interesting feature,
Snake Eyes, enclosed within their
display case, sold for a very respectable
the cylinder rotates when the trigger is pulled,
$17,250, including premiums, at the
just like a DA revolver. Any help identifying this
March 14, 2016, James D. Julia auction.
piece would be greatly appreciated as Grandpa
This matching duo of 2-inch-bareled
.357 Pythons one stainless, the other
is no longer with us. Thank you.
blue are in unfired condition and
A.L.
fitted with faux ivory grips scrimshawed
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
with poker hands showing a royal flush
A: An intriguing piece you have there. It is a Spanish copy of the English Kerr percussion revolver.
The original Kerr, designed by James Kerr who
worked at the London Armoury Company, was
introduced in Britain in the late 1850s. While a bit
unorthodox-looking, this side-hammer percussion
five-shooter did enjoy some popularity and was
manufactured for a number of years. Some even
made their way to the Confederacy during the
Civil War. In the early 1860s, the Spanish adopted
the Kerr for its forces, and it was manufactured
indigenously. While these revolvers were originally percussion, I have seen some modified to
handle self-contained cartridges. Unfortunately,
your piece is in extremely sad condition, and while
interesting, it has little collector value. Still, I think

on one side and dice on the other. They

had their original cardboard boxes, as
well as a fancy glass-fronted display case
that included dice and poker chip embellishments. Only 500 of these sets were
made. For more information about this
and future sales, contact James D. Julia,
Inc. at 207-453-7125 or jamesdjulia.com.

in great condition, and with

a 2-inch barrel, its super
accurate at 7 inches (Hah!).
[It] kicks like a mule but has
a smooth action. Could you
tell me a bit more about
this revolver?
A.F.R.
Rancho Belago, California
A: Your photos came in
rather small, but I think Im
safe in saying your cousins
revolver is a Smith & Wesson Model 36 Chiefs Special. This superb little fiveshot, .38 Special J-frame
revolver was introduced in
1957. Prior to that it was
sold simply as Chiefs Special. The gun was offered in
different finishes and barrel
lengths and with some
special features. It is still
being produced by Smith
& Wesson. Without a serial
number, I cannot pinpoint
the date of this particular
revolvers manufacture.

VERLACK
DOUBLE PISTOL
Q: My dad brought this
percussion pistol back
from Germany after World
War II. The best I can tell it
says Verlack on the side.
There seems to be some
letters before that, but I
cant make them out.
T.B.
Email
A: From the photos, I
can see your dads pistol

16

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | G u n r o o m

HAVE AN HEIRLOOM? Curious

about a vintage firearm? Email
Garry at garry.james@outdoor
sg.com, or send a description
with detailed photos to Gun
room, Guns & Ammo, 2 news
Plaza, 3rd Floor, Peoria, IL
61614. Please include your
name and state of residence.
Due to the volume of
requests each month, personal
replies are not possible. The
most interesting or unusual
queries are answered in Guns
& Ammo magazine.

appears to have originally been a flintlock

double-barreled holster
pistol, circa 1800 to 1820,
that was later converted to
percussion. Unfortunately, I
cannot find the name Verlack in any of my directories, though the gun has a
distinctly Germanic appearance. It looks like a nice
piece, but the ramrod has
definitely been replaced.
WALTHER PP, .32 ACP, 90%: $400-$500

WALTHER PP

RECOMMENDED
READS
Italian Small Arms of the
First and Second World
Wars, by Ralph Riccio,
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.,
Atglen, Pennsylvania, 2013,
224 pages.
Among the most abundant
of World War I and World
War II surplus arms on the
market are those designed,
made and intended for the
Italian forces. Paradoxically,
they seem to be among the
most misunderstood and
underappreciated by collectors. This difficulty will in
no small part be alleviated
by Ralph Riccios Italian
Small Arms of the First and
Second World Wars.
This full-color guide
is superbly illustrated
(including takedowns) with
handguns, machine guns and
rifles, as well as accessories
and accoutrements, used by
the Italian forces. The text
is concise, accurate and easy
to reference. Basically, this
is a high-grade, large-format
resource for those interested
in this fascinating genre of
military arms. Frankly, its a
book Ive been awaiting for
some time, and it has already
gained an honored spot on
my bookshelf. $70

Q: I have seen a couple of

Q&As on Walther pistols
in Gun room in recent
months. I have enclosed
some pics of my Walther
PP in .32 Auto. It is supposed to be a World War
II-era relic and was left to
me by a relative. Any information you can provide
would be appreciated.
M.J.K.
Pennsylvania
A: Your Walther PP seems
to be a pretty standard
commercial model. I can
see no Waffenamt codes
that would indicate military
or police use. The Crown
N proof mark indicates
it was manufactured prior
to Jan. 15, 1940, when the
proof was changed to an
Eagle N. Value is in the
$400 to $500 range.

H&R SPORTSMAN
REVOLVER
Q: mr. James, would you
be able to give me the
value of my H&r Sportsman revolver? The serial
number is 336XX. mechanically, it is 80 percent;
cosmetically, 20 percent.
Its a double action.
G.I.
Email
A: The Harrington &

Richardson .22 RF revolver

was manufactured in a
number of different styles
from 1932 to 1952. It was a
good-quality, moderately
priced double-action
thats all I can really tell you
at this point. Depending
upon the model, prices vary
considerably. To give you a
more precise answer, I will
need a better description
(markings, etc.). Photos
would also be extremely
helpful.

MORE ON RFC
COLT 1917
Q: Heres the rest of the
story regarding your
request for reader feedback
on the rFC-marked Colt
1917 mentioned in your
September 2016 Gun room
column. The 53 rFC 37
stamp means 53rd Squadron royal Flying Corps, rack
or inventory number 37. It
should appear on the butt
of the grips on the Colt
model 1917 to identify the
revolver as inventory number 37 of the 53rd Squadron. If this gun was a private
purchase by an officer of
the squadron and not military property, it would not
have had any military acceptance marks. The British
Army military regulations
at the time required the

armorer for each military

unit to stamp small arms
belonging to unit members
with the units designation.
my source for this information is my friend mr. David
Penn, former curator of
exhibits for the Imperial
War museum in London. mr.
Penn visited the u.S. in the
late 1990s as a guest of the
Smith & Wesson Collectors
Association. At that time,
he inspected a S&W Triple
Lock, .455 cal., in my collection. It is stamped 53 rFC
29 on the butt of the grips.
It has British military acceptance stamps and proof
marks, as it was a contract
purchase by the British
from S&W. mr. Penn later
sent me information about
the 53rd Squadron. It was
formed in 1914 as a training
squadron to train aviators
for the newly formed royal
Flying Corps, which was
not yet an official unit of
the British military until it
became the royal Air Force
(rAF) later in World War
I. Around 1917, the 53rd
Squadron was transferred
to the mesopotamian
campaign and flew Sopwith
Camel airplanes in support
of the Bengal Lancers and
Lawrence of Arabias efforts
against the Turks. I always
enjoy your column and have

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CHASSIS MOLDED IN, REDUCING FLEX

AND INCREASING ACCURACY.
AccuStock is available on select Savage models.

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18

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | G u n r o o m

contributed responses to
you in the past.
E.F.C.
Email

the tip. I would appreciate

any information I can get.
R.S.
Email

A: Thank you for the very

detailed and valuable information. David is a good
friend of mine also, and he
is certainly the go-to expert
on this sort of thing. I had
a gut feeling the RFC
was probably Royal Flying
Corps, though the caliber
of the revolver and lack of
British proofs or acceptance
stamps threw me off. Had
it been in .455, that would
probably have been my
answer. Thank you also for
your kind comments about
the column. I have to admit,
it is rather fun to do, and I
learn one or two new things
myself every month in its
preparation just like now.

A: You have a Merwin,

Hulbert & Company Third
Pocket Model Double
Action revolver. These
medium-framed .38
Long and .38 Centerfire
five-shooters were manufactured in the 1880s.
Folding hammers, for easier
concealed carry, are not the
norm, but neither are they
particularly uncommon.
Several thousand were
manufactured during the
1880s. Blued and nickel finishes and hard rubber grips
are the most seen; however,
there were some fancy
engraved variants with ivory
or pearl grips. Hope this
helps you out. Your wifes

MERWIN HULBERT POCKET MODEL W/ FOLDING HAMMER, .38, 55%: $450-$550

MERWIN HULBERT
.38 DA REVOLVER
Q: I was advised to contact
you about getting some
information about an old
pistol that my wifes grandmother has. Her uncle gave
this to her when she was a
young girl. I think he may
have been in law enforcement. Im not sure. She just
turned 90 two weeks ago,
and I dont know anything
about it or its value. Here

is all the information I can

see: merwin Hulbert &
Co., new York. u.S.A.,
Pat. April 7, 77 June 15,
80 mar.14, 82 Jan 9, 83, 38
cal. The numbers on the
barrel, grip and cylinder
all match. The hammer
folds down. It has a part
that slides down to load
cartridges. The barrel is
3 inches. The grip on one
side has a chip on the bottom and a piece broken at

g u n r o o m | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

MYSTERY TOOL
oz., next line 1 1/8 oz.
continuing to 1 7/8 on
the top line. The inside
piece is also lined and up
arrow 1 4 graduated up
the scale from to 1 on
the top line. What is it?
D.M.D.
Preble County, Ohio
A: At first glance, it appears
to be some sort of swager,
but I must admit Ive never
seen anything quite like it.
Im going to throw this out
to the readers. They are a

pretty astute lot, and Ill bet

theres at least one sharpeyed rascal out there who
can tell us what this thing is.

FLOBERT RIFLE
Q: garry, I have been
a subscriber to guns &
Ammo for over 20 years
and really enjoy reading
your column on identification and values. Can you
give me any information
on my little rifle? The only
marking I am able to find
is the serial number, 180X.

M17 7E2
XM
X

A: Thank you for being such

a loyal subscriber. Your little
piece is a typical Flobertstyle rifle. These were
generally made in France or
Belgium and were small caliber, suitable for indoor gallery work. They are named
for their inventor, Frenchman
Louis Nicholas Flobert, who
devised the system in 1845.
Quality on them varies considerably, and there are also
subtle differences in action
styles. Your gun seems to be
above-average in embellishment. Floberts are extremely
common and generally dont
bring a lot of money unless
they are really special.

HONOR.
HO
H
DUTY.
SACRIFICE.

A
/
A
/
5
GAU
SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF

19

Any help on your part

would be greatly appreciated. Photos are attached.
K.B.
Email

grandmothers Merwin,
while certainly in decent
shape, has little finish, and
the broken grips are a detriment. Id opine its worth in
the $450 to $550 range. The
folding hammer does add a
bit of value.

Q: I have a piece of equipment and we cant see how

it worked or if we have a
part of a reloading tool. It
came to me with a purchase of a box of stuff.
I have taken and attached
a few pictures. The .257
roberts cartridge in my
photo only illustrates the
relative size of this tool. It
is a cylindrical shape with
a threaded plunger in the
center. The outer sleeve
has eight marks and text
with an up arrow, then 1

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HANDGUNNING

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 G & A

21

The future wasnt plastic. It was rubber.

HOGUE IN THE HANDS

PAT R I C K S W E E N E Y

Magnum was unfired but had been worn white from being
IT WAS THE LATE 1960s, and Guy Hogue had a problem:
handled by guys like me. It had been dry-fired a bazillion
Like so many other shooters and Southern California law
times. It was smooth. And the grips? Hogues soft rubber,
enforcement (LE) officers, the grips of his sidearm didnt
which helped tame the recoil of .41 Magnum loads.
fit his hands. He solved that problem, as did many others,
Magnum revolver shooters were not the only shooters
by making his own grips. Unlike those others, his not only
back then who appreciated Hogue grips. IPSC and Bowling
fit his hands but the hands of other shooters as well. And
Pin shooters also sported these grips on their competition
as a bonus,
guns. IPSC shooters favored his rubber grips on 1911s
they looked
for their nonslip grip, which is important on hot,
good. Unlike
humid summer days. Both IPSC and Pin
the rest of
shooters favored Hogue grips in part
those personal
for the reinforcing panel the molded
grip-makers,
grips had as a support and stiffening
he had a steady
structure. A steel panel inside each
stream of officers
side of the grips kept them from
at his garage workshop
warping, but also protected our
looking for a set of grips for their revolvers.
hands if a case would let go.
He soon found that his workshop wasnt
In the early days of the .38
large enough to handle the volume of work,
Super, we didnt have many
so he moved into a dedicated workspace.
choices for powder. Some
In rapid succession, he left law enforcement,
overeager shooters might
expanded his new business, and then expanded again.
use their cases too
By the time I began working in gun shops in the late
Impressed by
many times or select
1970s, Hogue had expanded the line into molded rubber
Guy Hogues
personal S&W
a less-than-optimal
grips. I worked in and around Detroit, and the Detroit
M58,
the
author
powder (too-fast
Police Department had a smart sidearm policy back then:
equipped his own
burning), and
If you could shoot a passing score, you could carry it. As
square-butt model
with Hogues rubber
theyd have
a result, we had a lot of LE customers who packed .41s,
Monogrip.
For
its
coma case blow
.44s and .45s on the job, and they appreciated the comfort
fort and control, it remains
on them. Pin
Hogues rubber grips provided when dealing with recoil.
a favorite. $26
shooters did
I met Hogue at the 1984 Second Chance Combat Shoot.
much the same in .45 ACP that were loaded hot to broom
He had a trailer with all his products in it; he could deploy
sometimes-recalcitrant pins off the tables. With Hogue grips
the full array of his grips and accessories in a display and
fastened to your 1911, not only did you get the nonslip benoffer them for sale. Many of these grips were mounted
efit, but also the cost of a blown case was merely a (someon actual handguns, not just demo mock-ups. One in
times) trashed magazine and a bit of embarrassment. With
particular was a Smith & Wesson Model 58. I picked it up,
wood grips, youd risk picking splinters out of your hands.
opened and closed the cylinder, and then dry-fired it. It
I liked Hogue grips for
was beautifully smooth.
another reason: They were
I looked at Hogue, who
COOPER
ON
HANDGUNS
affordable commodities. I
was watching me closely,
In all events, the shooter is a much more
could snatch a set of Hogue
and said, If you ever
significant element of marksmanship than
his
equipment.
I
suggest
that
you
take
the
grips off the display, and
want to sell this
low-cost route until you become pretty
with knife, belt sander,
Smiling, he finished
good. Then you will know what you need.
Dremel or soldering iron,
my sentence with, Youll
Jeff Cooper, April 1975
modify them to fit my
be the 1,573rd guy in
hands, clear a speedloader
line for it. That .41

22

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | h A n d G u n n i n G

The original texture of the G17 was pretty slick, and since
or try some other experimental approach. They were rubit had no replacement grip panels, we couldnt change the
ber, not expensive, and if my bright idea wasnt so clever,
grip. So Hogue developed its slip-over grip. The HandAll
no big deal. Doing that to a nice set of wooden grips
might be pricey and painful. There was also a psychological was more than just a section of inner tube (an approach
advantage: If you stepped to
the line with a pair of brutalized
grips bolted to a worn-white
pistol, the other shooters would
wonder just how much practice
youd put in. This could be beneficial in a one-on-one match.
Since that time, Hogue Inc.
has expanded several more
times and added extensively
to the line. They now have
four plants making grips and
accessories of almost any kind.
They make model-specific
we all tried back then), and since its introduction, I have
grips for some 16 different handgun types. They make
literally seen it around the world. The most recent sighting
grips designed for competition, carry, duty and hunting. If
was on a sidearm in the belt of a plainclothes security
Hogue doesnt make grips for your pistol or revolver, then
officer in the Kathmandu, Nepal, airport. Not very hidden,
you have something rare. They also make them in colors,
very worn, and no, I didnt take a photo. (There are times
not just the run-of-the-mill shades. A veritable rainbow is
when it is best to forget one has a camera.)
available for various uses and tastes.
Now there are even Hogue smartphone cases for those
If you dont favor rubber, Hogue makes wood grips,
who keep up in the digital phone
grips of harder synthetics and grips
wars (Im still using a flip phone),
with integral lasers.
and the Hogue smartphone case
They also make rifle furniture in
can be had in a choice of colors as
their over-molded line. Here, they
well.
take the structural element of rifle
Hogue is retired now, but the
furniture, such as an AR-15 freefamily business is forging forward.
float handguard, and then mold
Its run by his sons, Aaron and
a rubber covering over it. You get
Pat, and a nephew who is not just
the strength and durability of the
a grip maker but also a serious
aluminum tube handguard (which
3-Gun competitor.
is nearly indestructible) and the
Hogue grips are not merely a
nonslip and insulating benefits of
commodity on the wall of your
the rubber: A bonded covering
In addition to its rubber grips, Hogue also offers
local gun shop. Hogue Inc. is an
that wont slide off.
grips in a selection of colors, finishes and materials,
American success story. Where
There are also pistol grips for
including G10 and premium hardwoods.
else but here could one man start
ARs, and Hogue designers have
making something so prosaic as a
shaped them to be clones of 1911
set of grips for his revolver and end
grips, right down to the 1911 angle.
up retiring at the head of a sucThey make carry cases, holcessful company, with four plants,
sters, knives and over-molded rifle
hundreds of employees and be
stocks; once you see it, the totality
a household name to a million or
of the Hogue line is extensive.
more customers?
Even in a successful company,
That M-58? Lost in the mists of
there are developments that stand
time. I have no regrets it would
out as clever ideas, hot items or
have been snapped up a thousand
ubiquitous products. The Hogue
times over before it had ever gotten
HandAll is one such item. Brainto me. And all this time, Ive had
stormed back when the Glock was
For pistols lacking traditional grip panels, Hogue
the benefits of Hogue grips to
new, it solved a vexing problem:
developed the HandAll grip sleeve. A cobblestone
depend on. I still do.
The perfect pistol wasnt perfect.
texture supports its nonslip surface.

I PICKED IT uP, OPEnED anD CLOSED

THE CyLInDEr, anD THEn Dry-FIrED IT.
IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY SMOOTH. I
LOOKED aT HOGuE, WHO WaS WaTCHInG ME CLOSELy, anD SaID, IF yOu EVEr
WanT TO SELL THIS

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24 G & A J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7
T H E C A R RY R I G

Discreet carry jeans.

The S&S Precision

jeans are a concealment clothing system
designed to be unassuming. $177

A multi-fit holster is
included with each pair
of jeans and integrates
into the waistband.

S&S PRECISION 757 PERFORMANCE DENIM

THERE ARE TIMES when it is necessary to visit the wrong
side of the tracks. When doing so, plan accordingly, and
travel with your preferred tools on your person and ensure
that they are easily accessible. Avoiding trouble begins by
blending in. In the U.S., blue jeans are the most commonly
worn trousers, especially after work. While your well-worn
denim might be comfortable, there is a better option for
concealed carry.
S&S Precision has developed a line of mens jeans that
blurs the line between current mens fashion and actual

utility: 757 Performance Denim. Some may be quick to

dismiss the fashion aspect; however, blending in with the
environment doesnt always involve the latest camouflage
pattern.
From the outside, 757 Performance Denim looks like
ordinary jeans with no telltale signs otherwise. A closer
inspection reveals several hidden pockets strategically
placed to conceal specific items. Within each front slash
pocket is an internal pouch designed to keep a smartphone high and to the outside of the leg. The pocket is

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

25

Two slot pockets are located above each

rear pocket and handle expediant carry
circumstances. These pockets could also
conceal documents or spare magazines.

The holster can be

positioned right or left
in 2-inch increments
around the waist for
ideal placement.

also useful for holding two double-stack pistol magazines

or keeping a clipped pocketknife hidden from view.
Along the rear seam and tucked above each rear pocket
are a pair of long slot pockets designed to fit either a
30-round AR magazine or a full-sized pistol with or without a light attached. The pistol would ride around the 5:30
position for right-handed shooters and is both flat and
deep enough to provide a surprising level of security and
concealment. Both rear pockets remain useable for items
such as a money clip or wallet.

The ambidextrous
holster threads
into slots, which
are stitched to the
waistband.

The real genius of these pants is the Internal Belt Retention System. The system allows S&S Precisions removeable
inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster to integrate directly into
the waistband of the pants by way of an internal retention
strap. The strap is designed to reverse hook on one of the
openings evenly placed around the waist. This provides
the wearer with almost 300 degrees of customization.
The holster is constructed of a soft-touch rubber and is
designed for standard or canted carry. Wearing a belt isnt
necessary.

26

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | t h e c A r ry r i G

Internal pouches
located within each
front pocket keep magazines and other items
upright and intuitively
accessible.

The construction of the pants is very good, and they

are handcrafted in the United States using pre-washed,
12-ounce, 100-percent-cotton, custom-milled denim. All
stress points and pocket openings are bar tacked with
gold thread, and the cut is full without being baggy.
90-Day carry After wearing the 757 Performance Denim
jeans for 90 days, the one feature I miss the most when
wearing other trousers is the pouch within each front
pocket. It works better than advertised, and Ive found
myself storing a smartphone in the right pocket and a
spare magazine in the left. These pouches allow the
deeper pocket to be used for keys, spare change, etc.,
without interfering with a quick magazine change. At
times, I used these pockets to conceal a folding knife or
small flashlight as well.

t h e c a r ry r i g | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

Materials
Carry Type
Retention Type

12-ounce cotton denim

IWB
Friction fit, Level 1
Cant

MSRP

$177

Rail Accessory Accommodations

Positions to Carry
Average Time to Attach
Comfort Rating

Multi; most large pistols w/ double-stack magazines

None
IWB, 300 degrees
30 seconds
3/5

Min. Concealment Clothing

T-shirt

Average Draw-to-Fire Time

1.45 seconds

Manufacturer

1.5 in.

757 Performance Denim

Adjustability
Handgun Fit

27

6 in.

S&S Precision

g&a

S&S Precision, 757-453-6695, sandsprecision.com

Draw-to-fire time is the average of five clean draws from under a concealed garment producing an A-zone hit on a stationary target
positioned at 21 feet.

Ive found the rear pockets useful for more expedient

carry, such as quickly concealing a pistol when answering
an unknown knock at the door or for a short walk down the
street. The rear pockets work equally well for concealing a
passport or other sensitive documents when traveling.
I like the idea of the Integrated Belt Retention System
and the options it offers. The holster is slimmer than a
typical unit due to the lack of external belt loops, and it
provides a comfortable way to carry IWB. What the pants

are lacking is a true appendix

inside the waistband (AIWB)
option. If AIWB is your preferred
method of carry, the pants work
well with any aftermarket holster,
and you can still take advantage
of the discreet features that these
jeans provide.
Chris Mudgett

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 G & A

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tion reduction (VR) technology weve
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PHOTOS:fiMARKfiFINGAR

THE NEXT 6MM

TOM BECKSTRAND

32

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r i f l e s & G l A s s

BUSHNELL DMR-II

fl6flflfl
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CREEDMOORfl
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HORNADYflfl 105flGR.flBERGERfl 115flGR.flDTAC
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The 6mm Creedmoor

(above right) puts the cases
neck-shoulder junction much
closer to the case head. This
leaves more room for longer
VLD bullets than found in the
.243 Win. cartridge (above left).

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flflflflflflfly,flflflflflflwflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflvflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflfl
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IflbflflflflflflflflbflflflflvflflflflflflflflflflHDMRflflflflflflflflflflflflflflvflflflflflflflfl
wflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflFflflflflBflflflfl.flTflflyflwflflflfl
flflflflflflflflflflflfluflflflflflflflflflflflflflSflflflflflflflFflflflflflflSflflflflflflSflflflflflfl
flflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflxflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflflflflHDMRflbyflfluflflflflflfl
flflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflflflflfl
flflflflflflflflfluflflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflkflflfluflflfl.flIflflwflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
fiflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflflflflflflkflflflfluflflflflflyflflflflfl
wflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflflflflflflwflflkflflflflfl
flflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl.flBuflflflflflflflflHDMRfl
flflflflflflflflflflbflfluflflfluflfly.fl
Rflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflflwflflflflflflbflflflflfl
wflflflflflflflflHDMRflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflwflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
flflfluflflflflflflflflfl.flWflflflflBuflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
flflflflflflflflfluflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflfl,flflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
fluflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflyfluflflfl.flTflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflbflflfl

r i f l e s & g l a s s | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

3.5

-21

X5 0 M M F1 F O V

21

33

3.

5-

endorsement since hardcore gun guys are always in the

minority even in special operations units.
Bushnell originally offered the HDMR scope with the
Horus H-58 and H-59 reticles. This was the reason for the
H in the scopes designation. Bushnell dropped the H
when the optic became available with the G2 reticle, a
reticle developed with George Gardner of G.A. Precision.
The HDMR and DMR did an excellent job of establishing Bushnell in the long-range and tactical market, but its
beginning to show its age. Several years of customer feed-

21

IN

G3

AT
E

g&a

X5

0M

M F 1 F O V @ 2 1X

IL L

UM

34

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r i f l e s & G l A s s

the new lever certainly speeds things

back, combined with more informed
Bushnell DMR-II
along. It is accessible without being
customers, indicated that it was time
Power: 3.5-21X
Objective: 50mm
obtrusive and is easily removed with
for Bushnell to update the DMR.
Tube
Diameter:
34mm
a single Allen screw if its presence is
Behold the DMR-II.
Elevation .1 mil per click;
unwanted.
The most obvious changes in the
Adjustment: 10 mils per rev
The DMR-II sports a new RevLimiter
DMR-II are the redesigned turrets
Windage: .1 mil per click;
10
mils
per
rev
zero-stop system that is much easier
and integral power adjustment lever.
Reticle: G3, G3 Illuminated,
to set than its predecessor. A small
Bushnell took some heat for the size of
Horus H-59
Length: 13.2 in.
coin or a cartridge case head can
the turrets on the DMR model. Many
Weight:
2
lbs.,
4
oz.
loosen the cap on the elevation turret.
shooters thought they were too tall.
(illuminated model)
Once removed, the thin ring that is
In order to get the level of adjustment
Eye Relief: 3.75 in.
the zero stop and that surrounds the
that most wanted and to get locking
MSRP: $2,000
Manufacturer: Bushnell, 800-423-3537
brass turret is visible and accessible.
turrets, Bushnell had to make them big.
bushnell.com
There are three small Allen screws
The elevation turret of the DMR-II is
that work as set screws to keep the
about a third shorter than its predezero-stop ring in place. Setting the zero stop involves looscessor, but it no longer locks. The trade-off was to lose
ening the three set screws, pushing the zero-stop ring to
the locking ability to reduce the size, and I think Bushnell
made a wise decision. The amount of elevation adjustment the bottom of the turret and rotating it until two steel pins
are touching. Tighten the set screws and replace the turret
per revolution also doubled on the new scope, which now
housing. Thats it. The process is so intuitive that it doesnt
provides 10 mils of travel per revolution and 30 mils of
require a manual and takes two minutes if youre talking to
total travel. The windage turret is also smaller than it used
someone on the phone at the same time.
to be, losing about a quarter of its height. The windage
The remaining improvements are all visible through the
turret still locks and offers approximately 16 mils of travel.
scope. Bushnell has improved the lens coatings to increase
An integral power adjustment lever is a welcome addilight transmission and boost resolution. There is now an
tion for the DMR-II. Power adjustments usually need to
option to have an illuminated reticle with the adjustment
be made quickly, whether in the field or at a match, and

r i f l e s & g l a s s | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

g&a

35

Illumination is now an option, and the elevation turrets are much

lower profile.

The new DMR-II has new coatings to boost light transmission and
increase resolution.

system located on the parallax turret. The illumination

system has 11 illumination levels with an off location
between each one. There is also a new reticle: the G3.
The G3 reticle is the latest offering from the partnership
between G.A. Precision and Bushnell. The G3 is a mil-based
holdover reticle that subtends down to the .5-mil increment.
The new feature in the reticle is hold-off points at the 1.25and 1.5-mil points for use on moving targets.

The integral power adjustment lever makes adjustments faster and

easier.

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LOCK, STOCK & BARREL

j a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 G & A

37

Final thoughts on shooting with

your magazine on the ground.

WHILE ATTENDING the 2016 SHOT Show in Las Vegas,

a 30-something shooting instructor approached me from
a large federal organization. His question caught me off
guard: How do you get shooters past the urban legend
of not placing their M4 or AR-15 magazine on the ground
while shooting? I was
befuddled; we had slayed
this Holy Cow years ago in
the secretive sects of Special Operations. I thought,
How could shooters in 2016
be stuck in 1968? He went
on to say there were several
influential shooters in his
world that worshiped at the
altar of, Thou shalt not use
thy magazine as a monopod. An easy fix to this
is to simply rattle off with
a, Dang. You dumb! Of
course, that isnt going to
fix the problem of shooters
believing what they read or
hear from other shooters
whose so-called facts are
based on hearsay and B.S.
The bottom line is this:
if you have a magazine
that doesnt work when
pressed against the dirt,
ground, concrete or green,
green grass, get rid of it.
Magazines are cheap in
more way than one. You
can buy them inexpensively unless an anti-gun politician
threatens our Second Amendment rights, in which case
you might need a small loan for 30-rounders.
Some magazines are truly cheap in their make. If you
purchased bad mags, then you are in for many malfunctions, and the magazines could stick in the magwell or
could come apart as youre shooting. If you purchased
or were issued good magazines, there is absolutely no
reason not to place it firmly in the dirt to aid your shooting
position. Additionally, if you have bad magazines, placing
them against the ground as you shoot will be the least of

V I K I N G TA C T I C S . C O M

your problems.
The only detriment to placing the magazine on the deck
would be to induce a stoppage. With regard to malfunctions, please see my previous statement. Cheap magazines
may cause malfunction issues no matter how you hold your
mouth while shooting. I can
say that standard magazines bearing the markings
of Magpul, Troy, Lancer,
Colt and Smith & Wesson
will work no matter the
pressure exerted downward. The bottom line is
that there are zero reasons
not to place your magazine
down firmly.
So, what are the benefits
to placing your magazine
on terra firma? There really
arent many advantages
unless you want to shoot
faster and more accurately
while keeping your overall
profile lower. And in a gunfight, youre minimizing an
otherwise large target.
Using the magazine to
stabilize your shooting
position allows you to have
a more durable position.
This is advantageous if you
have to be in a position for
a long duration, such as a
police officer on perimeter
duty. Resting the magazine on the ground takes unneeded
stress out of your elbows and neck. In fact, you can actually
relax in this position. Many soldiers have taken catnaps
like this while pulling security. Waking up with a charging
handle impression on the side of your face is hard to hide,
but the sleep is well worth the possible smoke fest that
could follow.
Accuracy is attained with consistency. Placing the magazine on the ground affords a consistent cheekweld, which
enhances accuracy. It is almost like placing a bipod on your
firearm.

PHOTO: LUKAS LAMB

SACRED COW 2.0

S G M K Y L E L A M B [ R E T. ]

38

G&A

j a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | L o c k , s t o c k & b A r r e L

Dont hurt yourself reading this, but here is a fact: speed

kills. Therefore, why wouldnt we want to have the ability to
shoot faster in the prone, especially with heavier recoiling
rifles? When shooting from your elbows with the magazine
elevated above the ground, additional recoil will drive you
away from the target. Having the
magazine on the ground, when possible, helps with follow-through back
to the target. So far I am guaranteeing that you will shoot faster and
more accurately. What a bargain.
Why wouldnt you want to lower
your profile to keep from becoming an easier target? Placing your
mag on the ground helps get your
noggin lower so the threat has a
lower chance of being successful.
There are times when this wont
work. One of those times is when you are in the prone
shooting downhill, and even sometimes on the flat range
and your body style or attached gear isnt magazine-inthe-dirt friendly. I notice some shooters placing so much
gear on the front of their armor vests that this position isnt
easily attainable. Just because this happens on the flat
range, dont give up on trying to get your magazine in the
dirt when you move ranges or to uneven ground.

Lastly, let me ask: Do you really believe that with my

shooting instructional livelihood and credibility dangerously dangling over the precipice of tactical obscurity that
I would even consider teaching a technique that would
cause inaccuracy, unreliability and diminish confidence

THE BOTTOM LInE IS, IF yOu HaVE a

MaGaZInE THaT DOESnT WOrK WHEn
PrESSED aGaInST THE DIrT, GrOunD,
COnCrETE Or GrEEn, GrEEn GraSS,
GET RID OF IT.

amongst VTACs student base? Of course not.

Repetitive problems on the range and in the real world
have caused the evolution of gunfighting techniques in
America, and one that changed many, many years ago was
putting our magazines in the dirt. The benefits outnumber
nonexistent problems. If youre going prone, drop quickly
into a stable position, plant that magazine in the dirt and
start slaying the sacred cow.

Wed like to thank our competition for

paving the way in polymer pistols.

we ll take it from here.

P320

sigsauer.com/P320

#ONEFOR ALL

Cleaner, Crisper, Short Trigger Reset

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

40

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

DIVINE
INTERVENTION
Springfield Armorys Saint is more than just a secret rifle. Its a new direction.
words by eric r. poole

| studio photos by michael anschuetz

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

41

42

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

dennis reese, president of Springfield

Armory, held an original M1903 during a
speech at the unveiling of the Saint. He discussed the connection between the brands
history and the next generation of shooters.

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY made its foray

into the AR market and announced its
AR-15 to a short list of my colleagues
within the Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG). Shooting Times,
Rifleshooter and Guns & Ammo were all represented at the secret
preview on Sept. 13, 2016. The location was a remote training
facility near Gillette, Wyoming, where U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Frohardt was busy training combat mindset and carbine use to six
female shooting contestants from different walks of life. The winning participant would be announced as the face of Springfields
project several weeks later, when the rest of the gun industrys
media was let in on the secret project in Las Vegas.
To receive an invite to the second event, the media accepted a
non-disclosure agreement even members of the cutthroat gun
media working for popular internet blogs. And a show it was.
This is like a dream come true for me, Dennis Reese, president of Springfield Armory, said to OSG attendees. To be a part
of the [AR] market is something we have been working on for

many years. I hope you appreciate what

weve put our heart and souls into. The
[Saint] platform lends itself to be modified as we move on. Theyve got the bridle in my mouth, but
well keep you informed as time progresses.
Following that opening statement, the lights were dimmed and
an ominous scene from Springfields Night of the Saint short
movie played before us. A lady experiencing car trouble along a
lonely road at night was harassed by a truckful of nefarious characters. The scene went black with fading audio, suggesting she
was forced to use self-defense. Then Springfields new mantra,
Defend Your Legacy, appeared on-screen.
The point of the presentation was not only to introduce the
new Saint AR-15 rifle a first for Springfield Armory but
also to illustrate a shift in branding toward a lifestyle message.
Reese appeared to be the push behind this new look for Springfield Armory, which is sure to transcend and build on every
product line. In Springfields own words, theyre not going to try

d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

43

Springfield Armory Saint

Type: Direct impingement, mid-length
gas system, semiautomatic
Cartridge: 5.56 NATO
Capacity: 30 rds.
Barrel: 16 in., 1:8-in. twist
Overall Length: 32.5 in. (collapsed);
35.75 in. (extended)
Weight: 6 lbs., 11 oz. (tested)
Finish: Hardcoat anodized (aluminum);
nitride (steel)
Handguard: BCM, 9 in., non-free-float, polymer,
KeyMod attachments
Grip: BCM Gunfighter
Stock: BCM Gunfighter, 6 position adj.
Sights: A2, elev. adj. (front);
Leapers flip-up,
dual aperture (rear)
Trigger: 6 lbs., 9 oz. (tested);
two-stage, NiB coated
MSRP: $900
Manufacturer: Springfield Armory, 800-680-6866
springfieldarmory.com

(Far left) Alexandria, 26, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is an experienced shooter who also enjoys time
on the water and riding dirt bikes. (near left) tracy,
24, hails from evansville, indiana, and is the youngest
contestant. She works as a mold machine operator and
splits her free time between the range and the gym.

to sell their guns by putting them in the hands of mall ninjas,

scantly clad women or hunting athletes. No, Springfields
competitors have been there or are already doing that. Rather,
theyre expecting to champion the untapped market of youthful,
aspirational and unapologetic American civilians with the help
of social media. And thats how Springfield Armory picked these
six ladies. Each of them enjoys an enormous following on Twitter,
Instagram, YouTube, etc.
Springfields message, and its AR-15, focuses less on materialism and more on building experience. There is a strong athletic
component thats sure to appeal to the CrossFit audience. More
than just reading about it, Springfield is hoping that its customers are interested in becoming active, participating in and living
for adventurous experiences (or aspiring to do so). Important
to the message is taking responsibility for our own safety and
defense. Firearms are a part of this mindset, and people like us
are encouraged not to apologize for it.
Defend your legacy. Train your fear. Grip your nerves.

Stare down evil. These are the brands new taglines as the Saint
marks Springfield Armorys entry into the AR arena.
Take responsibility for yourself, Springfield Armory said.
Theres a very strong female element in what were doing, and
they dont want us to sell them pink guns. Springfield Armory
wants to identify with strong, independent and powerful women.
The takeaways with the Saints introductory configuration are
that it has a mid-length gas system, front sight and a nickel-boron coated GI-style trigger. (I liked that Springfield Armory
refers to its trigger as a GI-style trigger, as there is no such thing
as a commercial Mil-Spec trigger.) Rather than the clamshell M4
handguard, A2 grip and adjustable stock, Springfield Armory
worked with Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) to develop
a new 9-inch, three-section handguard with KeyMod attachment
points. The Saint also wears BCMs Gunfighter grip and collapsible
stock. Springfield will maintain exclusive use of these products
until shortly after SHOT Show in January 2017. At that time, these
items will be available for aftermarket purchase through BCM.

44

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

G&A GETS A HIGHSPEED tHriLL ride

IN THE NEW 2017
FORD F150 RAPTOR.
2017 Ford F150 Raptor
Type: Front engine, RWD/4WD;
5 passenger; 4 door
Powertrain: 3.5L DOHC 24V V-6
EcoBoost; twin turbo; alum.
block/heads; 450 hp; 510
lb.-ft. torque; 10-speed
automatic transmission
Curb Weight: 5,600 lbs.
Performance: 6.1 sec. est. (0-60 mph);
14 sec. est. ( mile)
Price: From $48,325
Manufacturer: Ford, ford.com/trucks/
f150raptor, 800-241-3673

OFF-ROAD ECOBEAST
to optimize the trucks response to its environment, including
street, baja, mud and sand. Handling was excellent as input
seemed to equal output. Underneath, a set of unique 17-inch
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires specifically designed for
the Raptor can travel more than 13 inches inside the wheelwells
thanks to new Fox shocks and geometry. The 2017 Raptor will
likely become the most survivable truck well soon see on the
road ... or off. Eric R. Poole

PHOTOS: ERIC R. POOLE

Baja 1000 champion Greg Foutz often gets the inside scoop on
new Ford projects. He was part of the off-road racing development
team working on the first-generation F150 Raptor, and hes been
a part of the all-new Raptor team as well. It was a bit of a surprise
when he showed up to Springfield Armorys launch of the Saint
towing a prototype of the new 2017 F150 Raptor that wore Springfields graphics and ADD bumpers (addictivedesertdesigns.com).
I think youre only the second media person to ride in one of
these, Foutz said after I presumptively jumped in.
Though I own a 2012 Raptor with a 6.2L V8, this twin-turbo
3.5L EcoBoost V6 proved to be more powerful as it drove my
head into the seat with Foutzs smash of the go pedal. We lived
in Baja mode with the nanny systems disengaged. Its one thing
to drive, climb and jump a powerful truck capable of 6-second
0-to-60 times over rugged terrain at interstate speeds. Its another
to be doing it while averaging 20 miles per gallon and sitting
comfortably. (My 2012 F150 Raptor averages 14 mpg.) This
new model benefits from a combination of an aluminum body,
aluminum engine block and heads, lighter wheels and a 10-speed
automatic transmission with manual shifting mode.
The 2017 Raptor improves on the previous generation with an
all-new Terrain Management System that offers six preset modes

d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

Why BCM? Bravo Company has been a great partner to work

with, Springfield Armory representatives said. Everybody has
their [Magpul] MOE edition of an AR. We didnt
want to do that. The best part is, with our furniture, theres no rattle and stock fit is tight.
Understanding that Springfield Armory is
new to the AR market and knowing that BCM is
supplying the furniture, OSGs editors carefully
inspected the Saints other attributes.
Meet the Saint. The name Saint suggests its
users are good people with guns. The target MSRP
is going to be less than $900. This is interesting
because, by our calculation, if we were to spec
out this carbine as its offered, wed be looking at a
$1,200 rifle. The price across the retail counter is
sure to be less, making the Saint competitive with
AR-15s that are more of an M4gery with the lessdesirable, over-gassed carbine-length gas system.

G&A

45

As with most entry-level ARs, Springfield Armory started with

a GI-style M4-ish carbine to keep it affordable and modified its
features with user-surveyed preferences. That
keeps in line with Springfields general approach
to its products. Consider its various M1As, and
1911-A1 and XD pistols. When you think about
it, an AR-15 is the natural progression for Springfields business.
Whos going to buy it? Springfield Armory went
on the record and said that they dont think that
everyone has an AR yet. Or perhaps many have
bought an AR for $599 and are ready to move up.
Im betting that owners of Springfields other products are going to want one, as they are a serious,
brand-loyal group.
Regardless of the reasoning, Springfield was
smart in choosing a mid-length gas system first.
This is important because the gas-pressure curve

46

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

the lightweight
barrel and midlength gas setup is
protected by a new
BCM handguard.
the lower piece carries a heat shield.

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d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

47

After becoming familiar with the Saint, the

author and oSG colleagues tested six samples that proved their capability through
two target-rich unknown-distance courses.
Winchesters frangible 50-grain load was
used without malfunction during CQB
evaluations on steel.

is stretched and lowered over time, which helps the rifle not beat
itself up when shooting common 55- or 62-grain bullets that race
toward 3,000 feet per second (fps). The recoil impulse is also
friendly with a mid-length gas setup. At the range, I observed
the Saint to be one of the most, if not the most, consistent AR-15
when it comes to ejection. All the brass piled up neatly at the
range within a 6-inch circle, making cleanup easy. This tells us
that whats going on inside the gun with the reciprocating opera-

tion of the bolt is happening very evenly.

At the heart of any good rifle is a good barrel. This one measures 16 inches and is cold-hammer forged. It started as a Green
Mountain barrel that was contoured and nitrided in-house by
Springfield. The barrel is not a true M4 profile as it lacks the
worthless M203 barrel cut for attaching military 40mm grenade
launchers. However, the barrel is a 1:8-inch twist, which is an
understandable compromise between the faster 1:7-inch twist

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

the Saint comes with a low-profile

rear sight by Leapers, a new BCM
handguard sporting an integral
handstop and an A2 muzzle device.

and the slower 1:9-inch and higher twist rates. My favorite detail
of the Saint is that it has a 5.56 NATO chamber, which means
it can fire either 5.56 NATO or .223 Rem. ammunition without
the concern for unwarranted wear and erosion that occurs when
shooting 5.56 loads through a rifle with a .223 Rem. chamber.
The front sight is also GI style, an F height as its called. Its
elevation adjustable, and though out of style for a long time, it
seems to be making a comeback. The rear sight is nicely marked
with the Springfield Armory logo, but its good to note that this
low-profile, flip-up, dual-aperture sight was sourced from Leapers. Its a decent sight because of how low it can fold. It allows us
to drop our optics height for a better cheekweld and eye placement behind an ocular lens.
At the muzzle end of the barrel is a GI-type birdcage compensator. Its popular to simply call it a flash hider these days, but
this one was designed for the M16A2 as a compensator distinguished by the closed bottom. Though its a decent flash hider,
the idea behind its development was to assist in minimizing
muzzle rise under sustained fire and prevent dust from being
kicked-up in front of the muzzle by gasses escaping toward the
ground when shooting in the prone position. (Though it is technically a compensator, it has little benefit in controlling muzzle
rise.)
The three-piece, non-free-float, 9-inch handguard was

Marked at the front

with Springfield
Armorys legendary
logo, the view from
the rear is adjustable for windage
and can be flipped
for different size
apertures when up
for use.

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

49

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G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

Mod slots for accessories at 1, 6 or 11 oclock. Because this is a

polymer forend thats not free-floated, I do not suggest attaching
aiming devices. Instead, lights or grip solutions are appropriate.
For shooters who like to run their support hand as far forward as
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will help prevent burning their fingers on the barrel or gas block.
While shooting with a high-magnified optic, I observed heat
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significant mirage in the scope and revealed what may be one of

the handguard designs few shortcomings.
The trigger is a GI style, which means that we can expect a pull
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G&A

51

PERFORMANCE
SD

BEST
GROUP
(IN.)

AVERAGE
GROUP
(IN.)

31

12

.98

1.22

2,588

116

54

1.46

1.67

American Eagle 62-gr. FMJ

2,794

52

21

1.54

1.95

Winchester 55-gr. FMJ

3,045

97

37

1.65

2.08

VELOCITY
(FPS)

ES

Federal Gold Medal Match

69-gr. BTHP

2,654

HPR Match 75-gr. BTHP

LOAD

Notes: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups fired from 100 yards. Velocity
is the average of five shots measured using an Oehler Model 35P chronograph.

The winter-style triggerguard, grip and stock are all BCM products. For me, the length of pull is short with the adjustable stock,
but shooters with short wingspans wont mind. The stocks comb
is arched and seamless, meaning that it wont pull at facial hair,
and it is quite comfortable. That said, the lever to adjust the stock
position isnt as quick or intuitive to operate as the M4 style, but
the stock doesnt cheapen the look of the Saint either. Though
made by BCM, this, too, is appropriately marked Springfield
Armory atop its spine. Inside the stocks buffer tube is a heavy
H buffer. The tube is threaded and secured by a properly staked
castle nut.
Though the furniture comes from BCM, I was scratching my
head when I racked the charging handle and saw it to be a standard GI-type rather than BCMs famous Gunfighter model that
minimizes the risk to our eyes against hot, venting gas. Perhaps,

in order to offer the Saint at a lower price, this was one of the
compromises that Springfield Armory had to make.
The bolt carrier group is an M16 profile featuring a bolt made
of Carpenter 158 shot-peened steel. The rotating bolt is one of
the weakest parts in Eugene Stoners design, and as an armorer
with 12 years of service, Ive seen a hundred bolt lugs sheer, cam
pins crack and bolt bodies break in half at the cam-pin hole for a
number of different reasons. I can speak from this experience that

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52

5 6

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n

Springfields choice of specing one made of Carpenter 158 is a

good one. A nice touch that distinguishes the Saint is the tasteful
laser-etched logo at the front of the carrier. When the ejection
port cover is open, everyone can admire the fact that weve got
good taste.
Upper and lower receivers are forged and hardcoat anodized.
Push out the rear takedown pin and open the receivers shotgun
style, and you will note that theres a tension screw inside thats
accessible for adjustment through the grip. With it, we can eliminate any perceived rattle and play between the receivers. This
doesnt improve accuracy potential as many might think, but it is
nice to shoot a rifle that doesnt feel like it could shake apart in
our hands.
The rifle wears the companys historical bursting bomb with
crossed cannons logo branded on the left magwell and a large
SAINT on the right side. What isnt on the Saint is an ambidextrous safety lever. However, Ive been informed that ambis are
expected to follow.
The Saint doesnt weigh much at 6 pounds, 11 ounces. It
handles well, and its priced competitively. Im eager to see the
price across the counter. Im predicting that the Saint will be one
of the most affordable mid-length M4-style carbines with BCM
upgrades.
Springfield Armory supplies Magpuls 30-round Gen 3 PMag
with each Saint, which seems to be the standard fare with quality
rifles. PMags are a no-brainer these days. In fact, since the run on
magazines in December 2013, Ive made it a point to buy at least
one magazine every time I visit a gun store even if I dont buy
anything else. (We can never have enough magazines.)
Sainthood? Vetting the Saint began at that first OSG event in
Wyoming. Collectively, we watched as Springfields six contestants
received training and ran several Saint rifles equipped with Trijicon MRO red dots through drill after drill in a defensive vehicular shootout. They were confident in their abilities and precise

the bolt carrier

group is well-made
and features a
gas key that has
been properly
staked. Springfield
Armorys logo is
laser engraved at
the front and is
visible through the
ejection port.

d i v i n e i n t e r v e n t i o n | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

with their shooting. Their training began only a few weeks prior
on Sept. 2, and it was impressive to see how effective they were.
Next, we moved with our issued Saint samples to a Scrambler
course deep in a rocky valley. There were 50 steel targets scattered for a quarter-mile, and an instructor followed to verify time
and deduct for misses. It was hard to miss with the Saint unless
you simply walked past a well-covered threat. In the end, I had
the second-fastest time and successfully engaged every target.
Shooting continued as we later evaluated the Saint within a
target-rich bowl that emphasized speed and controllability. The
NiB-coated trigger certainly illustrated its benefit at this range
as we tried to engage somewhere near 75 targets at unknown
distances in less than three minutes. It was intense madness but
entirely fun. I performed the course twice, and before I left Wyoming, I had logged 250 rounds through a rifle without malfunction using Winchesters 50-grain frangible.

G&A

53

Back at the office, I had a Saint waiting for me, and Ive been
working it over ever since. In terms of accuracy potential, I evaluated the Saint at the bench using several range loads spanning a
mix of bullet weights. Unless youre shooting match ammunition,
expect to see the Saint print groups between 1 inches and 2
inches at 100 yards. If youre target shooting and want to make
smaller clusters, I suggest Federals legendary Gold Medal Match
load with 69-grain Sierra MatchKing bullets. This load will give
you 1-MOA five-shot clusters all day. These are incredible results
for a non-free-float, entry-level-priced carbine.
I never expected this much value in a basic AR, and I think
that it might become the new standard by which other entrylevel carbines are judged. Given the uncertain political climate,
Springfield Armorys decision to enter the AR market couldnt
have been timed better for success. I predict there will be high
demand for Saints in our future.

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56

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

WORDS BY JEREMY STAFFORD | PHOTOS BY SEAN UTLEY

G&A WENT OVERSEAS TO

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

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58

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n

at night, lets talk a little about why striker-fired pistols have

CZ HAS WAITED AN AWFULLY LONG TIME to jump into
eclipsed all others in the military and police duty context.
the striker-fired game, and with good reason. The road to the
In short, its consistency. While most striker-fired pistol triggers
striker-fired throne is littered with pretenders and almost-rans.
So what can a company that made its bones with pistols based on are not as clean breaking as single action or double action/single
action (DA/SA), striker-gun triggers offer a manageable press in
the legendary CZ 75 bring to the race?
In a word, experience. Engineering and ergonomics have always a weight thats appropriate for all shooters. And we dont have to
fumble with the transition from double to single action either.
been a strong suit of the fabled Czech manufacturer. Consider
Boiling it down, most striker triggers are at least OK. However,
the vz.58 infantry rifle and the CZ 75 pistol, for example. Even
many shooters struggle with DA trigger presses because they are
Col. Jeff Cooper, the father of the Modern Technique and a 1911
long and often heavy; a factory DA trigger averages between 10
stalwart, thought so highly of the CZ 75 that he often praised it in
his writings despite a dislike for its original 9mm chambering. The and 13 pounds. Most striker-fired triggers measure around 6
pounds. As an active police officer and firearms instructor, thats
influence of the CZ 75 was evident in what Cooper considered to
a huge difference when Im teaching a line of 40 police recruits
be the ultimate fighting pistol: the Dornaus & Dixon Bren Ten.
who may have never shot a pistol before.
Still, contemporary variants of the venerable CZ 75 (including
the CZ P-07 and P-09) remain front-and-center of the
winners podiums at pistol matches.
Why a striker-fired pistol, and why now? Strikerfired actions are what militaries, law enforcement
and consumers are currently shopping for. Even
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pistols as fast as they are made, responsible companies always look to the future. Of particular note is
that CZ engineers seemingly solved the mystery and
figured out how to give striker-fired pistols a good
trigger on a production line. No, scratch that its a
the supplied sights are steel 3-dot. night
great trigger.
sights will be available as well. even
Before we delve into why the CZ P-10 is going
though the pistol is not slide-in-frame, it
to keep American and Austrian gun companies up
retains several of czs streamlined angles.

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G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n

the p-10 c is
easily fieldstripped
into common
subassemblies for
maintenance.

fired pistols is one with a

The transition from a DA
trigger thats better than good
press to an SA press is also
enough right out of the box.
problematic. In fact, many
Aftermarket brands, such as
well-known trainers in the
Apex Tactical, have improved
heyday of the traditional DA/
the stock trigger on many
SA pistol issue would teach
platforms, but their engineers
shooters to thumb-cock a
still have to overcome the limpistols hammer or just throw
itations in the factory designs
the first shot away. Neither
until now.
option is conducive to winning
The new-for-2017 CZ P-10
gunfights.
the author points out the unique trigger bow of the p-10, one of
appears to shift the paradigm
The DA press can usually be the design elements that gives it such an amazing trigger.
by providing us a great trigger.
smoothed out or reduced to
There are two reasons why the P-10 trigger is so good. First, the
a manageable weight, but that often brings the reliability of the
pistol into question. Returning to single-action pistols such as the trigger bar of standard striker pistols has been replaced by a stirrup (reminiscent of the 1911), which allows the trigger to truly
Model 1911 is also not an option for most agencies that have left
move straight to the rear. Its a big deal because most trigger bars
it since the effort of maintaining an SA pistol to run reliably for
in striker-fired handguns move along one side of the frame. The
tens of thousands of rounds is an expensive proposition. So, here
pressure applied to the shoe is transferred by a lever that forces
we are. The majority of law-enforcement officers (and perhaps
the trigger bar to yaw to one side rather than straight and to the
the next generation of U.S. troops) now have striker-fired pistols
rear. We can feel its effect when dry-firing most other striker
chambered in 9mm. The manageable trigger weight combined
guns. If you have one, make sure it is empty, then double-check
with shot-to-shot consistency is an attractive offer when training
that it is empty and sight-in against a safe area. While focusing
new shooters. Add that there are fewer moving parts to maintain
on the front sight, press the trigger slowly. After the trigger bar
or wear, and its no surprise that most departments, both municipal and federal, have converted to striker guns. The military is on has compressed the trigger and striker springs, the striker will
be released. Youll see the front sight bounce regardless of your
its way there as well.
press. With the stirrup-style trigger bar, this does not happen.
The force applied to the trigger is distributed straight back, since
A Great Trigger What has been missing from the field of striker-

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G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n

from the interchangeable grip inserts to

the undercut triggerguard and generous
beavertail, the p-10 represents the latest
innovations in polymer firearm features.
this pistol fits nearly every hand size well.
As an added benefit, it fits into most
holsters made for the Glock 19. Also note
the ambidextrous slide stop levers, which
are robust and should not have any of the
breakage issues associated with competitors ambi controls.

the bow surrounds the magazine well

and moves along both sides of the frames
internal structure. The lack of bounce
leads to a much cleaner trigger press and
allows each shot to be placed more accurately.
The second reason that the P-10 trigger is so marvelous is that
CZ has engineered a different approach to the typical striker-fired
safety plunger located in the slide and activated by a bump atop
the trigger bar. These plunger-type safety systems require additional force on the trigger to deactivate, which increases drag on
the trigger and affects the press. CZ has replaced the traditional
plunger-style striker block with a hinged semicircular arm in
the slide that interfaces with a matching surface on the rear of
the trigger mechanism. As the trigger bow moves to the rear, the
ridge on the trigger mech engages the hinged arm and moves it
out of the way, which then allows the striker to move forward.
CZ has tuned the tension on the hinge so that it is nearly undetectable as the trigger is pressed.

Hand Fit Regardless of how good the

trigger is, shooters wont consider a new
pistol if it feels like a brick in their hands.
There are too many quality striker pistols
available for shooters to compromise how a handgun fits. Its
a lesson that most polymer gun manufacturers figure out on
the fly. CZ doesnt have to worry about that. The world-class
ergonomics that made the company famous for its pistols are
still present. With a natural pointing angle and a comfortable,
hand-filling grip, CZ recognized the demand for polymer pistols
with user-removable backstraps. The P-10 comes with three in
small, medium and large sizes. With one of these combinations,
the P-10 should fit most shooters. The molded-in cubic-style
checkering is aggressive and bites firmly into the hand, but not
painfully so. The slide-in-frame design that CZ is known for with
its CZ 75 isnt necessary with the P-10. We can get our hands
high enough on the frame to make bore height negligible. (The
bore height above our wrists is one of the features that made the

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Comprehensive
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64

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n

the molded-in
checkering on the
p-10 is aggressive
and effective. if
the texture is too
aggressive for the
shooter, a couple of
passes with very fine
sandpaper will solve
the problem.

the grip area of the

p-10 is also unique
to the pistol, as it
combines the great
angle and ergonomics that cz is known
for.

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CZ 75 and its variants so controllable.)

The polymer used in molding the P-10 frame has a dense,
solid feel to it, and all the steel parts were treated with CZs proprietary nitride coating, which gives the pistol a deep, dark black
color thats as attractive and protective as it is functional.
G&A shoots it first. While visiting the historic CZ factory in
Uhersk Brod, Czech Republic (CZ-UB), I had the opportunity to
shoot two examples of the new P-10 C 9mm destined for the U.S.
market. These were not preproduction guns built just for G&A
to shoot; these were pistols from the first actual production run,
and I tested the inital model that will be available to the American public: the P-10 C. This is the compact version, and its a
true compact design. For comparison, Id suggest that its roughly
the size of a Glock 19. The P-10 C has a slightly abbreviated grip
frame that accommodates existing CZ P-series magazines, with
the 15-round stick seating flush. The barrel measured 3.9 inches
long and is hammer forged by CZ-UB. The barrel is also hydraulically lapped to ensure that there are no burrs or irregularities,
which is a testament to the quality I witnessed throughout my
tour of the factory. A semi-compact version with a longer barrel
and the compact grip frame will follow the P-10 C, and then,
finally, a full-sized pistol.
Critical dimensions are such that all P-10s should fit holsters
designed for Glocks. I was only able to test this on a Safariland
Model 6004 holster with the SLS hood, but it worked as advertised. Obviously, this would be an important consideration for
agencies and shooters looking to switch.
G&A seized the opportunity to evaluate the P-10 C at a small
military test range not far from the factory. There were targets

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66

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n

rear with the slightest rollset up at 10 and 15 meters

ing-type feeling before breakand steel at about 100 meters.
ing at what I estimated to be
Because this was an exclusive
about 4 pounds. I looked at
first look at a brand-new
the factory rep and asked,
pistol, we had to forego G&As
Four pounds? He smiled
usual performance testing criand replied in his James Bond
teria. There were no chronovillain voice, You are close!
graphs available, and the only
Once broken in, the trigger
load on hand was a 124-grain
should break at 20 newtons.
full metal jacket (FMJ) load
the cz factory is nearly 100 years old and is an interesting juxtaIve been in the game long
by Sellier & Bellot. This is the
position of traditional and ultra-high-tech. the buildings shown
enough to recognize newtons
standard load issued to Czech
here are amongst the oldest.
(N) and to use them comparRepublics military.
atively. A Glock trigger should break at about 25 N, and that
The first pistol I fired had about 500 rounds put through it
translates to 5 pounds. That puts 20 N at roughly 4 pounds.
the day before, according to one of the range masters. He had
After shooting the pistol to get used to the ergonomics and
recently separated from the Czech Republics special forces and
sights (which were steel, 3-dot-style with a generous rear
looked like he would rather beat a terrorist to death than shoot
notch), I was handed a brand-new P-10 C to shoot. Right away,
them. I liked him immediately.
I noticed the difference in triggers. Brand-new, the P-10 trigger
I picked up the P-10 C to verify its condition, then sighted
was still great, but it felt a half-pound heavier and slightly
the empty pistol on the target at 15 meters. As I pressed the
grittier than the one that had more than 500 rounds through it.
trigger, I was pleasantly surprised as it moved smoothly to the

G&A

67

us to choke up high on the

I questioned this point, and
grip. When function testing,
the CZ rep replied, Theres
I observed that the sights
about a 100-round period
tracked smoothly through
before trigger settles in. I
recoil, making follow-up
kept loading magazines and
shots easy. The pistol was
shooting the targets and steel.
accurate even on the
After shooting 100 rounds,
ranges steel plates set at 100
I concurred that the trigger
meters. The combination
on the new P-10 was every
of a great trigger and sights
bit as good as the first pistol.
cz-UBs foundry and casting capabilities are known for their
had a good bit to do with
Having a feel for these pistols,
quality throughout europe, and several european gunmakers
that. I wont declare the P-10
I turned to shooting five, fivesubcontract those responsibilities to cz.
champion of striker-fired
shot groups at 15 meters.
pistols until I fire 10,000 rounds through one. However, I can
The groups were fired from an unrested, offhand posireport no malfunctions after putting 1,200 rounds through two
tion, which produced larger groups than if we could have
production guns.
benchrested the pistols. Not surprisingly, the largest group at
G&As recent trip to Czech Republic offered rare insights into
this distance measured 1.2 inches with an obvious flyer. The
the great health and capabilities of this company. Days later, I
smallest group was a knot that measured less than three-quardeparted the airport in Prague with the suspicion that CZs new
ters of an inch. The other three groups were less than 1 inch.
Wonder Nine would soon take a big bite of Americas strikRecoil of the pistol was negligible. In part, this is due to the
er-fired market. Get ready to be impressed.
9mm chambering, but it was also the ergonomics that allowed

YOUR NEXT
FIREARM IS WAITING

Firearms can only be sent to a Cabelas store for pickup. Well ship it to your nearest Cabelas store for free.
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checks, are fullled. Check your applicable federal, state and local laws before attempting to acquire a rearm.

PHOTOS: ERIC R. POOLE

c z e c h p e r f e c t i o n | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

68

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

WHATS REA
G&A PUTS .22LR AMMO UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
WORDS BY TOM BECKSTRAND | PHOTOS BY MARK FINGAR

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

LLY MATCH?

G&A

69

70

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

MATCH AMMUNITION has a special place in any rifle-shooters heart. The term leads a shooter to believe
that, should they use it in their rifle, theyll experience optimal accuracy. This promise is significant because
almost all of us want to know the capabilities of our pet gun. Due to the premium one is expected to shell out
for match .22LR over, say, a bulk pack, Guns & Ammos editors decided a thorough evaluation was in order.
This experiment tested 26 different loads of .22-caliber rimfire ammunition to determine what quantifiable
accuracy and chronograph differences exist between the brands. Accuracy was measured in the form of five,
five-shot groups at 25 yards. The distance was kept short to minimize environmental effects and each group
was measured with dial calipers. We also clocked the ammunitions velocity using the very accurate Magnetospeed V3 chronograph. With this information, we also calculated standard deviation and extreme spread. The
results were not what we expected.

THE TEST GUN

The test rifle was the most expensive .22 rifle
Ive ever touched, and it made me nervous to
cart it around. A new Anschtz 1913 Super
Match drew test duties, and it performed
beautifully. This rifle is a mainstay for smallbore competitive shooters, and after shooting
it during testing, I can see why.
It looks like the rifles you once saw in
the Olympics because it was a rifle used
in Olympic competition. This single-shot
bolt-action features an almost infinite

Anschutz
Type:
Cartridge:
Capacity:
Barrel:
Overall Length:
Weight:
Stock:
Finish:
Trigger:
Sights:
MSRP:
Manufacturer:

1913 Super-Match
Bolt action
.22LR
1 rd.
27.25 in., heavy match
46 in.
12 lbs., 6 oz. (w/o sights)
Walnut, fully adjustable
Blued (steel)
3 oz., adjustable (tested)
Anschutz 7020/20 ($495)
$3,035 (w/o sights)
Anschutz; available at
Champions Choice
800-345-7179
champchoice.com

number of adjustments at every point the

shooter touches the rifle. The trigger, butt
assembly and forend all have numerous
options to configure the rifle.
G&A selected this rifle because of its
reputation for accuracy, partially due to
the excellent aperture sights and trigger.

A travesty though it might be to use a rifle

so ideally designed for positional work on
the shooting bench, thats exactly what we
did. We placed a large and long V-shaped
bag up front under the forend and another
large, wedge-shaped bag under the stocks
toe to stabilize the rear.
The trigger fired after about 1 pound
of pressure and had zero creep. The rifle
came so well set up out of the box that
we saw no need to adjust the trigger.
The micro-adjustable sights use a small
aperture up front with a larger aperture
in the rear. All we had to do was center
the small half-inch dot target within the
front aperture and center that in the rear
aperture, and we were in business.

w h at s r e a l ly m at c h ? | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&a

71

TESTING METHODOLOGY
As previously mentioned, we opted to use
the worlds most recognized match rifle
to test some of the most common .22LR
match ammunition available. Choosing
the Anschtz rifle assumes that match
ammunition really does perform best in
a truly match rifle. This seemed like a
reasonable assumption to make.
While ammunition can exhibit different
accuracy performance from one rifle to
the next, those variations occur mostly
because of differences in the chamber
and barrel. The reason accuracy can be
so unpredictable is because the freebore
diameters and lengths vary from one manufacturer to the next. So does headspace

tolerance, leade angles and just about

every other chamber and bore dimension.
The Anschtz chamber wins in all the
categories listed above because of the
track record it has established in the most
competitive environments in the world.
My goal was to eliminate as many variables as possible, and to do that, I needed
the Anschtz match chamber and barrel.
I tested accuracy because thats the
whole reason to buy match ammunition in
the first place. It would have been possible
to do the test with a high-magnification scope, but the test rifle didnt come
equipped for that. The aperture sights
on the rifle were more than sufficient for

this test and taught me that this setup is

capable of astounding accuracy.
Twenty-five yards isnt a very long
distance, and while its a good idea when
trying to minimize environmental effects,
the short distance doesnt allow ammunition to fail due to inconsistent velocities.
This is where a good chronograph comes
in. Vertical stringing occurs at longer
distances due to variations in velocity.
However, accuracy testing at long distance
doesnt work well for a .22 because the
bullet is so vulnerable to wind gusts.
So, the chronograph is a second means
of sniffing out how good that .22 match
ammo really performs.

72

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

THE ROUND-UP

PERFORMANCE
AVERAGE
VELOCITY
(FPS)

EXTREME
SPREAD

STANDARD
DEVIATION

AVERAGE
GROUP
(IN.)

BEST
GROUP
(IN.)

Wolf Match 40-gr. Lead RN

1,043

35

15

.19

.07

CCI Pistol Match 40-gr. Lead RN

1,048

33

13

.18

.11

Armscor 36-gr. Lead JHP

1,306

62

23

.21

.11

Eley Subsonic Hollow 40-gr. Lead HP

1,049

27

12

.21

.11

RWS Target Rifle 40-gr. Lead RN

1,074

10

.24

.11

Eley Tenex 40-gr. Lead FN

1,093

13

.21

.14

Federal HV Match 40-gr. Lead RN

1,229

29

11

.21

.14

RWS High Velocity 40-gr. Copper Plated HP

1,220

46

21

.22

.14

Aguila Super Extra 40-gr. Copper Plated RN

1,187

46

19

.22

.15

Gemtech Subsonic 42-gr. Lead RN

1,022

35

14

.27

.16

Eley Contact 42-gr. Lead RN

1,086

15

.23

.18

Eley Force 42-gr. Lead RN

1,228

38

18

.24

.19

CCI Green Tag 40-gr. Lead RN

1,058

33

14

.25

.19

Federal Champion 40-gr. Lead RN

1,309

31

13

.28

.21

Blazer 22 Long Rifle 40-gr. Lead RN

1,239

48

19

.28

.22

CCI SGB 40-gr. Lead FN

1,246

35

13

.3

.22

Winchester Standard Velocity 40-gr. Lead RN

1,258

18

.3

.22

Winchester Super-X High Velocity 40-gr. Plated HP

1,273

52

20

.3

.23

Remington 22 Target 40-gr. Lead RN

1,131

26

10

.32

.23

Remington Gameload 36-gr. Copper Plated Lead HP

1,277

38

14

.39

.24

Winchester Super-X Superspeed 40-gr. RN

1,307

.39

.25

CCI Mini-Mag 40-gr. Copper Plated Lead RN

1,350

46

21

.4

.29

CCI Velociter 40-gr. Copper Plated Lead HP

1,446

35

13

.38

.35

649

53

23

.41

.35

Browning BPR 40-gr. Copper Plated Lead HP

1,451

52

20

.46

.39

CCI Copper-22 21-gr. Copper/Polymer HP

1,827

38

15

.49

.4

LOAD

CCI Quiet-22 40-gr. Seg. Copper Plat. Lead HP

Notes: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups fired from 25 yards on a sandbag rest. Velocity is the average of five shots measured using a
Magnetospeed V3 chronograph.

w h at s r e a l ly m at c h ? | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&a

73

THE
BASELINE
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ThisfififififinifiifinficfififisfififffiAfifiififisfi
sfifinfififififipfififificfiifinfifiififififififiinfifiinfiMfixicfifi
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finfiifisfipfififfifififincfi,fiAfifiifififiisfifififininfifififififi
hifih-qfififiififififiifififififififififinifiifin.
ThfififififififififiAfifiififififisfisfiinfifihisfifififififi
fifiifihsfi40fifififiins,fiisficfippfififipfififififififinfifihfisfi
fififififinfifinfisfi.fiChfifipfipfiinfiinfifififififififihfififi
fihisfifiifihfifififi,fiififihfifififixcfifififinfifificcfifificfifi
pfififfifififincfificfififiinfifififiifihfifififiificfififi
chfifinfifififiphfinfififififis.
Gfififipfisizfisfifififififififififi.1fifififi.2fiinch,fififififi
fihfifififififisfififipfififififififiifififixfifififififispfifififififinfifi
fifihifihfisfifinfififififififivififiifin.fiThisficfififiinfifiifinfifiififififififififinsfifihisfififififinfiifinfiisfifififififi
ffififi25fififififisfifinfififinfififi,fifififififiifififisfifififififififi
fififi50fififififisfifinfifififififinfi.

FEDERAL FRESH FIRE PACK

Ifififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififi
fifififisfifififiishfififififisfifiinfifififificfifipfifififi.22LRfi
fifififinifiifin.fiThfifiFfififififififififififisfiIfishfififihfififi
fififinfisififiinfififinfifififishfififfiffifififificfifipfififififfi
fifififis,fifinfifiifisfififififififififififipfifisfinfififiifinfififfifihfififi
fiifi-fifififififi.22LRfififififinifiifinfififififisfifiififi.fiIfifi
cfififisfiinfifififiifi,finifififififin-pfifififififififinfi-fishfi
cfin,fifinfififififififihfififififinfisfififififipififififiinfifififififihfifi.fi
Ifisfinfifififihfifichfifipfisfifisfififffifinfifihfifififififififi,fi
fifififiifififfincfiifinsfifififiififififififinfifihfisfifififififisfishfifififi
ficcfifififififififiinfiG&Asfi.22fififisfififiiflfis.
Lfififiinfififififihfififisfifinfifififififififififififififinifiifinfipfififfifififififififififififififififififififisfififihfififi
fifichfififfifinfiifipfifivfififinfificfififisfifiifihfifihfifi
fifififififixpfinsivfififififichfififififis.fiThfifisfififififisfifi
fivfi-shfififififififipfiIfififififififiifihfiFfifififififififififififi
fififisfififififi.21fiinchficfinfififi-fifi-cfinfififififinfififihfifi
fififififisfififififisfififififi.38fiinch.fiThisfififisfififichfi
fififififififificcfifificfififihfinfifixpficfififi.
ThfifichfifinfifififiphfififisfififisfififiinfififififiFfifififififififififififi.22LR.fiThfififivfifififififivfifificifififififisfi
1,309fiffifififipfififisficfinfifi(fps),fififichfihifihfififi
fihfinfififisfifififfifihfififififichfififififis.fiWhifififivfifififi
ficcfififififi,fifihfififififiifiifinfififivfifificifififififififisfiififi

fifififififificfinfiififififififfififihfinfiinfifisfififififififififi.fi
Mfifichfififififisfifivfififififififi300fifpsfisfififififi,fisfifi
fihfisfifififififififisfifififipfififinfipfipfifi.
Thfififixfifififififispfifififififififisfififififi31fifpsfi
finfififihfifisfifinfififififififivififiifinfi(SD)fififisfi12.8.fi
Ffifififififififififififififfihfifinfifihfifichfifinfifififiph.fiThfififi
fififinsfiifififififififi21fififichfififififififixpfinsivfifi
fififichfififififisfiffifificfinsisfifinfifififizzfififivfifificififi,fi
fihichfiisfifififififificfifipfinfinfififfifififiifififififificcfifificfififififififinfififififiisfifincfis.
Best Group (in.): .21
Average Group (in.): .28
Average Velocity (fps): 1,309
Extreme Spread: 31
Standard Deviation: 13
MSRP: $20fi/fi325fififis.
federalpremium.com

Best Group: .15

Average Group: .22
Average Velocity: 1,187fifps
Extreme Spread: 46
Standard Deviation: 19
MSRP: $4.50fi/fi50fififis.
aguilaammo.com

HISTORIC HEADSTAMPS
How many brands markings can you
remember from these vintage
.22LR headstamps?
Key on page 88
1960

74

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

ARMSCOR 22 LONG RIFLE

BLAZER 22 LONG RIFLE

BROWNING BPR PERFORMANCE

This ammunition is made in the Philippines, so I was pretty excited to test it.
The American and European makers are
well-known and come with a certain set of
expectations, but this was my first brush
with Philippine rimfire ammo, and I had
no idea what to expect.
Results? It printed great! Accuracy was
much better than expected, with groups
hovering between .11 inch and .3 inch.
We were shocked to see a 36-grain
copper-plated hollowpoint group so well.
The chronograph wasnt nearly as kind.
This load had the highest extreme spread
of any round tested (62 fps) and a standard deviation of 23.2. While the accuracy
was surprisingly good, those small groups
will likely only hold up at closer distances.

I expected this load to do poorly based on

the almost-forgotten brand name. This is
the most affordable load manufactured,
and I had expectations appropriate for the
cheapest stuff found on the ammo shelf.
I changed my mind about Blazer after
this evaluation. It certainly isnt match
ammunition, but it offers very good accuracy for the money. All groups hovered
in the .2- to .3-inch range, which further
strengthened my belief that its hard to
find ammunition loaded with 40-grain
lead round nose bullets at match or
standard velocity that dont shoot well
at 25 yards. (At least from a high-quality
smallbore competition rifle.)
Things fell apart a little on the chronograph, and thats where we see the cheap
come out. This load had an extreme
spread of 48 fps and a standard deviation
of 19.3. It wasnt last, but it was a lot
closer to the bottom than to the top.

This and CCIs Velocitor are two of the

hardest-hitting .22 rimfire loads of the
evaluation. Both push 40-grain copper-plated hollowpoint bullets at right
around 1,450 fps, a velocity that teams
well with a soft, expanding bullet. Brownings intent for this BPR round is to provide
the small-game hunter with appropriate
ammunition. The velocity and bullet
construction make this an appropriate
selection for that task.
The chronograph was not kind to the
BPR. I had a measured extreme spread of
52 fps and a standard deviation of 20.2,
both pretty high numbers when compared
to the rest of the field. Accuracy performance was also toward the bottom of the
pack. The smallest group measured .39
inch and the largest measured .51 inch.
Browning BPR is intended for smallgame hunters and should be kept to that
task. It will handle this job well, thanks
to the high velocity and bullet design. It
would not be in our list of top picks for
plinking or match use.

Best Group (in.): .11

Average Group (in.): .21
Average Velocity (fps): 1,306
Extreme Spread: 62
Standard Deviation: 23
MSRP: $49 / 500 rds.
armscor.com

1938

1900

1974

1931

Best Group (in.): .22

Average Group (in.): .28
Average Velocity (fps): 1,239
Extreme Spread: 48
Standard Deviation: 19
MSRP: $4 / 50 rds.
blazer-ammo.com

Best Group (in.): .39

Average Group (in.): .46
Average Velocity (fps): 1,451
Extreme Spread: 52
Standard Deviation: 20
MSRP: $10 / 100 rds.
browningammo.com

76

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

CCI COPPER-22

CCI GREEN TAG

CCI MINI-MAG

This is one of those niche loads that CCI

lists as a small game cartridge but that
is much better suited as a plinking round,
especially if youve got steel plates or spinners as targets. The Copper-22 bullet is a
21-grain projectile made of compressed
copper and polymer not lead. It has a
hollowpoint cavity, but the bullet doesnt
expand, it fragments.
The combination of copper and polymer makes the bullet very light and very
fast. It has a muzzle velocity of 1,827 fps,
which makes it the flattest shooting .22LR
available by a good margin. In fact, a rifle
zeroed at 100 yards will place the bullet
21/2 inches high at 50 yards, 5 inches low
at 125 yards and 14 inches low at 150
yards. The projectile certainly wont hit
very hard at 150 yards (approximately 25
foot-pounds), but no other .22 projectile
shoots anywhere near as flat.
Accuracy for the Copper-22 was about
what we expected with such a high muzzle velocity. The smallest groups measured
.4 inch, and the biggest group measured
.61 inch. Copper-22 isnt the most accurate .22 round on the market, but it is fast
and flat.

This is one of CCIs dedicated competition loads, and it shoots like wed expect
competition ammunition to shoot. Green
Tag ammunition is CCIs answer to the
expensive European match ammo, and
this test demonstrated that itll shoot right
alongside Eley Tenex (the reigning world
champion). Green Tag bullets are unplated
lead round nose and weigh 40 grains.
Each bullet has a light coat of wax lube
when taken out of the packaging.
Looking at the group sizes turned in
by Green Tag, we see a lot of .25-inch
groups, a .19-inch and a .4-inch group.
Ill go ahead and lay claim to the .4; these
middle-aged eyes are still pretty good,
but after a few hours of looking through
aperture sights, one round got away. Mea
culpa. As far as accuracy goes, Green
Tag leaves nothing on the table when
compared to any other type of match
ammunition.
The bullet has a leisurely 1,058 fps
muzzle velocity from the Anschtz rifle
and didnt quite keep the low extreme
spread and standard deviation seen on
other premium match loads. The numbers
were still good, just not the best. The subsonic velocity is certainly a contributing
factor to this loads outstanding accuracy.

Considered by many to be the perfect

all-around .22 rimfire cartridge, the MiniMag is one of the faster loads tested in
this roundup. The ammo comes packaged
in 100-round plastic boxes that keep the
rounds separated and protected until use.
Testing the CCI Mini-Mag demonstrated
that high velocity and small group size are
mutually exclusive (a trend that continued throughout all ammunition tested).
The ammunition wasnt inaccurate, but it
placed in the lower third of all ammunition tested when grading by group size.
The Mini-Mag was my preferred rimfire
load prior to the test (and remains so),
but thats because it offers the velocity I
like and it plays well with semiautomatic
rimfire rifles.

Best Group (in.): .4

Average Group (in.): .49
Average Velocity (fps): 1,827
Extreme Spread: 38
Standard Deviation: 15
MSRP: $11 / 50 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

Best Group (in.): .19

Average Group (in.): .25
Average Velocity (fps): 1,058
Extreme Spread: 33
Standard Deviation: 14
MSRP: $20 / 100 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

Best Group (in.): .29

Average Group (in.): .4
Average Velocity (fps): 1,350
Extreme Spread: 46
Standard Deviation: 21
MSRP: $8 / 100 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

1896

1971

1885

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CCI PISTOL MATCH

CCI QUIET-22

CCI SGB

This little gem might say pistol on the

box, but it did mighty fine out of the
Anschtz competition rifle. CCI loads this
ammunition with a 40-grain lead round
nose bullet. It had a velocity of 1,048 fps
out of the rifle, and CCI states itll have
about a 940 fps muzzle velocity out of a
6-inch pistol barrel.
The reduced velocity inevitably helped
in the accuracy department. Looking at all
the ammunition tested, ammo with a muzzle velocity somewhere in the 1,000 fps
range and pushing a plain lead round nose
bullet almost always did well, regardless of
brand. The Pistol Match was very accurate,
with groups measuring anywhere from .11
to .24 inch for five shots at 25 yards.
Pistol Match, surprisingly, did not have
exceptional performance over the chronograph. It had about the same extreme
spread and standard deviation as the rest
of the CCI line. This did not affect accuracy at 25 yards, but may have an impact
on group sizes as the distance to the target
increases.

One of the hardest .22 rounds to design

had to be this Quiet-22 with its segmented
hollowpoint. The load is quiet enough
that it does not require the shooter to wear
hearing protection, and it relies on the
bullet fragmenting on impact to generate
terminal effects. Its a risky proposition to
use such a slow bullet on small game like
rabbits, but this load makes a lot of sense
for squirrels, magpies, etc.
The bullet is a copper-plated hollowpoint that breaks up on impact. There is
no expansion at velocity this low, so fragmentation is the only way to get terminal
effects. While the extremely low velocity
makes for a mild muzzle report, it also
yields a higher extreme spread of 53 fps
and a standard deviation of 22.9. These
are higher numbers that the rest of CCIs
line and illustrate the issues of keeping to
one end of the velocity spectrum.
Group sizes were what youd expect
with the higher velocity spread. The
smallest group measured .35 inch (not too
shabby) and the largest group measured
.51 inch (large when compared to the performance of every other .22 load). This is
a great round if you need terminal effects
and very little noise, but there are better
choices for routine rimfire work.

The SGB stands for Small Game Bullet, and

thats the emphasis for this load from CCI.
The bullet is an unplated lead flat-nose type
that lends itself well to accurate shooting.
It is loaded just like the 40-grain Mini-Mag
and is designed to mimic its trajectory out
to 50 yards. Its a safe bet that the only
difference between the 40-grain SGB and
the 40-grain Mini-Mag is the latter has a
copper-plated hollowpoint projectile instead
of the lead flat-nosed bullet.
Comparing these two loads head-to-head
provides a good example of the accuracy
differences I observed between copper-plated and lead bullets. The lead SGB
bullet had groups that all measured in the
.2- to .3-inch range. It was consistent across
all groups fired. The copper-plated MiniMag bullet had groups ranging between
.29 inch and .54 inch. That is a pretty big
difference in group size and consistency.
The most accurate loads tested were all lead
bullets with no plating, so the assumption
is that copper plating can be detrimental to
accuracy.
The SGB is absolutely the way to go
when accuracy and terminal performance
are the top concerns. If the rifle is a semiautomatic, the Mini-Mag gets the nod. Both
rounds had similar extreme spreads and
standard deviations, so one is not more
prone than the other to experience vertical
stringing at longer distances.

Best Group (in.): .11

Average Group (in.): .18
Average Velocity (fps): 1,048
Extreme Spread: 33
Standard Deviation: 13
MSRP: $10 / 50 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

1935

Best Group (in.): .35

Average Group (in.): .41
Average Velocity (fps): 694
Extreme Spread: 53
Standard Deviation: 23
MSRP: $8 / 50 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

Best Group (in.): .22

Average Group (in.): .3
Average Velocity (fps): 1,246
Extreme Spread: 35
Standard Deviation: 13
MSRP: $7 / 50 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

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CCI VELOCITOR

ELEY CONTACT

ELEY FORCE

Velocitor ammunition is intended for

small game and pest control. It has a
40-grain copper-plated hollowpoint bullet
with an average velocity of 1,446 fps, one
of the highest of all rounds tested. Unlike
a lot of the high velocity cartridges tested,
the Velocitor exhibited middle-of-the-pack
accuracy. Considering the Velocitor was
competing against match ammunition,
this speaks well of its ability.
The hollowpoint bullet uses some of the
manufacturing techniques and design of
the famous Speer Gold Dot, so its a safe
bet it will have effective terminal performance. While the copper-plated bullet is
intended for hunting, it is also very consistent in the accuracy department. Every
five-shot group (except one) was in the
.3-inch range, which isnt bad at all.
Even with the high velocity, CCI manages to keep the velocity consistent from
one round to the next. Consistent velocity
is usually a problem at the extreme ranges
of the velocity spectrum (high and low),
but the Velocitor kept an extreme spread
of 35 fps and hold a standard deviation
of 13.1. These numbers are similar to the
Green Tag and Pistol Match loads, CCIs
competition rounds.

I didnt know one manufacturer could

turn out so many variations of .22LR
match ammunition, but Eley certainly
doesnt disappoint. This particular load is
designed to have minimal recoil combined
with the quieter subsonic velocity.
It is very accurate like the rest of the
Eley line, and the only difference I could
detect was the slightly heavier 42-grain
bullet (because the website said so). Otherwise, it shoots almost as well as the Tenex
and is nearly identical on the chronograph.
The groups were slightly larger than
Eley Tenex, but I think that was shooter
induced. I had been on the rifle for a couple of hours at this point using aperture
sights, and theres only so much my eyes
can take.

Think of this stuff as Eley Tenex but about

130 fps faster. Its marketed as semiautomatic ammunition, but its really more like
hot Tenex which is awesome.
The cartridges have a black oxidized
finish that helps them seal in the chamber,
according to Eley. I cant verify that claim,
but I can say that accuracy with this load
out of the Anschtz rifle was almost identical to Tenex. There was about a .05-inch
difference in average group size, which
could very easily have been me and not
the ammunition.
The largest group fired with Eley Force
measured .28 inch, and the smallest measured .19 inch. While there wasnt much
difference in the accuracy department,
the Force didnt do nearly as well as the
Tenex over the chronograph. Force had an
average velocity of 1,228 fps, but had an
extreme spread of 38 fps and a standard
deviation of 17.8. Those would still be
decent numbers for match centerfire
ammunition but arent very impressive
when compared to the top .22LR match
performers. Even Federal bulk ammunition outperformed Eleys Force across the
clock.

Best Group (in.): .35

Average Group (in.): .38
Average Velocity (fps): 1,446
Extreme Spread: 35
Standard Deviation: 13
MSRP: $7 / 50 rds.
cci-ammunition.com

Best Group (in.): .18

Average Group (in.): .23
Average Velocity (fps): 1,086
Extreme Spread: 15
Standard Deviation: 6
MSRP: $10 / 50 rds.
eley.co.uk

1974

1937

1962

1931

Best Group (in.): .19

Average Group (in.): .24
Average Velocity (fps): 1,228
Extreme Spread: 38
Standard Deviation: 18
MSRP: $9.50 / 50 rds.
eley.co.uk

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PERFORMANCE TUNED.

82

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ELEY SUBSONIC HOLLOW

ELEY TENEX

FEDERAL HV MATCH

As the name suggests, this is a slower

offering from Eley with a hollowpoint bullet that offers improved terminal performance when compared to the solid bullets
found in most match loads. The combination of slightly reduced subsonic velocity
and hollowpoint bullet make this load a
very accurate vermin-control choice.
While the box says subsonic, the
ammunition is only about 50 fps slower
than Eley Tenex. It is subsonic, but most
match ammunition is, too. The hollowpoint bullet is unique to this load, so if
you feel like sniping vermin around the
homestead, this is your ammo.
Accuracy was better than Tenex for four
of the five groups, but one .41-inch stinker
blew its average. I dont know if the large
group was the ammunitions fault or mine.
(Im betting it was me.) The best group
measured .11 inch, and the second largest
measured .19 inch. Chronograph performance was pretty good, with an extreme
spread of 27 fps and a standard deviation
of 11.5.

This is the biggest kid on the block. Eley

Tenex has claimed numerous Olympic
medals and every 2014 World Champion
.22LR discipline. This ammunition has
Eleys unique flat-nosed bullet that allegedly
remains more stable in flight than other
rimfire bullets. Based on its winning track
record, I wouldnt argue with Eley.
At 25 yards, the smallest five-shot group I
recorded with Tenex measured .14 inch from
center to center. The largest group measured
.27 inch. The table at the beginning of this
article illustrates that Tenex was very consistent, but it was not the ammunition that
fared best in the Anschtz rifle. Unexpectedly, it tied for third in the accuracy contest.
Where Tenex did well or exceeded
expectations was over the chronograph. I
saw an extreme spread of only 13 fps and a
standard deviation of 5. Single-digit SDs are
a rare enough occurrence with any type of
factory ammunition (rimfire or centerfire)
that I noticed and remembered. Tenex had
the lowest SD numbers Ive seen with any
factory ammunition in recent memory.
Low SD numbers matter when we stretch
the distance to 50 or 100 yards. Thats a
long way for rimfire ammunition because
the bullet moves slowly and is vulnerable to
environmental effects. The low SD on the
Tenex makes it the ideal candidate for longer ranges because of the reduced vertical
stringing that wide velocity variations bring.

The illustrious Federal Gold Medal Match

(rimfire edition) maintained the high
standards set by this brands top-shelf
label. This load carries a 40-grain lead
round nose bullet, so accuracy shouldnt
have been a problem and it wasnt. The
largest group measured .31 inch, and the
smallest group measured .14 inch.
The wildcard for this test was whether
or not the high velocity would crush any
expectation of accuracy. It didnt seem to
do too much damage. Groups remained
very small even with the 1,229 fps average
velocity. Federal advertises a 1,200 fps
velocity, so our rifles performance was
pretty close to what the factory claims.
This is the only Gold Medal Match rimfire load, and it offered a solid performance
on both accuracy and the chronograph. An
average group size of .21 inch easily puts
Gold Medal Match in the top third of all
ammunition tested. The 29 fps extreme
spread and standard deviation of 11 makes
it one of the few loads that did very well in
both catergories.

Best Group (in.): .11

Average Group (in.): .21
Average Velocity (fps): 1,049
Extreme Spread: 27
Standard Deviation: 12
MSRP: $11.50 / 50 rds.
eley.co.uk

1946

Best Group (in.): .14

Average Group (in.): .21
Average Velocity (fps): 1,093
Extreme Spread: 13
Standard Deviation: 5
MSRP: $24/ 50 rds.
eley.co.uk

Best Group (in.): .14

Average Group (in.): .21
Average Velocity (fps): 1,229
Extreme Spread: 29
Standard Deviation: 11
MSRP: $5.50 / 50 rds.
federalpremium.com

84

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GEMTECH SILENCER SUBSONIC

REMINGTON 22 GAMELOAD

REMINGTON 22 TARGET

Gemtech is a suppressor company in

Idaho that has been turning out quality
rifle and pistol suppressors for decades.
Its no surprise it decided to turn attention
toward .22LR ammunition because one of
the most popular suppressor types is the
.22 rimfire suppressor. It is often the first
in what becomes a rash of purchases.
Gemtechs subsonic round has the same
bullet type and velocity as designated match
ammunition, so we expected it to perform
well in the accuracy department. And it did.
The bullet is slightly heavier at 42 grains,
but the heavier weight didnt detract from
accuracy. Groups hovered between .16
inch and .37 inch, pulling ahead of all
the high-velocity loads and most of the
standard-velocity offerings. The extreme
spread and standard deviation were solid,
averaging in the middle of the pack.
Between the heavier bullet, good bullet
design and consistent velocity, Gemtech
offers excellent rimfire ammunition.

I had the opportunity a few months back

to tour Remingtons ammunition factory
in Lonoke, Arkansas, and I paid special
attention to the improvements made to
the rimfire section. Remington updated
its manufacturing process and instituted
some needed quality control measures in
2013. So, this new ammunition represents
whats on the shelf after these improvements were put in place.
This inexpensive game load from
Remington had average performance on
the chronograph and mediocre accuracy
on paper. This was not unexpected for
the ammunitions price point. Remington
makes a lot of .22 rimfire, and this particular load is destined for plinking and
casual shooting.
Its loaded to standard velocity for
.22LR, and the 36-grain round nose bullet
is adequate for a wide variety of tasks. If
.22 ammunition were cars, this would be
a Honda Civic. Its inexpensive, reliable
(post-2013 manufacture) and offers
adequate performance. Its nothing to get
excited about, but its good blasting ammo.

This is Remingtons domestically produced

match rimfire round. Remington has
three other match rimfire rounds that are
produced with Eley, so there are a total of
four in Remingtons lineup.
This all-American load outperformed
much of the competition in the velocity
department and demonstrated decent
accuracy. The load had an extreme spread
of 26 fps and a standard deviation of 10,
so it beat just about every other domestic
round in the evaluation. Accuracy was
good with the smallest group measuring
.23 inch and the largest coming in at .44
inch.

Best Group (in.): .16

Average Group (in.): .27
Average Velocity (fps): 1,022
Extreme Spread: 35
Standard Deviation: 14
MSRP: $7 / 50 rds.
gem-tech.com

Best Group (in.): .24

Average Group (in.): .39
Average Velocity (fps): 1,277
Extreme Spread: 38
Standard Deviation: 14
MSRP: $6 / 50 rds.
remington.com

Best Group (in.): .23

Average Group (in.): .32
Average Velocity (fps): 1,131
Extreme Spread: 26
Standard Deviation: 10
MSRP: $5 / 50 rds.
remington.com

1932

1941

1910

1906

86

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RWS HIGH VELOCITY HP

RWS TARGET RIFLE

WINCHESTER SUPER-X HIGH VELOCITY

RWS is a German ammunition company

owned by RUAG, a larger Swiss technology
company. Both brands have long-standing
reputations for producing quality ammunition, and they represent Europes leading
companies in ammo production. RWS
produces four lines of rimfire ammunition:
Premium, Professional, Sport and Field.
Theres always that one exception to
the rule. If the rule is that lead round
nose bullets at 1,000-ish fps offer the best
chance of accuracy, then this is the outlier.
Even when compared to the RWS offering
with the lead round nose bullet, this
copper-plated hollowpoint bested it in the
accuracy department.
RWS specializes in match ammunition.
This is the brands only hollowpoint offering
and at a velocity much higher than other
RWS products. Even though this is from
the RWS Field line (where the obvious
emphasis is on velocity and terminal performance), this load had excellent accuracy.
The smallest group measured .14 inch, and
the largest group measured .26 inch.
Where data fell apart was across the
chronograph. The extreme spread was 46
fps, and the standard deviation was 21.4.
This is the least expensive of the RWS
lines, so while accuracy was still exceptional at 25 yards, that trend probably
wouldnt hold at farther distances.

The Target Rifle load we tested comes

from the RWS Sport line, so its intended
for competition shooters on a budget or
for training. This ammunition is not from
the companys flagship match line or even
the second-string match line. It is the
more affordable match stuff from RWS. I
didnt expect spectacular performance.
However, I was surprised at how well
the RWS Target Rifle load performed. It
did exceptionally well on the chronograph
with an extreme spread of 10 fps and a
standard deviation of 3.7. While all testing
occurred at 25 yards, the RWS would
probably do very well at longer distances
due to its consistent velocity.
Group sizes were definitely above
average with the largest group measuring
.34 inch and the smallest at .11 inch. The
average group sizes were in the .2s. Even
though this is third-string match ammo,
RWS did very well in this test.

The box might say High Velocity but

the chronograph says standard velocity.
This load averaged 15 fps faster than
Winchesters own standard velocity load,
so while it might be higher velocity, I
wouldnt bestow it that title.
Semantics aside, this load had almost
identical accuracy to Winchesters standard velocity load and thats a good
thing. All groups hovered in the .2- to
.3-inch range, which is excellent accuracy
for non-match ammunition. The two
loads were so similar, the only difference that I could detect was the slightest
increase in velocity. Both shoot the same
40-grain bullet.
With this loads ever-so-slight increase
in velocity came a ride on the struggle
bus. The standard velocity Winchester
ammunition did very well on the chronograph, but this one did pretty poorly.
The extreme spread was 52 fps and the
standard deviation was 19.5. Those were
in the bottom three numbers on the
chronograph.

Best Group (in.): .14

Average Group (in.): .22
Average Velocity (fps): 1,220
Extreme Spread: 46
Standard Deviation: 21
MSRP: $9.50 / 50 rds.
rws-munition.de

Best Group (in.): .11

Average Group (in.): .24
Average Velocity (fps): 1,074
Extreme Spread: 10
Standard Deviation: 4
MSRP: $7.50 / 50 rds.
rws-munition.de

1920s

Best Group (in.): .23

Average Group (in.): .3
Average Velocity (fps): 1,273
Extreme Spread: 52
Standard Deviation: 20
MSRP: $5 / 50 rds.
winchester.com

Suppressor Ready
Tactical Perfection
Engineered for performance.
Precision machined in America.
Hand-crafted to perfection.

Special Forces SR
Chainlink III
Lightrail Frame
Suppressor Ready Barrel
Trijicon RMR Sight
Blended Magwell
573-565-3261 www.edbrown.com

88

U.S. PATENT PENDING

EDC REG. #002761064-0001

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

WINCHESTER SUPER-X SUPERSPEED

WINCHESTER STANDARD VELOCITY

The Superspeed is one of Winchesters

fastest rimfire loads, pushing the 40-grain
round nose bullet out the muzzle at a
brisk 1,307 fps. The accuracy for this
load was mediocre, with a couple of large
groups offsetting otherwise great performance seen with several smaller groups.
While the rounds accuracy was average,
its performance on the speed clock was
something to behold. The stars must have
aligned, and the most consistent rounds
Winchester ever made found their way
into this box for testing. An extreme
spread of 9 fps and a standard deviation
of 3.4 were far better numbers than any
other load tested. On the chronograph,
this Winchester load outperformed dedicated match ammunition that costs several
times more. Id want to test other lots to
get an average before I advertised that
kind of performance, but it sure was fun
to see the readout when it happened.

The Winchester Superspeed didnt do

too well in the accuracy department, but
I didnt really expect it to due to its high
velocity. As the test wore on, it became
increasingly clear that high velocity
ammunition will rarely shoot as accurately
as anything loaded in the 1,000 fps range.
Winchesters Standard Velocity had a
higher velocity than any match ammunition, with an average velocity of 1,258
fps. Its accuracy was good with all groups
falling in the .2- to .3-inch range. The
chronograph performance was also very
good with an extreme spread of 18 fps
and a standard deviation of 6.6.

Best Group (in.): .25

Average Group (in.): .39
Average Velocity (fps): 1,307
Extreme Spread: 9
Standard Deviation: 3
MSRP: $9 / 100 rds.
winchester.com

1931

Best Group (in.): .22

Average Group (in.): .3
Average Velocity (fps): 1,258
Extreme Spread: 18
Standard Deviation: 7
MSRP: $5 / 50 rds.
winchester.com

HISTORIC HEADSTAMPS KEY

1932

1. CASCADE CARTRIDGES INC. [CCI]

2. PETERS CARTRIDGE CO.
3. WESTERN CARTRIDGE COMPANY
4. CASCADE CARTRIDGES INC. [CCI]
5. PETERS CARTRIDGE CO.
6. WINCHESTER
7. CASCADE CARTRIDGES INC. [CCI]
8. REMINGTON ARMS CO.
9. WINCHESTER
10. CASCADE CARTRIDGES INC. [CCI]
11. MADE FOR REMINGTON BY
CARTUCHOS DEPORTIVOS DE MXICO (1962)
12. AIRLINES (AL) FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CORP.
13. FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CO.
14. REMINGTON ARMS CO.
15. EXTRA POWDER (EP) HIGH VELOCITY LOAD
MADE FOR MONTGOMERY WARD BY THE
FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CORP.
16. FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CO.
17. WESTERN CARTRIDGE COMPANY
18. ROBIN HOOD AMMUNITION
19. SOCIT FRANAISE (SF) DES MUNITIONS
PARIS, FRANCE
20. WESTERN CARTRIDGE COMPANY
21. XTRA-RANGE (XR) MADE FOR SEARS, ROEBUCK
AND CO. BY THE FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CORP.

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90

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

WOLF 40-GRAIN MATCH

The first time I heard Wolf Ammuntion
and match used in the same sentence,
I giggled. Wolf is known for its military
surplus ammunition. However, G&A can
attest that Wolfs .22 Match is the real
deal. It is some of the least expensive and
strongest performing .22LR ammunition
available, as our experiment shows.
Wolf .22 Match is produced in Germany within the same plant as Lapuas
Club ammunition. Lapua is a name many
brass and ammo snobs should immediately recognize. At the range, the performance of the Wolf was mind-boggling
at least in the accuracy department.
The smallest group I fired for the entire
day was with Wolf and measured .07 inch
from center to center. (Thats not a typo.) I
stared at the small single hole in the target
for a long time, just to remind myself that
I really did fire five bullets at it, and theres
no way three or four of them all went
through the same hole and then the fourth
or fifth missed the paper entirely.
The largest group I fired with Wolf measured .49 inch, but I tugged the trigger
way too hard and knew immediately that I
had just destroyed the single hole. Barring
that one mistake, the next largest group
measured .16 inch. Phenomenal.
What wasnt phenomenal was Wolfs
performance over the chronograph. The
load was marginally better than Eley Force
and lost to Federal bulk ammunition. The
average velocity was 1,043 fps, with an
extreme spread of 35 fps and a standard
deviation of 15.1.
Best Group (in.): .07
Average Group (in.): .19
Average Velocity (fps): 1,043
Extreme Spread: 35
Standard Deviation: 15
MSRP: $9 / 50 rds.
wolfammo.com

EXCELLENCE IN
TRIGGER DESIGN

SUPERIOR
U E
ERGONOMICS

Creed: A set of fundamental beliefs that guide ones actions.

Walther believes in superior ergonomics, excellence in trigger
design, and unparalleled accuracy, quality, and reliability. The new
Walther Creed is built on these principles. We live our Creed so
you can believe in it.

WaltherArms.com
2017 Walther Arms, Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

92
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Publication number 0017-5684
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Known Office of Publication
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Editor, and Managing Editor
Publisher: Chris agnes, 3815 azure Lane, addison, TX 75001
Editor: Eric Poole, 2 news Plaza, Peoria, IL 61614 Managing
Editor: Connie Mendoza, 2 news Plaza, Peoria, IL 61614
10) Owner
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new york, ny 10018-3703
Stockholders owning or holding percent or more of the total
amount of stock: none
11) Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security
Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total
amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities
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14) Issue Date for Circulation Data Below
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15) Extent and nature of Circulation
average no.
no. Copies
of Copies
of Single
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Issue
During
Published
Preceeding
nearest
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Date
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on PS Form 3541
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i)
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G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | w h At s r e A l ly m At c h ?

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

OBSERVATIONS
Really expensive .22LR match ammunition proved that it has a place in the
world, for sure. Olympians and other
seriously competitive shooters definitely
benefit from the extreme accuracy these
loads can produce. Shooters interested
in the absolute bleeding edge capability
of this type of ammunition will likely get
their moneys worth. The rest of us probably dont benefit to that degree, however.
Looking hard at the groups, theres not
a lot of accuracy difference between Federal bulk (and other inexpensive ammunition) and the super-expensive match
loads at 25 yards (unless were shooting at
really tiny targets). A couple tenths of an
inch was the difference between the top
performers and the bottom half.
The chronograph showed that some of
the weaker accuracy performers had the
lowest standard deviations. I attribute that

to weird things that guns do. Sometimes

theres just no explanation.
Some of the higher-grade match offerings had both great accuracy and strong
chrono performance. Those are the loads
I would look to for accuracy at 50 and
100 yards. Twenty-five yards seemed to be
pretty insensitive to big extreme spreads
and standard deviations.
The one glaring principle that found a
ton of supporting evidence in this test is
that accuracy comes in the form of a lead
round nose bullet and lives at 1,000 to
1,200 fps (-ish). If my shooting requirement was small groups at 25 yards, Id
buy up everything that had an unplated
40-grain lead round nose bullet loaded in
the 1,000 fps range and shoot it through
my rifle to see what it liked. Of the 26 types
of ammunition tested, the ones that fit this
description are: almost everything from

w h at s r e a l ly m at c h ? | J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

Eley, Wolf Match, CCI Green Tag, CCI

SGB, CCI Pistol Match, RWS Target Rifle,
Winchester Standard Velocity, Winchester
Super-X High Velocity, Aguila Super Extra,
Blazer 22 Long Rifle (that was a surprise!),
Federal HV Match and Gemtech. All of
these loads held .3-inch groups or smaller
at 25 yards.
There are exceptions to any rule, and
the RWS High Velocity HP and Armscor
36-grain loads had similar accuracy results
using plated hollowpoint bullets. These
were the only two plated hollowpoints that
had accuracy that was .3-inch or better.
Shopping for .22LR ammunition remains
a difficult prospect. Often, there are limited
choices on the shelf or whats on the shelf
is priced through the roof. When shopping for accuracy, go for the lead unplated
bullets and stay away from the really high
velocity and super quiet loads.

G&a

93

94 G & A J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7
PROOFHOUSE

Ruger LCP II

The LCP II
features a short
and crisp trigger
thats expected
to please the
owners of
striker-fired,
polymer-framed
pistols.

MODERN & MODEST

THE ORIGINAL RUGER LCP was announced in 2008,
and has been a smash success as one of the companys
top-selling models. Who wouldnt want a compact, flat
(.82 in.), lightweight (9.4 oz.) and reliable pistol? Ruger
kept up with production as demand grew, but that didnt
prevent the company from trying to improve on the LCP.
After Texas Gov. Rick Perry used one to shoot a coyote
menacing him and his daughters dog during a morning
jog, Ruger highlighted Perrys encounter with a Coyote
Special edition. In 2013, Ruger modified the LCP to offer
customers different sights and a shortened trigger pull.
Now, the LCP enters its second generation, but Ruger
tells G&A that the LCP II will not replace the original.
If a tenth of an inch here or there matters to you,

youll find that the new LCP II is marginally taller, longer

and wider. What mattered to Ruger engineers and the
customers they talked to were the following features:
sights, trigger, nonslip texture and the lack of a hold-open
mechanism in the magazine and pistol.
The LCP II improves all of these while leaving the rest in
original form. First, the sights.
The sights on the original LCP were marginal. They were
barely visual speed bumps. The 2013 update addressed
that. The sights on the LCP II are still machined and integral
with the slide, but they are now even larger to see and use.
Aiming and shooting is a lot easier than it used to be.
The trigger on the LCP was a double-action only (DAO)
in feel. We had to stroke through the trigger just as if it

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

G&A

95

The front and

rear sight of the
LCP II is still
machined into
the slide, but
these are taller
and easier to see
than the original.

Ruger
Type:
Cartridge:
Capacity:
Barrel:
Overall Length:
Width:
Height:
Weight:
Finish:
Sights:
Trigger:
Price:
Manufacturer:

LCP II
Striker fired, semiautomatic
.380 ACP
6+1 rds.
2.75 in.
5.17 in.
.91 in.
3.71 in.
10.6 oz
Black nitride (steel),
black polymer (frame)
Fixed, serrated, blade/notch
5 lbs., 8 oz. (tested)
$350
Sturm, Ruger & Co.
336-949-5200, ruger.com

PHOTOS: SEAN UTLEY

Noticeably, the LCP II features a wider

and more aggressively textured grip. The
wider grip comfortably displaces felt
recoil over a larger surface of the hand.

96

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r u G e r L C P I I

The Ruger LCP

II disassembles
for basic care and
cleaning just as the
original LCP.

PERFORMANCE
One of the biggest tasks in
was a revolver. The triglearning trigger control is
ger pressure resisted the
VELOCITY
BEST
AVERAGE
LOAD
(FPS)
ES
SD
GROUP
(IN.)
GROUP
(IN.)
managing follow-through
same all the way back. For
Win.
Defend
95-gr.
JHP
834
106
41
1.4
2.2
to deal with overtravel. The
double-action (DA) revolver
Polycase
56-gr.
ARX
1,201
43
25
2.1
3.1
bump stops the trigger
shooters, this was no probHornady
90-gr.
FTX
908
29
12
2.2
4.2
immediately after it releases
lem. Striker-fired shooters
Federal 99-gr. HST
884
30 12
2.6
3.9
the hammer, and that helps
didnt agree. So Ruger
Browning
95-gr.
XPT
831
57
21
3.9
4.3
a great deal.
redesigned the trigger
Notes: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups at 15 yards using a sandbag
The LCP II does not
mechanism to include an
rest. Velocity is the average of five shots using a Labradar chronograph set to record
at
15
feet
from
the
muzzle.
have restrike capability. If
external safety in the trigyou dry-fire it, you have to
ger face, which is a pivoting
lever that keeps the trigger from moving unless your finger work the slide to cock the mechanism again. If you have
that one round in 10 million (or more) that fails to go off,
activates that lever.
youll have to work the slide to recock it. Thats also a good
The LCP II has a light, smooth takeup, which is just
lightly spring-loaded slack in the mechanism. It is light until thing, as it removes the reluctant round and replaces it.
The nonslip texture on the LCP, while it looked good,
the mechanism comes to the point where it begins moving
was not as effective in handling recoil as many wanted. The
the sear engagement, and then it feels like a crisp sinproblem wasnt that it didnt work but that the diminutive
gle-action (SA) trigger. The triggerguard has a small bump
size of the LCP made it difficult to get much of ones hand on
on the bottom inside surface, which is the trigger stop.

98

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r u G e r L C P I I

In response to customer feedback, the Ruger LCP II now offers an easy-to-rack slide and last-round hold-open feature. However, using original
LCP magazines in the LCP II will not lock the slide to the rear after the last round.

The LCP II arrives with a finger-extension floorplate, giving shooters

one more digit to control the pistol. A flush-fit plate is included.

Aside from the shorter trigger in the LCP II, the controls remain
familiar to those who currently own the original.

it. Ruger made the texture of the LCP II even more aggressive and redesigned the shape to better aid in control. The
shape change is subtle but interesting; the front quarter of
the frame is slightly narrower than the main part of the LCP
frame. The rear part is wider than the original LCP. This puts
more surface area of the LCP II frame in contact with your
hand. Its a small difference, but every increase helps.
The LCP did not have a hold-open mechanism. That
meant that once we fired through the ammo in the maga-

zine, we didnt know the gun was empty. When a magazine

only holds six rounds, keeping count might seem easy, but
defensive shooting reports have proven that this is not the
case. So the magazine for the LCP II locks the slide back
when the last shot has been fired.
The magazine catch is on the left side, behind the
triggerguard in the usual and accustomed place. For those
who are curious, Ruger noted, Six-round LCP magazines
are compatible with the LCP II, but will not activate the last

AIMSPORTSINC.COM

0
U

100

G&A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7 | r u G e r L C P I I

round hold-open feature of

the LCP II. Seven-round LCP
magazines are not compatible with the LCP II.
If you have an LCP and
want to move up to the next
generation, the old sixround magazines will work
as practice magazines, but
we should be carrying the
LCP II with LCP II magazines.
The rest of the LCP II
remains unchanged. Given
G&A expects that most shooters will prefer the LCP II, but Ruger plans to continue offering its firstthe performance of the
generation models. Its worth noting that the LCP II ships with a Ruger pocket holster.
original LCP, the LCP II
precision-molded nylon with glass fibers as reinforceoffers new owners a long and reliable service life. The
ments and is left in basic black. There are only three
slide and barrel are both alloy steel, and the slide has
controls on the frame: the magazine catch, the takedown
been through-hardened. Once machined to final dimenbutton head and the slide stop lever. The six-shot magasions and surface-finished, the slide and barrel are given a
zine comes with a finger-hook baseplate, which for most
black-oxide treatment to match the frame, provide corroshooters will be the resting point of their ring finger, not
sion resistance and to make it less obvious in carry mode.
their pinkie.
The chassis is one piece of aluminum machined on
In testing, the LCP II consumed all the ammunition withCNC machining centers to house the internals, which
out fail. As an ultra-compact everyday carry pistol, this one
is then installed in the shell. The chassis is the firearm,
shines. The LCP II will conceal in just about any place wed
and that is why you can see the serial number through
want to carry it.
the shell, impressed on the chassis itself. The frame is

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104 G & A

J a n u a ry 2 0 1 7

SPENT CASES

THE FIRST CAREER GUNWRITER

RIFLEMAN E.C. NED CROSSMAN was a prolific author
on firearms, ammunition and shooting, and he was the first
to earn a living writing books and articles for gun magazines. Crossman was a regular contributor to the National
Rifle Associations Arms and the Man, the precursor to the
associations membership magazine American Rifleman.
Crossman was born in Iowa in 1889, and his father, Leander, was also a nationally respected rifleman. The Crossman
family eventually moved to California. In 1904, 23-year-old
Ned submitted his first contribution to Arms and the Man.
Though he is remembered for writing technically on small
arms for the understanding of the average sportsman, his
interests included the outdoors. He was always a freelance
gun writer, though, and never held another civilian job.
The Small Arms Firing School was created on April 6,
1917, by U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peyton March.
Crossman was ordered to active duty at Camp Perry,
Ohio, by Lt. Col. Smith Brookhart, at the time president
of the NRA. Crossman was given the rank of captain and

instructed shooters while researching small arms and

ammunition. After the Great War, Crossman stayed in the
Army and continued writing articles for the outdoor media.
In 1919, he was reassigned to Daytona Beach, Florida,
where he developed trajectory tables for the M1 .30-06
Springfield cartridge and determined its actual effective
range while exploring various bullet designs. Until this
effort, soldiers were provided theoretical calculations only.
As the National Matches resumed in New Jersey in
1919, Crossman accepted an assignment to explore the
training use of .22-caliber rifles. Crossman believed in
using smallbore rifle matches as a means of introducing
civilians of all ages to shooting and for providing costeffective training to soldiers. A smallbore range was developed as a result, and .22-caliber shooting entered National
Match competition for the first time. Thereafter, Crossman
was regarded as the Father of Smallbore Shooting.
Months after his wife tragically died in an accident, Crossman asphyxiated himself in his car on Jan. 19, 1939.

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