New OWB Holster from Raven Concealment For Glock 43X & Glock 48 MOS with Streamlight TLR-7 Sub

By

-

February 23, 2023

This new holster is an extension of the Perun line of outside the waistband holster or “OWB” holsters from Raven Concealment. The Perun family of holsters has been adopted as the official, agency-wide issued holster for multiple Federal law enforcement agencies.

The Perun LC is designed to be the best light-compatible, modular “pancake” style outside the waistband holster on the market. This latest offering accommodates the slim-line Glock 9mm pistols (Glock 43X and Glock 48 MOS) equipped with the extremely popular Streamlight TLR 7 Sub weapon light.

The Perun is ambidextrous, has adjustable retention, and accommodates slide-mounted red-dot sights. Like all RCS products, the Perun is made from US-made polymers and colorants, in US-made tooling, by US citizens.

The body-hugging curvature of this holster is accomplished using modular belt loops. Each holster includes three pairs of 1.5″ belt loops. These belt loops allow the end-user to configure the holster according to their needs. For example, you can configure for ambidextrous holster body for left-handed or right-handed use, with either a 0-degree or 10-degree cant.

Retention in the Perun is crisp, defined, and consistent, thanks to the innovative design features inside the holster’s body. The Perun is unlike other OWB holster that use the traditional “screw through a rubber grommet” styles of retention. The Perun’s retention will not back off after repeated draw strokes and re-holstering.

As previously mentioned, the Perun is compatible with most slide-mounted red dot sights & optics like the Aimpoint T-1, Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, etc. The holster also accommodates front suppressor height sights up to .350″ tall.

If you’re interested in learning more about our new addition to the Perun LC family, head to our store, RCSGear.com/ or shop for a Glock 43x & Glock 48 MOS Perun LC here.

The Perun LC G43X & 48 MOS + TLR-7 is available at retail price of $59.99.

For military/government inquiries, please contact Matt Edwards: m.edwards(at)rcsgear.com

Birchwood Casey Super Bright Sight Pens – Liven Up a Dead Front Sight

By

Travis Pike

-

February 23, 2023

I bought a Ruger LCP 2 .22LR Literack, and I’ve been having a plinking good time with it. It’s a fun little gun, but the all-black sights don’t do much to catch the eye. I thought about doing the old nail polish trick, but somehow before I got into my wife’s bathroom cabinet, I stumbled across the Birchwood Casey Super Bright Sight pens. These are pens dedicated to painting your sights and making them easier to see.

It seemed like a neat idea. Ultimately these seem to be just paint pens. Paint pens are fairly common, but the Sight Pens were a bit cheaper than every other pack of paint pens, albeit most paint pens had more than three. I didn’t need more than three and hoped the fact they were designed for guns would make them a bit tougher. I hit buy it now, and a couple of days later, they were in my lap, ready to paint some sights.

Touching Up With the Sight Pens

The Sight Pens come with white, red, and green paints. The red and green are bright fluorescent colored. The idea is pretty simple. Prep the paint and paint the sight. If you are painting the sight green or red, you need to apply a layer of white paint to the sight first, then let it dry. After that, you apply the color you so choose.

Prior to utilizing the Sight Pens, you have to shake them for thirty seconds, which is plenty easy. Next, you have to prime them, and admittedly this took more than a few seconds. To prime the pens, you push the tip in to allow it to prime. This took a lot of time to get done, to the point where I worried I got bum pens. Just keep pressing the tip in, and eventually, some paint finds its way to the tip.

Once that was done, I carefully applied the paint. I let it dry and followed suit with the red pen. The paint needed to ‘cure’ for 12 hours, so I put the gun away instead of watching the paint dry.

The Final Product

The final product of the Sight Pens gave me a bright and easy-to-see front sight. The paint applied evenly, and it almost looked like I knew what I was doing. The sight is bright and very easy to see. It stands out a ton and makes the gun much faster to get on target and makes it easier to focus on the front sight for accurate shooting.

The final product of the sight pens is an impressive one. Now I have paint pens to provide a nice layer of paint to any other guns that have tough-to-see sights. My Ruger LCR could certainly use a brighter front sight. I’m sure I could dig through my collection and find one or another to touch up.

It’s a simple and cheap means to make some fairly drastic improvements to your firearms. Sure, you can swap the sights, but I’d rather spend ten bucks on a gun I’m only ever going to use to plink or on guns where swapping sights isn’t an option. The Birchwood Casey Super Bright Sight Pens are a solid little get for my firearm’s toolbox.

President’s Day: Jefferson on the Public’s Rights & Duties

By

DRGO

-

February 22, 2023

(from thetylt.com)

[Ed: As the lede says, Reynolds sent this to SCOPE-NY members last year. These are thoughts worth keeping on top of one’s mind.]

A year ago, SCOPE sent this as an email. It is as current now as it was then…or when Thomas Jefferson wrote them.

Miscellaneous Thoughts on President’s Day by Thomas Jefferson, Founder of the Democrat Party:

No free man shall ever be disbarred the use of arms.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them.

The democracy will cease to exist when we take away from those that are willing to work and give to those who would not.

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes, the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debt’s as it goes. A principle which if acted upon would save one-half the wars of the world.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

When we get piled on one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.

.

–Tom Reynolds is the president of SCOPE-NY.

All DRGO articles by Tom Reynolds

Wasp Spray Is For Wasps

By

Lars Smith

-

February 22, 2023

Wasp Spray is not for self defense — Photo Credit: WCCHSTV.com

Man Fatally Shoots Neighbor That Sprayed Him in the Face w/ Wasp Sprayhttps://t.co/6lQm2DECiw
— USA Carry (@USACarry) February 9, 2023

For whatever reason, the internet seems to love This One Simple Trick: using bug spray –especially wasp spray– for self defense. It shoots 20 feet, and contains a neurotoxin that is immediately effective, so if that’s all you know about it, one can imagine where the appeal lies. The issue here is that the neurotoxin in question is usually one of a group of chemicals called pyrethrins, which are commonly found in other insecticides like Fly-Die, which is intended to be sprayed directly onto livestock and pets.

Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are absolutely neurotoxic, but in commercially available formulations are not concentrated enough to affect most mammals over 5lb. For example, the average yellow jacket weighs 0.04-0.08g while the average American human weighs 80,000g. Similarly, the volume of pyrethrin-based insecticide necessary to paralyze or kill a human is going to be tens of thousands of times larger vs a wasp. To put it another way, the volume of plain old water you drink on any random day is enough to kill dozens of these insects, were they somehow forced to ingest it. Dose is what makes a poison, and wasp spray is simply not going to deliver enough of it to a human being to be effective as a self-defense tool.

As the article linked above illustrates, this mental exercise plays out the same way in real life. A man who, for whatever reason, decided today was the day to get froggy with his neighbor bet his life on wasp spray, likely because he’d heard about it online or from a friend, and lost. His intended victim was not only not killed by a shot of Raid to the face, he was capable of lethal force, drawing and firing a concealed handgun that would later kill his pyrethrin-wielding attacker.

Lastly, if you look at the label on any can of wasp spray, it plainly states that using it in a manner inconsistent with the label is a federal crime, and that the primary danger to humans is “eye irritation”. While it’s unlikely that an actual prosecution would follow, it’s not going to read well to a jury that you chose a self-defense method that is explicitly unlawful. Choose something designed to stop humans, like a quality pepper spray, if you are looking for something other than a gun or knife. It has a much greater chance of actually stopping an attack, and doesn’t require breaking the law to use on an attacker.

Book Review: Glock (The Rise of America’s Gun)

By

P.E. Fitch

-

February 22, 2023

I picked up a copy of Glock: The Rise Of America’s Gun while perusing through a used bookstore recently. This well-researched book about the Austrian firm’s prolific product line is a fascinating and easy weekend read for anyone interested in the general history of Glock or American gun culture. Unexpectedly, of the elements about the company’s history and its players do read like part of a thriller novel. Though Glock was published in 2013, ten years ago by Author Paul M. Barrett, its story is most definitely not out of date. Glock’s primary focus, after all, is on the rise of the company and its key stakeholders with an emphasis on the first fifteen years of business.

I have been carrying and training extensively with 9mm Glock pistols including the 17, 19, 34, 45 and 48 ever since I became more “serious” about firearms training. Given my personal history and context with Glock products, reaching to grab a copy of this book off the shelf was not a difficult decision. Frankly, when I started reading this title, I had no expectations as to whether the author would have any bias in favor or against guns or the Second Amendment. After reading it cover to cover, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author’s tone was overall neutral.

Being somewhat familiar with the genesis of the Glock pistol’s saga, this book did a great job to help fill in some knowledge gaps with additional details. (For example, I had no idea that the Beretta 92F almost became Austria’s P80 military pistol during the early 1980s). However, what I liked the most about this book [and what I think makes it a worthwhile read to those beyond the fans of Gaston’s plastic Perfection] is the fact that Barrett does a wonderful job chronicling the last fifteen years of the 20th century and how it related to the ever-changing political and market environments of the American gun world. The first chapter opens up with the infamous 1986 Miami FBI gunfight. Barrett sheds details of the rise of the “wonder nines” and the demise of the service revolver in American policing. Coupled with the young company’s competitive pricing and proactive sales tactics, the timing for the Glock’s entry into the handgun market could not have been better either. It wasn’t just with the Glock 17. Models like the Beretta 92 and the SIG-Sauer P22x series (along with the 9mm Luger cartridge) were making waves and leaving older .38 Special and .357 Magnum service revolvers in the past. When discussing the role of Glocks in crime and “gangster culture” I was surprised to learn that at the time of the current data when the book was written, Glock weapons were not as popular as rap songs and film references portrayed them amongst the criminal element.

The book also takes the reader (or reminds them, if they were old enough) through the tumultuous political times of 1990s gun politics: George H.W. Bush’s bans of Chinese and Russian imports, the 1994 Assault Weapons ban and its fall out, the Right to Carry Movement, etc. Naturally, these events are described from the perspective of the Austrian gun company and how it was affected for better or worse. Barrett also delves into the quotidian aspect of American gun culture and how normal Americans interface with firearms such as Glock handguns and the rest. He describes shooting an IDPA match as a guest of the notable firearms personality, Massad Ayoob. Lastly, Glock is interwoven with personal aspects of all of the key players of Glock, Inc. As he does with the topic of guns and gun culture, Barrett also remains neutral when reporting about facts, allegations, scandals and controversies the firm and its operatives have dealt with over the years.

For those who are looking for a technical text, this book is not necessarily the best tome for in-depth discussions on technical information, design or development of Glock handguns. However, Barrett does an adequate job in explaining the basic function and design highlights of the handguns. The page opposite the first page of the first chapter is decorated with a cut-away diagram of a Glock 23 handgun, and the level of technical detail is perfect for the tone, style and scope of this book. With regards to the succinct technical coverage, my personal favorite aspect is the fact that Barrett illustrates how Glock’s pistols work on the same concept developed by genius John M. Browning: his recoil delayed blowback mechanism.

At the end of the day, the most fascinating aspect about the Glock story is that a small company with no prior firearms manufacturing experience was able to revolutionize the modern handgun market in such a short period of time. In doing so, the company went from being a provincial mom-and-pop operation to becoming a wealthy global leader in the gun industry. Glock’s impact on the gun world is such that now about every major gun company sells a polymer framed striker fired pistol in duty, compact, and sub-compact sizes.

The formerly $499 Practical Dragunuv

By

Keith Finch

-

February 21, 2023

The Romanian PSL looks like the famous Soviet Dragunuv rifle. It feels a lot like it too. It can hold the role and with extreme scarcity of the authentic rifle and its authentic clones, it found a solid niche.

But once it found that niche, gone were the days of the $499 PSL-54c.

The rifle itself is nothing more than an elongated AK for the x54r instead of the x39, an incredibly Soviet solution to the problem of needing a DMR type rifle. It served in the role to an adequate degree and most technology coming out of Russia was meant for adequacy, not excellence. There’s a problem, here is a simple solution to that problem.

Yes, $499

On the shelf too. With the PSO-1 optic even. I remember walking into my LGS and seeing the rifles, with or without scope, for $499.

And. I. Didn’t. Buy. One…

Why? Beyond being a poor junior reserve Marine in the late 00’s working sub $10/hr gigs, because I didn’t have foresight enough and patience enough. Back in those days I bought and sold to get the next thing I wanted to buy and try. I bought a $600 Arsenal AK that was being clearance price cleared for the new model. Bought an AR-10B from Armalite, considering it the more practical 7.62 option. I was probably right but that rifle faded to obscurity and has been updated past several times. PSL-54c’s have more than tripled in price and remained largely the same.

I goofed there.

Enough of nostalgia, how does the rifle actually perform in its role? Well if you’re done watching the 9-Hole video you probably have a fair idea.

If you don’t want to watch the video and have it answered in text here.

Meh.

What Happened to Bowling Pin Shooting? Forgotten Shooting Sports

By

Travis Pike

-

February 21, 2023

The first time I ever shot a firearm in any form of competitive environment was with a family friend at an indoor range doing a little something called Bowling pin shooting. I only did it a few times, and at the advice of a few shooters, I brought my old Rock Island Armory GI 1911. This was my first centerfire handgun, and I still own it to this day. I had to be maybe 15 when I tried my hand at it.

At this point, I had no idea that USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, or even three gun existed. I knew about Bull’s Eye shooting and the old NRA High Power matches. Those all seemed slow, and in rural Florida, it didn’t exist. Clay pigeons were fun, but they weren’t a big draw for me. The idea of Bowling pin shooting sounded like a blast. Hit the targets off the rack as fast as you can. The fastest time wins.

I shot it and loved it. I went a few more times, but my family friend eventually got caught up in life and work, so there went my ride. Until recently, I hadn’t competed in any real organized shooting sport. Informal matches here and there, but nothing serious. In my mind, bowling pin shooting was something our local range did. Little did I know this now obscure sport used to be quite popular.

Breaking Down Bowling Pin Shooting

According to Massad Ayoob, Richard Davis invented bowling pin shooting in the mid-1970s. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Davis also created Second Chance and the first flexible armor vests for police forces. The sport seemingly gained steam over the years and became quite popular in the 1990s. When I shot in the early 2000s, it must have been winding down as a sport.

The goal was easy. Knock the bowling pin off the rack as fast as possible. Our range had three stations set up with different patterns and varying amounts of pins. The pins could all be on one level or on multiple levels, and we shot anywhere from three to seven pins. That was the most basic range competition.

There was also a race style that used brackets. Two shooters with identical tables of pins would race to win. Whoever’s last pin hit the ground first won. The winner went on to the next stage. I never made it past the first stage, so I didn’t shoot this often.

There is also a King of the Hill competition I never knew about and am only now learning about. Shooters would start with five pins and race. The winner stayed on the range, and the loser left. The winner then had a pin added to his collection for the next round. This continued until the ‘King’ lost to the challenger. The challenger then became the King.

Why Was It Popular?

Honestly, looking back, I can tell you why I liked it. The targets reacted to being shot and flew off the table. It was fun to shoot the pins. There was a speed element, and you might have to reload. It was exciting.

For indoor ranges, the bowling pins provided a reactive target that wasn’t metal. It was likely safer at the close ranges and in the confines of an indoor range. Used bowling pins were also pretty cheap, much cheaper than steel, especially then. Steel targets were around but nowhere near as common as they are today.

Bowling pin shooting was a lot like Steel Challenge. It was stationary and fun, not challenging as USPSA or as hard for a range to run.

Additionally, the game was fair regardless of your gun, or mostly fair. The pin didn’t just need to be knocked over. It had to be thrown to the ground. Rounds like .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and 10mm allowed a shooter to hit the thing anywhere, and it would tumble.

Guns shooting standard 115 grain 9mm required good careful aim to the upper half, and .22LR requires precision aim to hit the very top to make it fall. Sometimes you’d knock a pin over but not off the table, which called for multiple shots to knock it off.

No need to balance major and minor, the fame did it for you.

Ready For a Comeback

Bowling pin shooting is unlikely to make a comeback, but if someone hosted a shoot near me, I’d go for old-time’s sake. To be honest, I might try to talk someone into a King of the Hill match with a plate rack. Bowling pin shooting isn’t completely gone, but the matches seem to be fairly rare these days.

Your 300BLK is not a carry on item

By

Keith Finch

-

February 21, 2023

tsa1 — Via Fox6, your 300BLK is not a carry on item

The fact that the TSA found 6,301 firearms in carry on luggage in 2022 suggests a few things to me.

Failure to communicate is a systemic problem.
Some people cannot be communicated with, comprehension will forever elude them
Some people, even without malevolent intent, cannot be bothered to follow the rules. They are going to do what they want to do and only physical intervention will prevent them.

In this instance, a 52 year old man tried to board a plane out of New Orleans with a PSA 300BLK Pistol/SBR and 6 magazines with an accompanying 163 rounds of ammunition.

This is, of course, not allowed by any airport or airline and hasn’t been in any remote sense in decades. I started flying post-9/11, you can’t bring liquids that are too large on planes. Why are still trying firearms? Check them. Under the plane. That’s allowed. Its in all of the travel material. It is all over the airports. What level of rock must you be beneath to not know this by now?

Oh, and that will be $14,950 to the TSA. They are not shy about leveling those violation fines. Unknown if this will result in any criminal charge or if this, as it reads for now by the lack of charges or stated arrest, is just an epic case of curmudgeonism. I marvel at the complete lack of fucks this man possess to just fly with an AR and ammo in carry-on. Especially one that probably cost 1/15th of the fine he’s going to have to pay TSA because he tried to fly with it. Imagine parking in a parking spot so illegal to park in it cost 15 times the value of your vehicle in a fine? That is what this man did to the TSA.

I congratulate this man on the combination of absolute total lack of awareness and damns to be given that conjoined to make this event happen. What must that be like? This wasn’t a G42 forgotten in a bag that you happened to fly with. It wasn’t a pocket knife you forgot to take out. This appears to be a man who didn’t want to spend $39 for a checked bag.

Anyway.

Don’t do that.

Unless you really need a strange way to lose $15k to the TSA I guess.

A Garand Too Far

By

Keith Finch

-

February 20, 2023

Mike Jones is back, and this time with a modern take on his titular theme.

What we see here is a SAGE EBR chassis’d M1 Garand. Yes. The coolest stock ever to grace the M14/M1A series of rifles, that made them really heavy, also has an M1 Garand variant built.

Why?

Well when someone with Post Malone money wants it, for reasons, you build it, for reasons.

And it looks awesome, something straight out of a SciFi series like Tomorrow War, Oblivion, or Battlestar Galactica.

Practical? Not a bit. But we don’t do guns like this for practicality. These are for fun. These are because ‘Why not?’ This exists for a combination of ‘I wonder if we can make that work?’ and ‘Wouldn’t that look sick?’ and the result is… yes, it does.

We need to have fun with these things too. As much as they serve serious and practical purposes we have entire sports and events dedicated to running these for fun. Do that. Make the ridiculous thing, just because you want it. ‘Because’ is a valid reason.

So do the stormtrooper artic AUG. Get an AR ceracoketed like a race car. Put an LPVO/MPVO on a PCC. Not everything in your inventory has to be “practical” as long as you don’t conflate the two. Regular carbine with optic and light for ‘serious’ use. Goofy guns like Yeet Cannons for fun. Hi-Point is still stringing us along on the actual Yeet Cannon too, that’s unacceptable.

The SR-50 – Stoner’s Forgotten Rifle

By

Travis Pike

-

February 20, 2023

Eugene Stoner designed a lot of firearms, his famous being the AR-15 which became the M16. On top of that, lots of parts and systems he designed went into other platforms. His design with the 7.62 NATO AR-16 was later poured into the AR-18. The Stoner 63 was quite revolutionary, although it sadly didn’t make the cut compared to the famed M-16. In his later years, Eugen Stoner went to work for Knight Armament, where he helped design rifles like the SR-15 and SR-15, oh and don’t forget the SR-50.

One of the many designs he was working on when he passed away was the SR-50. As the name implies, this would be an anti-material rifle chambering the .50 BMG cartridge. Development started in 1996, but Stoner’s untimely death sidelined the project, and it never left the prototype stage. The SR-50 looked to be a rather interesting design and would be built to complement the SR-25.

Inside the SR-50

The SR-50 was to be a semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle. Work moved fast on the gun, and in under a month, they had prototypes and were taking preorders with 1,000-dollar deposits. The SR-50 used a gas-operated design and had a two-lug rotating bolt, which was not too different from the AR-15 design. Stoner designed the rifle fast and began producing numerous prototypes.

The rifle used a side-feeding magazine which served several purposes. The first is shortening the entire design. Second, it also makes the gun easier to load when fired from the prone. Much like a machine gun, the side-feeding design is much simpler. The rifle is semi-automatic and typical magazines hold ten rounds. It’s not out of this realm to picture bigger magazines, and they wouldn’t be restricted size-wise due to the side-feeding design.

The SR-50 came with a bipod and what looks like an MG-42 stock. The rifle was optics-ready, and original designs utilized a quick detach barrel. The whole thing weighed 31.5 pounds. It was on par with the Barrett M82 of the same era. The use of a gas-operated system meant it would be easier to suppress than the recoil-operated M82.

Sadly the gun never secured a military contract, nor did it ever make it out of the prototype stage.

What Happened to the Stoner Rifle 50

It seemed to be a promising design, and KAC was offering it for 5,000 dollars, making it significantly cheaper than the Barrett designs that were popular at the time. Sadly, with the Clinton Assault Weapon ban, KAC turned to military contracts instead of civilian sales. A lot of the employees focused on the SR-25 series of rifles.

With the M82 being dug into the military, the weapon stagnated. With the death of the primary designer, Eugene Stoner, the entire project fell apart. A Knight’s employee on Silencer Talk confirmed a second designer tried to fix the design but bungled it. A second effort in 2004 was attempted, but sadly never made it to the market.

According to that same Knight’s employee, it’s quite a sore subject at KAC. As of 2007, they still had deposits on the books and were actively seeking to return those deposits. The .50 BMG market is somewhat small, and the military is moving toward different cartridges for long range sniping. Rifles like the Barrett are becoming a little less relevant in the face of so many new and improved powerhouse calibers.

Sadly, with the death of Mr. Stoner, the SR-50 is unlikely to ever see the light of day, but it’s an interesting piece of history in the world of Eugene Stoner.

PCSL: The 2 and 3 Gun Competitive Shooting Match That Needs to be Talked About

By

Anna Martinez

-

February 20, 2023

“Founded by multi-time consecutive national champion Max Leograndis in 2021, the PCSL is a vision of what the world’s premiere practical shooting sport should be.

For those with competition shooting experience already, whether from Multigun, USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, or other events, PCSL will feel comfortably familiar but at the same time refreshing, exciting, and new. We’ve taken the best aspects from many disciplines of practical shooting and modernized them, creating the best match type yet. Events of every size – from the most humble club matches to the biggest championships – will be the best in class experiences you can find at any event.”-PCSL

What is it?

Practical Competition Shooting League. Rather than a league, it is a set of rules that focuses more on shot placement rather than just any shots on target. PCSL has been running for a couple of years now but just hasn’t gained the traction that it should do to larger entities such as USPSA, IDPA, or other multi gun leagues. For those unfamiliar with any of those leagues, imagine close target shooting with both a pistol and then switching to a rifle or shotgun. Some of these targets are steel that is placed about 20 yds away, and some are large paper IPSC’s that are half covered with a no shoot. This league involves all of that but with a Time Plus Points Scoring Method. This means getting through the stage fast, but placing two well aimed shots in the center of the target, or one well aimed shot in the neck area or “K Zone” on the P2G Target, gaining you more points. This league breeds both marksmanship and speed. Not just one or the other.

To see more specific PCSL rules click Here.

Below is a video going over a standard PCSL 2 gun stage.

How is it different than other Multi-Gun matches?

While this league may seem like just another multi-gun match, it is inherently different in the marksmanship side. Other multi-gun rulesets state that a target within the stage is fully engaged if there are two shots on paper. That’s all you need, two shots on paper and keep moving. However in PCSL these two shots need to be placed in vital/lethal hit area within the target. If not hit in the proper zones, you will receive less points from that target. Less points or even a penalty can hinder a quickly completed stage.

The targets are also much more difficult in PCSL than other multi-gun leagues. Smaller steel further away and more no-shoot cover on the targets.

Notice the “K Zone” on the top of the target. This is the zone where only a single shot is needed on the target to fully engage it. Photo: ShootPCC.com

Scoring from the PCSL Rulebook is as follows:

The maximum amount of points a competitor may receive per P2G paper target is ten (10).

The K-zone (“kilo”) is worth ten (10) points per hit
The A-zone (“alpha”) is worth five (5) points per hit
The C-zone (“charlie”) is worth three (3) points per hit
The D-zone (“delta”) is worth one (1) point per hit

What do I need to compete?

As always, the individual gun set up will depend on class but for most 2 gun PCSL Shooters you will need a rifle, a pistol, ammo, a belt with an active retention holster, and mag pouches for both rifle and pistol. If it’s a 3 gun match add the shotgun items such as shell holders and such.

The biggest equipment need within these matches is active retention on your holster due to running while you have a gun in the holster. This is a little different than a standard USPSA type match due those matches having you run with the gun already drawn. If you are running a holster without active retention and your gun falls out, this is usually an automatic match disqualification. Don’t worry, that battle belt with a thumb release retention system won’t cause you to lose the match. These matches aren’t won due to fastest draw from the holster or easiest pouches to draw a magazine from, they are won due to skill. Shooting fast and getting your hits.

How do I find matches?

Practiscore is your friend. Simply open up Practiscore.com and click matches. Now, input PCSL into the search bar. This should pop up individual matches. Or..click HERE to search for PCSL matches near you.

There are a few 2 day matches currently on the schedule. Click here to see those.

Spread the word.

The only reason I specifically even know about PCSL is due to Quantico holding the first match of its kind here on the east coast. Now there are a few more matches popping up in Georgia and other east coast areas for 1 day matches. On the schedule currently there are some two day matches in NC, MN, and GA.

Local clubs can run PCSL rules in their matches without being affiliated with the league. Meaning, if you have a local club that you like reach out and ask if they can start running these matches.

From PCSL

“There will never be a requirement to affiliate your club with PCSL. Our match type and ruleset are completely open-source for you to use and adapt to your own club’s needs. In the future, we hope to offer an optional affiliation package that adds huge value for clubs without penalizing those that don’t affiliate. But today, since PCSL is still nascent, we are focused on letting club participation grow organically while offering the best information and support we can for free.”-Practical Competition Shooting League

Gunday Brunch 88: We Hate Fanboys and Caleb Hates GIGN

By

David Reeder

-

February 19, 2023

In this video the guys are here, and they’re talking about that curse of all fandoms: fanboys.

Shotgun Basics: Buckshot (Part 1)

By

P.E. Fitch

-

February 17, 2023

Buckshot: The elementary type of ammunition that makes the shotgun a shotgun. At its most basic level, buckshot is nothing more than a payload of 8 to 15 lead pellets that spread over an effective pattern to distances of approximately 25-30 yards. Generally speaking, buckshot ammunition is the go-to for defensive and tactical shotgun use, and not to mention large game hunting. The concept of loading a firearm with several projectiles in order to spread in a pattern to hit the intended target is nearly as old as the concept of the firearm itself. By the time flintlocks became the norm, the concept of the shotgun also started to become codified in different firearm designs. Two notable examples from this period would be the blunderbuss and the fowling piece.

MODERN BUCKSHOT SHOTSHELLS

Shotgun ammunition operates at relatively low pressures, which is why shotshells were once also made from cardboard or paper. Modern hulls are made from plastic for convenience and water resistance. That said, there are four main components to a modern buckshot cartridge: the powder charge, the wad, the buffering (called grex), and the pellets. All four play a role in consistency and effective patterning. For the purposes of this writing any loads or shotshells are implied to be standard 2.75-inch 12 gauge cartridges only. Because the Twelve is king, 12-gauge buckshot ammunition will also have the most advanced options on the market today. Ideally, a buckshot load will pattern consistently and penetrate deeply enough to stop threats. Even the lowest grade buckshot will not have a cone-of-death pattern, and employing shotguns successfully means they have to be aimed. Failure of doing so will result in misses, even in close quarters.

POWDER, VELOCITY AND GREX

Because of lower pressures, many powders used for loading shotshells cross over into handgun cartridges and vice-versa. This article is not about shotgun powder formulations, per se. However, the quantity of powder in a load does affect velocity and it bears mentioning that for buckshot, sometimes less [velocity] is more. For example, the tactical buckshot with some of the tightest patterns on the market currently (12-gauge 8 Pellet Federal Flite-Control LE 13300) only has a muzzle velocity of 1145 feet per second. For comparison, the typical dove, clay or all-around sporting birdshot load averages 1200-1250 fps of muzzle velocity. A gentle powder charge leads to better patterning because pushing the pellets too fast causes them to crash and bump into each other and deform while traveling down a shotgun’s bore. Past the muzzle, these deformities will cause pellets to fly erratically and deviate away from the main shot column.

To protect pellets from deforming, modern buckshot loads also feature grex, a type of crushed down plastic that looks like coarse salt and functions to buffer and protect pellets individually as the shot column travels down the bore. Not all buckshot loads will have grex, but shooters can expect to find it in any premium hunting or tactical shotshell product line.

WADS AND PELLETS

A still from an excellent *Tom Givens* presentation on shotguns and their ammunition. The shot column, grex, and wads are visible.

Shotgun wads for buckshot can be as simple as a clump of horsehair or a round felt cut-out, or they can be as sophisticated as the shuttlecock resembling plastic wads that are the Federal Flite-Control or Hornady Versatite wads. Those basic felt or horsehair wads separate the shot from the powder but don’t do much more. More modern plastic wads are cup shaped and have petals, so they cradle and envelop the shot column inside the hull. During firing, modern wads stay together with the pellets while they exit the shotgun’s bore. They also exit the muzzle at the same time and fly together for some distance until individual pellets start to fan out and the wad’s petals open up until the wad itself eventually deviates completely from the flight path. Because they keep the shot column together (typically 8 or 9 pellets for standard 00-buckshot loads), wads have a large bearing on shotshell consistency and patterning ability. The more basic felt or horsehair wads don’t do much besides separating the shot from the powder, and typically these loads have an effective distance of 15 yards at best. It doesn’t help that pellets in these loads are not buffered with grex or plated. For generations, shotgun shooters had to make do with such marginal buckshot loads. And this is probably a reason why the shotgun perhaps fell from favor compared to carbines. Ineffective shooting techniques that did not manage recoil correctly also did nothing to help this wonderful weapon’s case. One of the best things to happen to modern shotguns is the Federal Flite-Control wad. The Flite-Control wad is available in some of Federal’s more premium law enforcement and defensive shotshell product lines. Buckshot using this wad generally patterns well regardless of a shotgun’s barrel length, make or model. In some cases, it can also nearly double a given shotgun’s effective range. This wad looks like a shuttlecock and is designed to peel back from the column in flight in such a way that minimally disturbs pellets. Of course, Flite-Control loads include plated pellets and are buffered with grex.

Two recovered Federal Flite-Control wads. The front part of the wad is facing the bottom edge of the photo, while the rear has the shuttlecock like fins.

Depending on application, buckshot pellets range from sizes #4 (0.24” cal) to 0000 (0.39” cal). For defensive and tactical purposes, the standard pellet size for 12 gauge loads has always been the 00 “double-aught” (0.33” cal). Standard 2.75 inch double-aught buck loads can have payloads with as little as 8 pellets or as many as 12. Cheap buckshot loads are usually loaded with “bare” pellets while the pellets in premium loads are hardened and copper (sometimes nickel) plated. In addition to being buffered with grex, plated pellets also have a better chance of resisting bumping and knocking and becoming deformed during firing.

Click here to read Part 2

Schmidt and Bender 10-60x: Made for the Extreme Long Range ELR Shooter

By

Anna Martinez

-

February 16, 2023

Before SHOT Show 2023 the internet was a ablaze mentioning a 10-60x scope. Most actually thought it was a joke. Turns out, it’s not. It also comes from one of the top Optic manufactures out there, Schmidt and Bender.

Schmidt and Bender gives us a First Focal Plane (FFP) 10-60×56 Mil-Radian scope. This was built with the long range competition shooter in mind such as Extreme Long Range, F-Class, and bench rest. When talking to Schmidt about what pushed them to create a scope with a 60x magnification range they immediately said ELR. It has now since been used by professional ELR shooters on the range during competitions.

Schhmidts new 10-60x scope features turrets with MTC. Meaning, More Tactile Clicks. This feature enables the turret to have a more profound click every 10 clicks. Due to each click being .1 mils, this more profound click will tell you that you went an entire mil up. Which can easily be a miss for the shooter if they aren’t aware that they moved the turret that much.

ELR is a match in which shooters can be pushing about to 2 miles. Even at that distance, ELR shooters are still using the standard precision rifle scopes that can get 20-30x magnification. Imagine now added 30x to that and what you will be able to see.

Now with all of that magnification, how’s the eye box at full power?

The 56 mm objective lens diameter with a light transmission of over 90 % provides a clear, bright and high contrast image even at extreme magnification.-Schmidt and Bender

The Scope and Specs

Features

ILLUMINATION PARALLAX INTEGRATED
NEW M1FL RETICLE (FFP)
MTC = More Tactile Clicks. MTC features a more pronounced click at every tenth click.

Specs

Length (mm/in): 442/17.40
Main tube diameter (mm/in): 34/1.34
Weight (g/oz): 980–995/34.57–35.10
Magnification: 10–60
Objective diameter (mm)/(in): 56/2.20
Field-of-view (m/100 m)/(ft/100 yd): 4.4–0.8/13.3–2.3*
Internal travel elevation: 25 MRAD
Internal travel windage: 15,5 MRAD
Illumination: 11 settings
Battery type: CR2032

A new feature is the LTI feature, meaning illumination parallax integrated (this is German to English so give them a break). This two part adjustment knob allows for 11 illum settings on the outside knob, and 20-infinity precise parallax adjustments on the inner knob.

Other Optical Data

Field-of-view (°): 2.5–0.4**
Exit pupil diameter (mm/in): 5.6–1.0/0.22–0.04
Eyerelief distance (mm)/(in): 90/3.54
Twilight factor: 23.7–58.0
Transmission (%): > 90
Focal Plane: 1
Diopter adjustment (dpt): –3 to +2
Parallax adjustment (m/yd): 20 to ∞/21.87 to ∞

The Reticle

The new M1FL FFP reticle is based on Schmidts previous LRR-MIL reticle. The center free-floated dot can be illuminated with 11 different settings.

To Purchase

While it is being listed on EuroOptic for $5,940. EuroOptic is showing that the product is not yet available.

The best bet is to subscribe to their newsletter to see when the product is going to be going on sale with their dealers.

Minute of Angle Coming Soon

MOA shooters take note: Soon, the 10-60×56 will be offered with
a second focal plane MOA-based reticle and corresponding turret
configurations with click values of ¼ or ⅛ MOA. So stay tuned.-Schmidt and Bender

SIG’s .22 Rimfire P322

By

V. Caldwell

-

February 16, 2023

The author is well pleased with the P322.

The story of reliable .22 caliber autoloading pistols is a long and storied one. The Colt Woodsman was available over one hundred years ago and came to be known as the pistol that didn’t jam. Ruger’s Standard Model seldom jams and the Browning Buckmark is also reliable. .22s are not front line pistols for personal defense but tools for training, introduction to firearms, and small game hunting. It seems more difficult to manufacture a pistol that is designed to mimic the handling and size of a centerfire pistol. Some .22 conversions work fine some don’t. But we like polymer framed pistols and a lightweight handy polymer frame .22 from SIG is exciting. The pistol is a single action design with a hidden hammer and manual safety. The P322 is a great all around light handgun I have enjoyed firing.

Proper lubrication does a long way in ensuring reliability. So does cleaning often. A .22 is just dirty! The powder is designed for use in rifles and doesn’t burn as cleanly in a handgun. Use high velocity loads. Some are standouts in reliability. The CCI Mini Mag and Remington Thunderbolt are among these. As for the design it is difficult to convince a rimmed cartridge to feed in a self loading action. Factor in a heel based lead bullet that is a friction fit rather than crimped in place and you have a real engineering problem. For this reason I was surprised at the level of reliability exhibited by the pistol. There were no failures to feed, chamber, fire or eject and no nagging problems such as a failure to lock the slide on the last shot. Use the supplied loading tool to properly load the magazines and you are in like Flint. In other words the P322 beats the SIG Mosquito all to hell and back for reliability.

The pistol isn’t similar at all to the P365 9mm save in general appearance. The P322 makes an excellent understudy pistol for the P365 or P320. The P322 is a handy size at seven inches long five and one half inch high, and weighs 17 ounces. As a field gun it is much lighter and handier than a Ruger Standard Model or Ruger Buckmark. Perhaps it isn’t as accurate but it is an accurate handgun for its size and weight class. For shooting at 7 to 10 yards and popping snakes or rodents the P322 is as accurate at any .22 pistol. At longer range it gives up a margin to accuracy to larger steel frame handguns. No surprises there. I usually use a heavier long barrel .22 for small game. Just the same taking out a bunny at a few steps or a squirrel in a tree the SIG P322 will serve. At 25 yards it is pretty darned exact for a pistol this size. It shoots better than a Walther PPK or similar size Bersa and about as well as the GSG 1911. It is quite a nice handgun.

This is a nice size .22 rimfire for recreational use, training young shooters, and even field use. A key to reliability- use the supplied magazine loader to load the magazine. Carefully stack each in place, do not simply drop the cartridges into the magazine as you hold the follower down. The magazine isn’t difficult to load with the hand to about 17 rounds, but the magazine loader should be used to load to the full 20 rounds. The pistol also features a light rail for mounting lights and lasers a great option for practice. Field strip is easy. Clear the chamber and magazine. Rotate the take down lever and pull the slide to the rear and up and then over the fixed barrel. I recommend cleaning the pistol every three hundred cartridges or so to improve reliability. The flat trigger is a nice touch. A curved trigger is also supplied and easily changed. I prefer the flat trigger but there is an option. The manual safety is sharp in operation. Perhaps the best feature is a set of fiber optic sights. These green three dot sights provide a good sight picture.

The .22 doesn’t kick much. Just the same the recoil spring is well designed and makes for reliable function. The grip fits my hands well and the firing experience was excellent. The pistol handles quickly and simply aces firing drills. It isn’t difficult to roll pine combs and destroy range debris- dirt clods and large sticks- easily. I benchrest fired the pistol using the MTM Caseguard K Zone shooting rest. 25 yards seems long but the pistol performed well for its size and weight class. Using the CCI Mini Mag and Remington Thunderbolt I fired several five shot groups. Most were well within three inches, some as small as two and a quarter inch.

The SIG P322 is a fine all around rimfire pistol. While there were no failures to feed, chamber, fire or eject and the pistol is easy to use well I would never recommend this handgun for personal defense. There are too many variables in the ammunition and the cartridge doesn’t have the size or energy for defense. Use the handgun as intended and it will serve well.