The Magpul Pro 700 rifle chassis is an uncompromising, full featured precision rifle chassis for short action Remington® 700 actions and other Remington® 700 footprint actions. The Pro 700 combines innovative engineering, precision machining, Mil-Spec quality finishes, and an extensive list of purposeful design features with complete adjustability to provide demanding end users with the most comprehensive available precision rifle platform solution for true out of the box performance. Based on a full billet aluminum skeleton and clad in Magpul polymer for environmental comfort, noise mitigation, and ergonomics, the Pro 700 is also fully ambidextrous. Capable of fitting both right and left-handed actions with the simple swap of a bolt-cutout plate, and with a reversible cheek riser and reversible hinge on the folding version, “lefties” haven’t been “left out.”
Features
• Type III hard anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum V-bedding block, body, adjustment knobs and forend with high strength injection molded polymer body covers optimally placed for comfort and aesthetics
• Ambidextrous bedding block can be changed by swapping the QD sling swivel plate and bolt retainer insert for left or right hand actions using a 1/8” hex wrench
• Folding stock with push-button activated durable cast 4140 steel hinge with Melonite® finish is reversible for left or right folding capability with the use of a 5/32” hex wrench. A fixed stock adapter is available for a non-folding stock solution
• Folding stock is also designed to avoid interference with the bolt handle when folded and is compatible with a large variety of aftermarket bolt knobs and handles• An NVD clip on mounting rail solution is available• Overall LOP adjustment range is 13.25” – 15.125”
• Butt pad height can be adjusted up 1.33” and down .90” and is adjustable left or right for a total of 5 degrees
• Comb height adjustment has a 1” range with a secondary locking knob to eliminate movement in the cheek riser
• Cheek riser features a 3-position fore/aft adjustment of +.375”, 0” and -.375” which can also be changed for left or right side usage using only a common hex wrench
• Injection molded polymer grip with 5 degree forward edge sweep and enlarged palm swell with 7 degree aft edge sweep for enhanced user comfort combined with a .75” fore/aft adjustment range using a common hex wrench
• Additional grip option included with a more aggressive sweep and enlarged palm swell for the shooter that is more inclined to a less vertical grip interface (8 degree forward / 20 degree aft edge sweep)
• Durable cast steel rotation limited QD sling swivel mounts with Melonite® finish fits up to 1.5” push button swivels
• M-LOK® slots for accessory mounting on the forend (left-6/right-6/bottom-7) and the stock (bottom-2)
• Integrated AICS pattern magazine well of reinforced polymer construction optimized for PMAG® 5 & PMAG® 10 7.62 AC™ magazines as well as most other AICS pattern short action magazines
• Large trigger guard allows for use with gloves and accepts most factory and aftermarket curved or flat triggers
• Low-profile, anti-snag ambidextrous magazine release is made of Melonite® treated steel for wear and corrosion resistance
Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 255 – tonight we’ll talk about Laugo Arms Alien, Pepper Balls, 3D printing gun parts, 224 Valkyrie, Pat McNamara, Ballistic Magazine and more! Our cast for episode 255 is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Savage1r, Jeremy Pozderac, Nick Lynch!
Welcome to We Like Shooting’s Double Tap, Episode 69, Where we answer your questions, talk about new tech in the gun world, and touch base on gun industry news. Our cast for tonight is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Jeremy Pozderac,
It’s Tick Season out there, and whether you are a a sport shooter, a hunter, or just a backyard birdwatcher, you are likely to run into these pesky disease-carrying ectoparasites. So here is some background and also some resources for how to protect yourself.
Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods of the Class Arachnida. Yes, the same Class as spiders – because adult ticks have eight legs. There are many different genus and species of ticks in North America and most of them are known to carry one disease or another, and sometimes more than one at the same time. Because of this you don’t want to be cavalier about tick bites.
TICKBORNE DISEASES
Depending upon your geographic area, a tick bite may expose you to any one of several different diseases including: Lyme Disease, Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia.
Here is a link to some maps from the CDC which show the distribution of several tickborne diseases based on 2016 data.
In addition to the above there is a condition which is more common in children than adults, called Tick Bite Paralysis.
All of these issues combine to form a pretty solid wall of evidence why you and your family should get serious about preventing tick bites.
TICK LIFE CYCLE
The life cycle of your average tick runs through several phases. The CDC has a good page of illustrations for understanding the tick life cycle.
Some tick types are particular about the species from which they take a blood meal, and some aren’t. Ticks can feed on mice, deer, frogs, birds, and a partridge in a pear tree, besides humans. And if any other those animals are carrying any of the above diseases, the tick takes the disease germs along with it when it goes, and then passes them along to the next creature it feeds on. Some ticks can take up to three years to finish their life cycle, with each stage of tick capable of acquiring and spreading disease through the blood meal.
Because of the way that ticks hitch a ride, it is possible to get a tick bite from simply walking through the grass on your shooting range, or even your backyard. So don’t think that you are free from exposure just because you don’t hunt or hang out in the woods. I once acquired a tick just by walking through the grass looking at memorials on a Civil War battlefield.
PREVENTION
So, other than locking yourself in the house all day, what can you do to prevent being bitten by ticks? It’s not like you can use your dog’s Frontline on yourself. (and we’ll get to that in a minute)
One of the first lines of defense is using a good insect repellent. And I mean “good”, not just some essential oil stuff your neighbor sells. Here is a link to the EPA website for repellants , which can help you decide what type of bug repellant to use for your needs.
Another preventive measure you can take is to wear long pants and long sleeves. Tucking the hems of your pants inside your socks also helps. (Better to be protected than to look cool, right? But you can leave the pocket protector at home.)
The usual suggestion to wear light-colored clothing is not really helpful when your outerwear is camo patterned, but if you are just in the yard or hiking a trail, that suggestion makes it easier to find and remove ticks which may be attached to your clothing.
To allow your clothes to provide a better barrier, you may consider treating your outerwear with permethrin. This is the same stuff that they soak bed nets in for the tropics to help keep malarial mosquitoes at bay. It’s also the same stuff that is in over-the-counter lice shampoo. Permethrin is a synthetic derivative of the chrysanthemum plant, which persists on the treated clothing through several washings, and kills the ticks after a few seconds of contact. This keeps the bug from ever getting to your skin in the first place.
Though permethrin is fatal for ticks and other bugs, it is safe for humans, and even toddlers. Just not cats. Cats do not process permethrin the same way dogs and people do, so keep your supply away from Fluffy. You can buy clothing which has been pre-treated, but you can also buy permethrin for treating your own clothing at home. An Amazon search for permethrin turned up several options and a good outdoor store or farm supply store should also carry it.
In addition, this hunting blog claims that permethrin is odorless and should thus not provide a scent signature that would ruin your deer hunt. For that reason, I bought concentrated permethrin at Tractor Supply and am going to try it.
Even if you do pick up a tick during your day, getting them off before they attach to you will still be protective. When you get back home, experts recommend that you check yourself for ticks and have someone else check you if possible. They also recommend stripping off clothes and scrubbing yourself well in the shower to remove ticks before they attach. When checking yourself or others for ticks, don’t forget to check the hidden crevices and crannies like armpits and what is medically known as the “gluteal cleft”. Ticks hitching a ride at your ankles will gradually climb farther up before attaching, often stopping in this region.
If you find a tick has already bitten you and attached itself, prompt removal is key. Research varies, but most indications are that disease transmission requires tick attachment for 48-72 hours, so the sooner you find the critter and remove it the better. Recommendations are to remove the tick with tweezers. Older home remedy methods including using a hot matchstick or petroleum jellyare not recommended.
Once the tick has been removed, clean the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. It is not currently recommended for your doctor to give you antibiotics for a simple tick bite, unless you have serious underlying medical conditions. Current recommendations say that you should monitor yourself, and see your doctor if you develop a rash at the bite site or other symptoms such as fever and fatigue.
FUTURE PREVENTION
You may reasonably ask why there is a Lyme vaccine for dogs, but not for people? This link provides an interesting answer. The vaccine certification process for humans is complex and lengthy, with many hitches in the road. Apparently a vaccine was tried in the 1990’s, but there were hitches.
Who knows what the future holds for tickborne disease research and prevention. Maybe in twenty years we’ll be able to swallow a seasonal bite-prevention pill like your dog does. For the foreseeable future however, we’re stuck with what we’ve got – stinky bug spray, barrier clothing, and personal inspection.
Be safe out there. Your future health may depend upon it!
Grips can be functional. Grips can be comfortable. Grips can even be pretty, available in a variety of colors. But have you ever found a grip described as fun?
Unique-ARs has created the “Unique Grip” that was meant to be functional and versatile. But I found it a lot of fun to play with before it was even installed. When I first got it out and gripped it and the pieces moved, it reminded me of those pin art games where you place your hand on it and the pins move and make the shape of your hand. I gripped it over and over, excited with how the pieces moved. Yes, I’m easily entertained.
Besides the fun though, the grip is interesting because of the separate pieces that move as you wrap your hand around it, this allows it to form fit to your personal hand grip. Then you simply lock it in place and you’re ready to go. But what if your husband wants to shoot your AR? You just unlock it, he grips it to move the pieces, and it is now formed to his own hand grip. Lock it in place again and he’s ready to go. So it’s very simple to install and use and makes it very comfortable for each shooter. Unique-AR’s has provided a unique product to help make an AR even more versatile for multiple users.
“Yeah, I was issued the 19X in Iraq but they switched us back to the M9 when we got to the U.S.”
“When did you get out?”
“2015.”
This story hearkens back to the gentlemen who told me he shot out his P226 barrel twice on his service pistol while he was on the “Dive Teams” and then separated from the military two years before the P226 was invented. His daughter then found his handgun at a gun show because he remembered his serial number…
This latest one was slightly more plausible until we went with a gun model released several years after his service ended. I could accept you had a Glock 19 in Iraq. The Corps. bought a batch of 19’s for use, mostly MARSOC/Raiders. But even then you’re still lying.
Vets,
Stop lying about gun things. You look 1,000 times more imbecilic when you run into someone who knows better. Don’t play the “I did Secret Squirrel Stuff” card either… you’re lying about that too. Stop killing your credibility. Stop tarnishing your honorable service in the job you served in.
Most of the time Armslist is full of crap, sorry to say it, but if I wanted overpriced bubba’ed Mosins Armslist would be my go to. On occasion, though something great shows up, and that’s why I keep coming back. Today it was a well-loved SIG P220, made in West Germany before I was even born. This P220 is quickly becoming one of my favorite handguns. I guess I have a thing for older women.
The P220 Inside and Out
The SIG P series pistols have always been top tier guns and some of my favorites. They’ve come and gone from my collection over time. This is both my first P220 and my first West German SIG. The SIG P220 is a single stack, DA/SA, 45 ACP handgun that was the first to sport the SIG Sauer Locking system.
Unlike traditional Browning derived designs the SIG P220 and other P series guns do not have locking lugs and recesses milled into the barrel and slide. Instead, the P220 locks the barrel and slide together using an enlarged breech section on the barrel locking into the ejection port.
The P220 was the first to utilize this system and many modern pistols followed suit. The SIG P220 utilizing a DA/SA design with a decocker that’s placed perfectly for easy reach.
The P220 is a big gun, as you’d imagine a metal frame 45 ACP would be. The standard model weighs almost 2 pounds and the stainless steel model weighs nearly 2.5 pounds. That being said the gun is balanced very well.
The standard size model wears a 4.4-inch barrel and mine came with three 8 round magazines. However, 6 rounders exist for the Carry model as do 7 rounders and 10 rounders from SIG.
While the P220 is mainly known for it’s 45 ACP chambering. These days you can now find a 10mm variant, as well as a 22 LR conversion slide. Once upon a time SIG even produced a 38 Super variant.
On the Range With the SIG P220
This is one smooth shooting 45 ACP. That extra weight makes her easy to handle. Most of my 45 ACP experience comes from 1911s and I can say without a doubt this gun shoots much better than a standard 1911. There is no beavertail or hammer bite, and the recoil seems milder and easier to handle due to the wider grip.
This model’s trigger is absolutely exceptional. Either due to age and wear reaching that sweet spot, or someone pulling an aftermarket trigger job. The double action is just as good as my tuned CZ and the single action is crisp and brilliant.
The gun just pumped and pumped through 250 rounds of Winchester White Box on day 1. Not one single failure, which is both a testament to the P220’s reliability and the Mec-Gar magazines. It shot like a champ. 250 rounds isn’t much but this particular P220 isn’t for combat.
From the first shot onward I was in love. It’s such an easy shooting and accurate gun it took me by surprise. I judged a book by its cover and was dead wrong. I expected an old, beat up, too heavy, and low capacity 45 ACP that was just priced too low to say no to.
What I got was a sweet shooting, accurate, and fun gun that does have a low capacity. This West German Masterpiece is a true testament to SIG Sauer’s reliability and durability. If push came to shove, and I had to grab a gun I’d still feel confident with the P220. Sure, if given the choice I’d take my CZ P09, but I could make due with this 30 year old P220 with confidence.
There are pros and cons of competitive shooting sports as they relate to defensive firearms training. The bottom line is that competitive shooting sports will not replace self-defense training. Even though shooting matches can mimic real-life scenarios, time on the shot timer it is not real life and paper targets are not shooting back. However, even in this controlled environment, competitive shooting remains one of the most effective ways to hone your gun handling and marksmanship skills. In order to be effective in a defensive situation involving your firearm, you must be proficient in these six fundamental concepts that are strengthened by participation in competitive shooting sports.
Safe Gun Handling
Competitive shooting sports promote and enforce safety procedures and respectful range etiquette. Because only one person at a time is allowed to handle a loaded firearm under the direction supervision of a range officer (RO) there is a great deal of control over the situation. If any safety infraction happens, the RO is there to immediately stop and correct the action. In fact, if you violate any of the four core safety rules, you will be disqualified (DQ’d) for the day. It can be pretty embarrassing to DQ for a safety violation. You learn quickly to not make those mistakes again and your community of shooters will hold you accountable.
Knowledge of Your Gun and Gear
If you are not “one with” your gun, holster, and mag pouches, you will be after a few matches! During a competitive shooting match you are working under stress and you will see how well your gun and gear perform for you. Most people don’t carry the same gun for self-defense as use for competition, but it is common to carry a subcompact version, which you can use to establish a baseline. Even if you carry something completely different, you will be more aware of your holster and your body placement, and have a higher awareness in general.
Speed and Accuracy
Accuracy matters most. Never compromise your speed for accuracy. If you are not able to hit what you shoot at, you will always lose a gunfight or points down in a match. There are two things that should be done fast in a gunfight/match: drawing and reloading. Shooting competitively will give you experience and knowledge of when to shoot fast with a flash sight picture and trigger slap, and when to slow it down for a perfect sight picture and smooth trigger press. Distance, target presentation, and personal skills are all are tested during a match. You will know your strengths and weaknesses, so that you can manage your risks in a defensive situation when distance, target presentation, and personal skills are called upon.
Moving and Cover
Gunfights are not duels. Survival depends on your ability to move efficiently from the threat and take hard cover to protect yourself. IDPA requires you to think about movement and how to use cover while engaging targets, while USPSA is more on the stand and deliver movement and working around sneaky vision barriers at times. Even 3-Gun matches make you think about how to be efficient while moving from position to position while reloading or switching guns. In matches you will see mesh or solid walls to simulate cover, and it is important to remember that walls, unless heavily reinforced with concrete or steel, are not sufficient cover for a self-defense situation.
Mindset and Decision Making
Mindset for self-defense is very different than for competition. The advantage of competitive shooting sports requires a “winner’s mindset” and ability to make decisions in the moment as an athlete. You have an opportunity to formulate a good plan, practice the plan, execute the plan, and then learn from the outcome. In self-defense situations, there is not usually time to form a plan and decisions are made very quickly. Having a proper mindset ahead of time of what you will or will not do morally, legally, or based on your skills will aid in the decision-making process.
Trigger Time
All of these concepts are important for competition and self-defense. There are differences in the execution of shooting skills for defensive vs sport, but with the right understanding of how you apply the concepts, trigger time is trigger time — and time well spent!
In 2013 the bullpup and carbine markets of the United States received a shake up when Israeli Weapon Industries (IWI) opened on our shores and set up in Middleton, Pennsylvania.
With their arrival they brought a rifle that many had been curious about and pining after for over a decade. The Tavor SAR.
These modernized bullpups, built for the mechanized and urban nature of IDF combat, were an obscure object of desire for buyers in the states and suddenly they were at our fingertips.
They sold 16,000 units that year.
The expected demand had been a fraction of that real number and production with a combination of U.S. and Israeli parts shifted into top gear. Over 50,000 units had been sold by 2016.
That same year the IDF’s chosen Tavor upgrade was slated for adaption and introduction onto the U.S. Market.
Out came the X95.
Our variant was modified from the IDF’s to comply with federal firearms law. However this year IWI is attempting to bring us the SBR variant which is much closer to the IDF’s, sporting a 13″ barrel and minimized profile.
The Tavor’s rise amongst the market was swift and it’s reputation is excellent as a 21st century service rifle. The IDF had it out perform the M4 by quite a margin in their evaluation.
The little Israeli convertible carbine is a different animal to run than the popular AR15’s and their derivative guns. It’s different than the AK’s, the MP5, the AUG and the F2000 even. How then do you learn to run this gun?
You could enlist with the IDF or there’s IWI Academy.
Tavor I
If you have a Tavor in either SAR or X95 format, if you’re considering one for personal or general issue use, or are just looking for a high value rifle class to add to your training schedule IWI has a traveling training program.
IWI Academy is the training arm of Israeli Weapon Industries and their primary focus is on maximizing the proficiency of Tavor owners and users. There are three levels of proficiency. Tavor I, II, and III. Each level builds on the previous in order to drastically increase the individual user’s weapons handling first in conventional and then unconventional fundamentals situations.
The courses must be taken in succession and passed before dropping into the next level.
Each two day course requires about a case of rifle ammo (1,000 rounds) and levels II and III will run pistol ammo too, 150 and 200 rounds respectively. (Pro tip: bring extra, just in case)
The courses themselves are $500 each. Even if you aren’t a fan of bullpups or the Tavor platform this is an incredible rate for good rifle instruction. IWI will lend you a rifle too so it’s not a requirement to buy or borrow one to run the courses.
The X95 isn’t in my inventory and an SAR has been but has since moved on. I sold it to buy my LWRC M6 to take advantage of some legal definitions the Tavor could not.
I’m waiting on the SBR truth be told, because it can take advantage of the same definitions.
So minus a Tavor off I went, arriving at 8:00 a.m., to Alliance Ohio.
My loaner X95 was waiting there with the instructors. Both former SEALs, Malcom and Tony set about going through the basics of the Tavor for the morning. For anyone unfamiliar with service rifles the information torrent is immense. I recommend snapping pictures and holding onto the guide manual as it covers most of the information covered in the class room.
Hands on time we stripped the guns. I cheated a little and got ahead so I could snap pictures. The Tavor and X95 are well designed from a maintenance stand point and field stripping is fairly intuitive. Malcom and Tony covered step by step and helped students with troubleshooting.
The upgraded X95 trigger pack. Superior trigger pull weight and break to the heavier SAR.Stripped bolt carrier assembly. Fun fact: The piston is designed to run completely dry, you can slick it to clean but you can get substantial overpressure if the piston head is wet with oil.The multitool is your best friend.
After the breakdown and reassembly we covered some base fundamentals briefly in the air conditioned classroom interior, added the safety brief, and then went to lunch.
Malcom looks surprised here. Tony looks very surprised. In reality they were covering safety manipulation.
After lunch we set up to zero the Tavor’s. The day had blessed us with a triple digit heat index and high humidity so it was going to be a fun one.
Tony assisting Jerry with an Iron Sight zero. These are some of first shots Jerry ever fired through a rifle. You are never to novice for a good course and you are never to good for new or more training.
Using a 25 yard mark and estimating a 100 yard zero requires a 2″ disparity between the point of aim (where your sights show) and point of impact (where the shot impacts the target)
Top Paster: Point of Aim. Bottom Paster: Point of Impact
During the zero process Malcom challenged me to a cold bore shot with our sidearms at 25 yards. Glock 17 Gen 3 vs Glock 19X.
4″ circle.
I won.
I’ve no doubt that the SEAL sniper would win in the extended contest right now but it I’ll take a cold bore win when I earn one, validating my continued training.
The remainder of Day 1 was spent on and inside 25 yards honing fundamentals. We covered how the optical height over the bore/barrel of the rifle results in a point of impact shift low. Because the round hasn’t arced up through the line of sight since leaving the barrel, at close range the impacts will be below where you’re ‘aiming’.
Point of aim on dot. Hits low. Point of aim adjusted for close quarters. Hits in circle.
Final drills for Day 1 covered reload practice and some malfunction clearance.
Hot, sweat drenched, and tired we called the range cold and departed for cool hotel rooms.
Day 2 we were back at 8:00 a.m. and backed up to the 100 yard line.
100 yards
After a warm up and review shoot for the morning we started stretching the legs of the rifles.
Backing it up to ever greater distances we had to put greatly increased emphasis on shooting fundamentals. Trigger squeeze and support can get sloppy up close and still result in a hit but it gets unforgiving when distances break triple digits.
The half size steel silhouettes looked quite a bit more challenging at 300 yards and I confirmed for certain my little TA44 wasn’t as zero’d as I had thought.
Position changes and turns were up next. Changing from prone, standing, and kneeling and find good variations that worked for our body capabilities. This 29 year old Marine veteran and the 82nd Paratrooper my age creaked a little moving up and down but this was something we were conditioned for. The retired anesthesiologist had to adapt to what his body was capable of in order to shoot effectively.
Malcom demonstrates a kneeling variation.
Scanning was essential during most of the drills because part of the drill was non verbal, follow up rounds held on the hand of the instructor, and if you didn’t see the number and complete the rounds on target your weren’t drill complete. This emphasized an actual scan where you are looking and collecting the scene with your eyes and processing it vs. the typical tactical head twitch.
Scanning prior to standing.
Our final evaluation was a 45 round qualification course that hit on every skillset we had spent time on. Malfunction clearance, reloads, firing from different positions, movement to position and engagement, facing and engagement. All from 50 to 100 yards.
I threw two rounds placing me second in the course overall.
Overall IWI Academy provided an exceptional two days of solid rifle skill development, regardless of if your preferred platform is the Tavor.
At the price you pay IWI is giving you a steal of deal for skills development you can use across multiple platforms.
I would highly recommend shooting with them.
Should you find considering their rifles you can’t find a better introduction to the gun and evaluating if it’s the one for you. Heck they might cut you a deal on one on the spot.
Trigger control is the act of manipulating the trigger to fire the gun without disturbing your sight alignment. A pistol shooter may become frustrated if her shots are always slightly off center, so one place to troubleshoot is your trigger press. The shooter should press the trigger smoothly so that the sights remain on the target.
With the pad of the index finger on the center of the trigger, press the trigger to the rear to fire the first shοt. If your finger is not pressing the trigger straight back, you may be slightly pulling or pushing your muzzle.
Close retention is a non-standard technique that has you firing the gun from close to the body. You are not using the sights on your weapon, and are essentially hip shooting. This technique requires additional safety precautions as it is more advanced than standard. Firing from close retention is a close quarter’s shooting tactic used for threats within or nearly within arms reach.
When Would you Shoot from Close Retention?
Firing from close retention is done in close quarter’s situations. When attackers are within five yards. Hopefully, you can create more distant than that, but stuff happens and the likelihood of closer shoots is higher than distant ones. There are two main reasons to use this technique.
First, it’s called close retention for a reason. You want to keep the gun close to the body to prevent your threat from taking it from you. If it’s held close to the body where you can protect it it’s much harder to grab.
The second reason is speed. You can draw and ready the gun to fire from close retention faster than getting the gun in a proper firing stance.
How to Do So Safely
Firing close retention starts with the draw. If someone is right on top of you, you’ll need to make sure that draw is done fast, and with a great deal of confidence. When I draw a gun, I do an elbow up / elbow down technique. When I grip my weapon I pull my elbow up until the gun clears the holster, then I drive my elbow down. Driving my elbow down brings my gun upwards.
I use this technique for every draw I do, but have found it to be perfect for my style of close retention shooting. As I drive my elbow downwards, I lock it to my body. I pull it in hard enough that it functionally becomes part of my torso. Holding the gun against my torso gives me a fantastic amount of control over the weapon. I keep the muscles nice and tight. The gun is just forward of my body to avoid hitting my clothes and causing a malfunction.
I also do not tilt the gun in a direction. I feel this allows recoil to pull me off target. Straight up and down is easier to control in my experience.
I hold the weapon straight up and down and try my to get the gun right under my head. The reason being is now my arm, torso, and head are locked on a target. If I rotate my head, I rotate my torso and gun with it. This rigid structure provides control and allows me to aim the weapon with a fair amount of accuracy.
Blocking Brass
My nondominant hand is held above my gun slightly. This serves two purposes. First, it keeps the brass from being flung into my face as I fire. Second, it makes sure I’m not putting my hand in front of my muzzle.
Once I start shooting I’m not trying to be super precise. I need rounds on target. Once I get rounds on target, and I’ve halted my attacker’s momentum, I can extend into a proper firing stance and focus more on shot placement and you can create distance and reassess the situation.
When practicing take your time, slow down, and do it over and over until you have the fundamentals down. Once you can consistently
The End All Be All?
This is just one close retention technique that I use. It’s not the only technique out there, and it may not be the best for you. I have found it to be the best mixture of control, accuracy, and safety for me. Close retention is a very specific technique for specific situations but its one I like keeping in my toolbox as essential and life saving. Give it a try(safely).
Welcome to We Like Shooting’s Double Tap, Episode 68, Where we answer your questions, talk about new tech in the gun world, and touch base on gun industry news. Our cast for tonight is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Jeremy Pozderac, Nick Lynch and Savage AF
For those not wanting to read the full review, the Primary Arms 1-6x First Focal Plane with the ACSS Raptor reticle is a marvel at the price point it is being offered. I tested both the 556 and 300 Blackout variants and they both performed identically. If you have a hunting rifle or a DMR type rifle that needs an optic it should be at the very top of your list of prospects. That being said I do not recommend it for home defense for one key reason that I’ll get to later in the review.
The 1-6x scope has solid optical clarity. It’s not perfect though. If you’re unfamiliar with low variable power optics the two hallmarks of quality are edge to edge clarity and how true the 1x really is. Unfortunately, I was unable to take good down the tube photos that capture the full story.
The edge to edge clarity is equal to scopes that cost 2-3 times as much as this one. There is still some “fish eye” effect towards the edges but the majority of the optic is distortion free. The 1x is also pretty good. It’s probably closer to a 1.1x or 1.2x but still allows for easy both eyes open shooting. You may experience some eye fatigue with extended use but I doubt anyone would have an issue for a 3 Gun stage or during a hog hunt. Again, this is on par with mid to upper tier 1-6x scopes that I’ve had the chance to use.
The ACSS Raptor reticle is where the magic is here. A detailed explanation of the Raptor reticle would be an article unto itself so I will not go into great detail there. I will say that the Raptor does the best job I have seen yet for giving you useful information in a simple design. I tested the 556 scope with .223 55gr and the 300 Blackout with both 123 grain supersonic loads as well as 208 grain subsonic loads. The BDC tracked well enough to be effective in combat or hunting out to the prescribed distances. I was able to take the .223 out to 400 yards and make hits on man sized targets. The 300 Blackout, I didn’t get to shoot beyond 100 yards but worked well with the subsonic at that distance. It’s not pinpoint accurate. No one will be running PRS matches with them but it is good enough to make effective hits on practical targets. The only con with this reticle is that at 1x it can get lost against backgrounds with dark features. The illumination definitely helps keep the reticle visible.
That leads me to the biggest drawback with the scope and why I cannot recommend it for home defense, the illumination system. This seems to be where the biggest cost savings were realized. The illumination was nice and bright for me though it was pretty uneven and blotchy in the donut of death. The real deal killer for me using this as a home defense gun is the battery life. For the rifle that sits next to my bed I want to be able to grab it, safety off, and be ready to fight. Having to fiddle with an illumination selector is a no go for me. I do not think home defense is really the intended use for this optic but if the battery life was there I think it would be a completely valid use case.
Other nice features of the 1-6x FFP are the little accessories included that you would not expect on such a budget minded scope. It comes with very well-built flip up scope caps and one of the side turret covers contains a compartment for a spare battery. That was a really nice touch that makes the scope feel as though it should be priced much higher.
In conclusion, the 1-6x FFP Raptor scope is probably the highest value scope on the market right now. The first focal plane opens the ACSS reticle up to its full and substantial potential. The optical clarity and features on the scope punch far above its weight class. At a price tag of around $400 this scope has positioned itself as the go to carbine optic for the everyman.
It’s time for my semi-annual soapbox rant about kids and safe firearm storage. I feel like a broken record – repeating myself over and over. But the message is so important that it bears repeating – because every month we gain new firearms owners in our midst and every month experienced firearms owners bring home new little bundles of joy to the nursery. Those people need to hear this message and we ALL need to be reminded from time-to-time.
Child safety around firearms is a high-profile issue. It is the issue that the anti-gunners hang their proverbial hats upon because it elicits a gut-reaction in the general public. Although more children die by accidental drowning every year than by firearms accidents, those gun accidents become big news and are not only tragic but provide more fodder for those who seek to curtail our rights.
By now, probably, everyone in the universe has seen the viral video of the toddler scaling the “safety gate” that was supposed to make the pool ladder unclimbable. Videos like this give even the most stoic parent the willies. Just when you think your child is as safe as you can possibly make them they show you just how misplaced your smug satisfaction is.
The really shocking thing is that this is not a particularly talented toddler. Videos like this are all over the internet. This is just the latest installment in the object lesson “Never trust that your child CAN’T do that”. And THAT, my friends, includes anything to do with firearms.
People underestimate small children because their verbal skills are limited. But I warn parents all the time to not be fooled into complacency – your child may not be able to string more than three words together at a time, but the wheels in his or her head are always turning. They are watching you all the time – watching you turn handles, unscrew lids, use all sorts of tools, input the passcode into your phone– and even your gun safe. They know how to do things because they’ve watched YOU do it.
I saw a vendor at SHOT Show the other year who was introducing a trigger lock device that didn’t have a key. It relied upon the user manipulating the device in a certain sequence in lieu of an actual lock. I “passed” on reviewing that piece of merchandise, because I knew that it would take an observant 4-year old about 3 minutes to figure out the sequence. I told them as much, but I don’t think they believed me. They apparently have never seen a child open a “childproof cap” before.
The swimming pool gate video I mentioned above is particularly instructive because it illustrates the monkey-like climbing ability of some children. Some people seem to think (erroneously) that if they store their firearms “up high”, that they don’t need to lock them up. Watch that video again. Small children WILL find a way to get at what they want. They will use anything and everything as a ladder to get at the object of their desires – whether it’s a toddler using the kitchen drawers as a stairway to the cookie jar, or the four-year old scaling the closet doorframe to find the Christmas presents on the top shelf. Your gun is no different than the cookies or the Christmas presents to your small child. If he wants it, he will find a way to get to it.
Please do not trust your child’s safety to your misperceptions of his or her physical and mental abilities. Small children can and HAVE pulled double-action triggers. They have racked slides on semi-autos. Small children are descended from our cave-dwelling forebears who figured out how to turn a rock and a stick into a spear. Don’t underestimate them.
Then there are the parents who seem to rely solely on the impulse-control of their children to keep them safe. “We’ve taught our kids never to touch those guns” is a common refrain. This sounds awfully smug and confident, but would you gamble your child’s LIFE on their ability to resist temptation? I wouldn’t. Impulse-control is not a strong suit for small children or even adolescents.
Some kids might be as honest and obedient as the day is long, but others will nod their heads and say “Yes Mommy”, all the while their brain is trying to figure out how to do exactly what you just told them not to. They’re not necessarily being “bad”, they are just demonstrating immature brain development and executive functioning. Some grown adults haven’t even developed good executive function and impulse-control, so why are these people expecting this kind of neurologic maturity of their children?
Melody Lauer of Citizens Defense Research even “test-cased” her own children and wrote an eye-opening article to prove the point.I wish the smugly assured folks would read it.
Teenagers are another tougher matter. Many teens are much more responsible than their peers and are able to bear the safety burden that handling firearms requires. But given the trend in school shootings and adolescent suicides, it might be wise to allow your teens to access your firearms only under your direct supervision. That way, if an unscrupulous friend of theirs wants to see the guns or tries to pressure your teen, they can quite honestly reply that they cannot access the family firearms. That would have to be an individual call made by individual families, but it’s something to think about given today’s social pressures on adolescents.
My main focus here has been securing firearms from children, but there is another set of people from whom you should secure your firearms – houseguests or any other unauthorized persons. You don’t always know the abilities and reputation of your children’s friends, or even the plumber. Do you trust every workman who comes to your house? How about your shifty cousin Charlie who comes over for the New Year’s Party? Nosy Aunt Marlene? Those rotten sneaky twins of your cousins? Would you trust any of them with a firearm? If the answer is no, please lock them up — the firearms, not your relatives. Although you might be tempted with Cousin Charlie.
