The Robinson Armament XCR-M, Part 1. SCAR Killer?

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August 21, 2018

As we mature we tend to make better informed life decisions. We base them more on sound research instead of spur of the moment feelings. This shows true in my search for the ultimate 308 rifle. Several years ago I was asked “If I could only have one gun what would I choose?”

It took me a while to come up with my answer. Being a Glock fan boy, most would assume I would choose a Glock, however they would be wrong.

My choice was the SCAR 17. Why the SCAR 17? It has the capability to handle up close situations, and still take game at long distances. It is light, very maneuverable and it is chambered in the very available .308WIN

If you asked me that same question today my answer would be a little different. Since I was a kid I have been interested in long range shooting. I spent summers with my grandfather. We went shooting at least once every week. His friends would have him load up some rounds for their guns, we would take them to the range where I would shoot them. Grandpa and I would go back to the reloading bench, tweak the load and head back to the range for more trigger time.

I became obsessed with accuracy at long distance. I am a highly competitive person and thought maybe I could test my skills against others. I started looking into the Professional Rifle Series. I tinkered with building a couple rifles. I built a rifle for a friend out of a Remington 700 action that could equal any other competitors rifle. For my own personal use I struggled with what I should build for myself to compete with.

A few months ago a close friend suggested I should take a look at what Robinson Armament Co has to offer. I had never heard of them, so I checked all of my local gun stores. No one carried their rifles. While at the range I took note of what others were shooting, no Robinson Armament. I asked my buddy again if he was sure it was Robinson Armament he was referring me to.

He pointed me to the internet and explained they had built a rifle for the military’s modular rifle competition that resulted in the SCAR. I had a computer in front of me, so I wasted no time drooling over the options Robinson Armament’s website offered.

Robinson Armament is a small firearms manufacturer based in Utah . They have a handful of dealers around the country, but after shopping on their website I realized it would be easier to order what I want directly from them.

I am glad the more mature me was placing the order, so I could get exactly what I needed. Taking a look through their website I was able to build my rifle without any hassle. I choose it chambered in .308 win, barrel length 18.6″ heavy profile, and an olive drab and black finish.

While waiting for my rifle to arrive I watched every video and written review I could find. The reviews were older and pretty mixed. From what I gathered I could expect a rifle that was very capable of shooting a 1” group at 100 yards. One reviewer said it may not like the cheaper ammunition but worked great with most other ammo. Based on the customer service reviews I have no problem spending a few thousand on their rifle sight unseen. Guns are manufactured by machines and humans and it is natural to have a hiccup every now and then. It’s the response of the company that matters most.

My plan for this rifle was to set it up as a designated marksman rifle capable of engaging various targets out to 800 yards. The Precision Rifle Series has a gas gun series with a tactical division. If this gun can consistently achieve 1″ or better groups at 100 yards, I will put it to the test on the competition circuit. Looking through the equipment used by the competitors mine would be the only Robinson Arms used in the tactical division. Most of the rifles are GA Precision, Seekins, and a few competitors shoot LWRC, some pretty stiff competition.

Before I invest in top tier optics, extra mags, ammunition and match fee’s I have some pretty tough tests that I want to run the gun trough. Basically, I want to make sure it would perform accurately and flawlessly in real world conditions, rain, heat, cold, wet, dirty, and dry.

I have had numerous new firearms, I typically don’t bother with break in procedures, but this gun is different. I want the upmost reliability and accuracy possible. I need it to engage targets at the muzzle and all the way out to 800 yards without the need to take follow-up shots. I also need it to run 200 to 300 shots consistently without being cleaned.

Everyone you talk to has advice on the best way to break in a barrel. The break-in procedure you want to use depends on the purpose of the gun. Are you building a bench rest gun, a hunting gun, or a designated marksman rifle that must engage multiple targets quickly in any environment? For my break-in procedure I turned to YouTube.

TiborasaurusRex has an great set of videos on his channel dedicated specifically to long range shooting. He specialized in the type of shooting I will be doing. He consistently gets first round hits out to and over 1800 meters. Robinson Arms also has a recommended break-in procedure for the bolt and gas system which will also be adhered to.

It took about 7 weeks for my Robinson Armament XCR-M to arrive. I wasted no time in picking it up from Southwick’s Guns in Plainwell, MI. The gun came packaged in a hard case. The owner’s manual is a small very detailed book. Before I even touched the rifle I read it in its entirety. I made sure all the parts were there including the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel I ordered just in case I may want to shoot in the open class.

The first task was to tear down the gun and give it a good cleaning and make sure it was properly lubricated.

This was the easiest rifle to disassemble. No pushing on the pins like an AR-15, no trying to push in a button while lifting off a cheap metal cover like an AK. No, it was just simply pushing a button. The piston system pulls right out leaving easy access to the chamber. The Robinson XCR-M looks like a cross between an AR-15, AK-47 and an FAL. They took the best parts of each design and put it into this gun.

The XCR-M is heavier than the SCAR, it is an all metal gun. Solidly built, it has an adjustable length butt stock that locks in place and folds out of the way. The upper is completely one piece so you have plenty of uninterrupted available rail space for whatever optics you choose to install. I ordered mine with the M-LOK upper as I already have several M-LOK accessories.

Not knowing exactly how this gun would perform I was reluctant to put a lot of money into optics and a mount, so I went with an excellent quality scope that I could get my hands on cheap. The SWFA Super Sniper with a fixed 20x magnification. Not ideal for competition due to small field of view but perfect for seeing what accuracy the rifle was capable of. I also installed a Harris bi-pod to keep it steady. The rings I had were not quite tall enough to mount the scope, so I had to go with a riser until my new permanent mount arrived.

With everything installed this gun looks impressive . It feels like you’re looking at a Ferrari. Sleek, smooth, and ready to do work. I think I could stare at it all day.

I picked up several different brands of ammunition to test. A good friend and competitive shooter Ben Harrington gave me a couple boxes of ammo, a shooting mat, and the shooting bags he used in competition. Ben has competed in the long-range precision discipline and has since moved on to tearing it up in the pistol shooting world. His tips and equipment will make it easier to get the best possible groups that my Robinson Armament XCR-M is capable of.

My first impressions… this gun is AWESOME. It feels good, the bolt is the smoothest I have ever felt on a semi auto, it has a long sleek profile, easy to clean and it fits me like a glove. Now the only question is how does it shoot? Will it meet my expectations? Is it worth the money? We will find out soon.

Self Defense Carbine’s: Ammunition

By

Keith Finch

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August 20, 2018

What is your choice when it comes to self defense rifle ammunition? Why?

Was it handed to you at a gun store? The guy or gal recommended it from behind the counter and you took their offered suggestion. Do they have the knowledge base necessary to know?

As with all things, seek the greater knowledge base and make an informed decision.

For 9mm, both handgun and carbine, I use 124gr and up hollow point ammunition. I’ve used Hornady’s Critical Duty, Sig Sauer’s JHP’s, and my personal preference is Federal HSP’s in the 147gr variety.

Why? There is enough data from multiple sources saying the ammo will do as I ask it too… probably.

All ammunition is a gamble! Remember that.

It’s hoping that the myriad of crazy situational and environmental factors align in such a way that the round performs as advertised it will when it was shot in a controlled environment.

All considered, for general use I would recommend the following. Please note these are ammunition types that can be met by several brands and deal with 5.56/.223

Soft Point or OTM 69-77gr – Mk. 262, Hornady SBR HD, Black Hills OTM, etc. Heavier rounds at high velocity will deal well terminally and usually consistently, all things considered. They have less trouble with intermediate barriers but don’t pose a tremendous over penetration threat either. These also tend to perform well out of shorter barrel platforms with 1:7 and 1:8 rifling twists, increasingly popular defensive carbines. They have excellent performance out of conventional barrel lengths of 14.5″-20″ which result in higher velocities and better terminal effects.

Speed is the .223/5.56’s greatest wounding effect. Choose a rifle accordingly. The downside to these ammunition choices is generally cost/availability.

While I don’t recommend putting a price limit on your life, that doesn’t change the amount sitting in anyone person’s checking account. These rounds aren’t inexpensive and they won’t be on as many shelves in quantity where they are available. Shop online for the best prices but be prepared to buy in bulk to do so.

M193 – Dropping to a 55gr steals almost 1/3rd of the mass available to a 5.56/.223 round. This isn’t ideal but it is, economically and availability wise, easier to sustain. M193 clone loads of 55gr FMJ lead core projectiles are readily available and easily bought for under .30 cents a round at present. Terminally these rounds frag to a high degree when encountering a target and that makes them useful. This is especially true close to the target.

A caution though. Be aware of ALL of the known effects of the ammunition you choose. M193 is a good round, and available, but when used on intermediate barriers it really likes to frag. It practically explodes when it hits vehicle glass, not just deflecting. This requires a shooter to adapt their engagement to what their round is going to do and be even more ready to change target area or fire follow up shots to get a positive effect on target.

More data below from Sage Dynamics.

Regardless of the ro und you choose, understand what it is going to do.

For instance, I recommend against M855/SS109 if you can get M193 instead. The M855’s mild steel core and construction alters the wounding and penetration capabilities (especially considering over penetration) further from ideal defensively. Yes it is a proven lethal round. Yes it is a NATO military round. And yes it can defeat certain classes of armor by design. But how likely are you to face an armored opposition that has armor vulnerable to M855 but not M193? Compare that to a likely unarmored threat needing a more general engagement in an environment where M855 may be a greater liability. There’s a reason officers don’t load patrol rifles with M855 and that the construction of Mk. 318 and M855A1 is so drastically different from M855.

At the end of the day a loaded rifle trumps an empty one in a fight, load Wolf/Tula if you have to. But have a care for your tools and their capabilities and plan your loadout to effect.

Sunday Sermon: Hands Kill

By

Keith Finch

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August 19, 2018

Threat scanning is a crucial part of awareness. Being aware of who and what is around you and what threat or potential threat they pose.

But how are you judging this?

Mostly, nonverbal communication. You’re watching people and their body language to gauge whether or not they’re preparing themselves for violence.

You’re looking for someone’s behavior outside the baseline, that range of behavior normal for your location.

You know what normal behavior is at your favorite spot for breakfast, at the beach, in the grocery store, etc. So when someone is acting outside the normal range of accepted behavior what are you going to do?

Step 1. Watch their hands.

Step 2. Keep watching their hands.

Step 3. Remain at a respectful enough distance so that whatever is in their hands or their hands themselves can’t engage you without you reacting.

Step 4. Watch. Their. Hands.

Regardless of how else you engage with a person or persons, verbally or physically, you must maintain visual awareness of any advantage they attempt to grab onto.

Hands vanishing into pockets, under shirts, or into waistlines are all ‘not good’ indicators in an escalating situation. Equally hands grabbing a bottle or bar stool. The probability that a gun, knife, bludgeon, or other injurious instrument is about to enter the situation is getting higher. Even clenching fists are an indicator that you are going to have to make quick decisions to avoid and minimize injury.

Talk them down.

Move.

Fight.

Ultimately, the more time you can give yourself and anyone under your protection through your observations will aid in the success of your reaction. An extra second to say something to deescalate. An extra step or two worth of distance, almost universally your friend, to put you at advantage. An extra moment to clear your holster.

Watch the hands.

Useless Deer Hunting Tips

By

Dr LateBloomer

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August 17, 2018

I’m a newbie deer hunter who has not yet been successful. This year I want to try harder, so in addition to using a game camera I’ve been reading up on more tips and advice.

I’m just here to say that from my perspective a lot of this “advice” is completely useless to me.

A few examples:

One online article says that this particular expert hunter uses 26 trail cameras. Yes – Twenty. Six. Uhhhhh, let’s just say that this is NOT in the freaking budget, okay guys?

The same piece says that this same expert surrounds each scrape he finds with 3 to 5 tree stands. Are you freaking kidding me? Not only is that not in the budget either, but I also don’t have a small army of hunting elves to set all this stuff up for me. Just wrestling with a pop-up blind by myself was giving me conniptions. It’s good nobody was watching and the trail cam wasn’t set up yet, I don’t need that kind of blackmail fodder floating around out there.

Here’s another clue – I drive a Subaru. I don’t have an F-3whatever truck with trailer to haul a lifelike faux tree stump blind out to the site. The best I can do is sitting my butt up against an actual tree stump.

To top all of that off, I’m afraid of heights. I’ve looked, but I have not yet seen a single tree stand for sale that is under the height of Oh-My-Gawd. My idea of a comfortable tree stand has four walls, a roof and an elevator, okay? There is not a single way in hades that yours truly is going to install and use a tree stand all by herself. Yet the hunting tips articles are chock-full of tree stand advice. Here’s another clue – How about no? Can I use an upstairs bedroom window instead?

Then there are the scent-control suggestions. The choices are dizzying. Do I want to smell like “nothing”? Or do I want to smell like apples? Or dirt? Or acorns? I didn’t even know that acorns had a smell. Maybe they’re making that up so that they can sell me distilled water in a camo squeeze bottle, and then snicker at the newb.

There are also apparently scents that come from actual deer. I don’t think I want to know how they go about collecting the various gland scents. Of course I eat steak without wanting to know anything about cow insemination either. I know enough gross things about people, I don’t need to know about glandular animal details too.

How about camo? What pattern is “best”? Apparently the pattern the tip-giver is shilling for at the moment. I’ve seen the photo ads with the guy standing up with the bow at full draw, dressed in head-to-toe camo that all matches and blends perfectly with the tree he’s in. But here’s the thing – I can’t afford three or four sets of camo to match every season and environment. It’s just not going to happen. I’ve got what I’ve got – marketing be damned.

Here’s a final thought on all of that.

I know that my grandfather hunted in decades-old unwashed red wool plaid that likely smelled of cigarettes, bacon grease and outhouse.

Do they sell that scent in a bottle? Just curious.

Perhaps I’ll stick with the “smell like nothing spray”, throw a few apples in my pockets and call it good. But I’ve still gotta set up a ground blind. Anybody know where I can get a good deal on a set of hunting elves?

FAL vs. G3 Meme War

By

Keith Finch

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August 16, 2018

Fighting broke out in the early hours between two fan factions of two middle 20th century battle rifles.

Proponents of the FN FAL and the H&K G3 rallied to sides on the digital battle space.

Shots were exchanged in good humor.

Casualties are reported on both sides.

But how are they actually?

Ehh.. both had issues.

Proof that that we need to acknowledge the new true battle rifle king. FN’s SCAR17…

Hail to the King…

Well… here we go again.

A GIRL & A GUN: WHAT’S IN A NAME?

By

A Girl and a Gun

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August 15, 2018

Julianna Crowder founded A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League in the beginning of 2011. As a firearms instructor, she was busy building her business. She wanted to start a club for women to get together to be social as well as a way for her to introduce shooting sports and reach more people for firearms education. When she was thinking of names for the club she searched several keywords for inspiration: Women and Guns, Girls and Guns, Gun Girl, etc. As you can imagine, some of the keywords brought up images and links to things that were not in alignment with her mission, and some were down right inappropriate.

At the time she was very focused on pistols, for self defense as well as sport, so the name A Girl & A Gun popped into her head. Julianna says, “I loved it because it was me — an everyday girl and her gun sharing the love for the shooting sports.”

Over the months the name began to take on more significance. “It wasn’t until a few months into our Girl’s Night Out events that it really hit me what the word ‘girl’ meant to me,” remembers Julianna. When I think of the time when I was a girl, I was young, carefree, joyful… Girl’s Night Out took me, and the women that were joining me at the range, back to that feeling! Even if it was just for those 2 hours once or twice a month, we felt young, carefree, proud of our accomplishments and skills that we learned together. We are joyful when we are in each other’s company… we are just a bunch of girls loving our time together.”

This week Julianna is at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM, for a large 3-gun competition, Rocky Mountain 3 Gun. While competitors are tackling stages, Julianna is busy preparing meals for the hungry staff on the range. She also got to take on the role of babysitter for 4 girls, ages 3-11, for an afternoon. New friendships were made between the 4 girls and Julianna loved witnessing it. They had lots of laughter while playing (with what is around the facility, such as empty brass, bottle tops, rocks, dirt, bugs!), walking dogs, and helping staff.

Julianna asked them to gather in for a picture. She says, “My heart melted when I felt them all squeeze in close and we giggled as we got every face in the frame. There was that same happiness just like when I was a girl — young, carefree, and joyful.”

“In February 2011 when I picked our name, I was a little worried if I made the right choice, Julianna admits. “Eight years later, I’m reminded in the small moments that the name still captures that cheerful quality. I’m so fortunate to experience these happy moments at the range, with these 4 young girls, or members who are still girls at heart and understand our sisterhood and exactly what I am talking about.”

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/a-girl-a-gun-whats-in-a-name/

The “Romanian Dragunov” Returns

By

Keith Finch

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August 14, 2018

The Firearm Blog has the scoop at the link and Circle 10 has released the information that the PSL 54C’s are returning to Century Arms.

These Dragunov lookalikes are actually overbuilt AK’s that fire the 7.62x54r and are designed as a designated marksman rifle. They fulfill that eastern/com-bloc want for the famous Russian semi-auto precision rifle at a much more affordable price point.

While I expect these to still be reasonable on the wallet it is expected the price will increase from where it was years ago. You could find bare rifles (no scope) for $499. I suspect the full Romanians, with matching serialized equipment, will command a solid premium while the ones coming with non matched hardware will be more reasonable. I don’t foresee either being astronomically priced.

Who’s getting one?

Optic Placement Explained: Sage Dynamics

By

Keith Finch

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August 14, 2018

Proper optical mounting directly correlates to both speed and accuracy when you start pulling the trigger. It is critical.

Springfield Armory’s XD-S Mod 2 Updates Their Concealable Single Stack Line Up

By

Keith Finch

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August 14, 2018

From Springfield Armory’s acclaimed line of XD-S Mod.2® comes their newest, most concealable offering yet. The XD-S Mod.2® in 9mm is a less than one inch wide pinnacle of reliability. 25K rounds without a stoppage and an integral grip safety for total peace of mind when carrying. The XD-S Mod.2® ships with two stainless steel magazines: a 7-round mag with a pinkie rest and additional flush floor plate for carry and one 9-round extended magazine, perfect for home defense.

An 8-round extended magazine is also available for purchase.

Available in models with Tritium, Fiber Optic, and Viridian Laser.

Explosions! Slo-Mo! Because It’s Monday and Things Need to Explode

By

Keith Finch

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August 13, 2018

High definition slow motion explosions so that Monday is a little more awesome. Carry on.

Game Cam Update

By

Dr LateBloomer

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August 13, 2018

A few months back I wrote a review of the Bushnell Wireless Trophy Cam. It was my first experience with a game camera of any kind and was a bit of a learning experience.

I thought that enough time had passed that I should pen an update to the original post. It’s been about 5 months. I’ve learned several things in that time which I would like to share.

First of all, I’d like to say that this has been a fun view into a world that I’ve never seen before. It’s kind of like having a secret peephole into the woods. Granted, its more fun when there is enough signal for me to receive the photos to my phone as little surprises during the day, but even driving up to pull the card in person has given me some entertaining views.

My main issue has been with signal strength. I’ve had the camera in six different locations on the 100+ acre property over the past 5 months, and at only two of those did I reliably receive uploaded photos to my phone. The rest of the locations did not provide a reliable enough signal for me to regularly receive photos by cell. My phone itself would have plenty of signal in the same location with only two bars, but the game cam apparently needs three to four bars in order to transmit. That was a bit of a frustration. One would assume that if the signal can support an iPhone using Facebook, it should be able to support a game camera uploading photos. But apparently the camera’s antenna and transmitter aren’t strong enough for that.

So I went to Plan B, bought a card reader that would plug into my phone, and travelled up several times to pull the card manually. That rather defeated the purpose of spending the money to get a wireless cell-capable camera, but there it is.

The lithium battery life wasn’t bad, considering that the camera was always using power searching for a signal. I did change them twice in 5 months, but that was more out of experimenting to see if fresh batteries would improve the upload capability than actual need (It didn’t help). The photos themselves are excellent quality, and I’ve gotten a few doozies. The ones I’m including here had to be resized file-wise, and are not an indication of the clarity of the originals.

Some of the critters I have caught on cam include:

Several deer wondering about that thing stuck to the woodpecker tree

Mr “Holy Crap I hope you stick around until archery season”.

There were also fun nighttime views of raccoons, opossums, skunks, and rabbits.

Finally, there were trespassers of various varieties – on foot, on horseback, on ATV, and in trucks and jeeps. I’m not including photos of the offenders to protect the privacy of the guilty.

There are a few lessons I have learned during this process.

The first is that one should never expect the chosen camera location to look the same in June as it did in May. Especially if May was non-stop rain. There was an approximately six week period during which I was not receiving transmitted photos, and I could not drive up to pull the card. By the time I got up there the weeds had grown from knee height to head height, completely obscuring the camera’s view of the road and meadow. I deleted at least a thousand photos of nothing but green in front of the camera – triggered by weeds moving in the breeze. At least they were only digital frames and not expensive film that got wasted. Yes I’m old school and I remember film cameras. (Get off my lawn you kids!)

Another lesson I learned is that where you “think” the game will be is not always where it actually is. I set up the camera and a blind early in turkey season, and when I came back 2 weeks later, there were zero turkey photos and only about three deer photos. They just weren’t hanging out at that location – at least at that time of year. Just because you think the topography is right doesn’t mean the game agrees with you.

As a corollary to this lesson is the reality that where the game actually is, isn’t necessarily where the cell signal is the strongest. Sometimes you have to settle for a manual card read as a trade-off for getting great pictures.

I did have a fun comeuppance where the turkeys were concerned though. In this article I told the sad tale of my last day of turkey season. When I came back up to the property a few weeks later to check the camera, it had captured not only the ATV trespassers, and me leaving in a huff, but the next trigger sequence four hours later showed a hen turkey standing right were I had been standing that very morning! I took that as a humorous karmic middle-finger to the would-be hunter.

The intrepid author/hunter leaving in a huff

Mrs Hen who showed up four hours later in the same spot

I have also discovered that animal motion does not provide the “only” camera trigger. I mentioned the thousand frames of green weeds already. Then there was what I can only assume was vibration from woodpecker holes in the tree the camera was mounted on at one point. That was another couple hundred frames (which actually transmitted). The camera apparently had a really good time – it probably needed a cigarette afterwards – it just didn’t capture anything useful. I’ve also got lots of nighttime shots of fog blobs. I’m not sure if it was the actual vapor that triggered the IR, or if there “was” a critter there that moved too fast to be captured. Either way, the shots are kind of creepy-looking in a “Ghosts of the Gettysburg Battlefield” sort of way.

One more lesson I learned is that after the camera has been in place for a month or so, one needs to expect that the local insect fauna has set up housekeeping, and may not be pleased with interference with their new home. I found myself shaking, brushing and smacking a few hundred ants off myself during the last camera move. The camera itself was sealed and fine, but the cable lock, the camera housing, and the camo tape that I had disguised everything with was crawling with unhappy ants. At least I don’t live in fire ant country, and at least it wasn’t yellow jackets … or spiders (shudder).

All in all, though it’s been a fun experiment, I would only buy this camera again if I were SURE there was adequate cell coverage at the location – or if Bushnell improves the antenna and transmitter. As it is, I will be buying another Bushnell – just not a cell-capable one. There is a significant difference in price, and if I have to pull the card manually most of the time anyway, I’m better off getting the non-wireless version. As always, your mileage may vary.

Magpul® Bipod, A New Option in Stable Shooting

By

Keith Finch

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August 13, 2018

The Magpul Bipod offers serious strength and versatility at a price that provides unmatched value. Rich with important features, our lightweight Mil-spec hard anodized 6061 T-6 aluminum and injection-molded polymer bipod brings innovation in ergonomics, functionality, strength and value together. Its aesthetically clean, low-profile design conceals its functional hardware, smoothly brushing off snags and bumps. Optimized for rapid one-handed adjustments, the bipod quickly and quietly transitions between countless user configurations. The Magpul Bipod includes many features normally found on bipods at a significantly higher cost.

Durable & Lightweight

The Magpul Bipod is exceptionally strong and built to perform under punishing field conditions. Like all Magpul products, the Bipod is constructed of rugged, high-strength materials and designed to last a lifetime. In the shooting position, it is easily loaded with stabilizing forward tension without fear of failure or warping. Mil-spec hard anodized 6061 T-6 aluminum, stainless steel internals, and injection-molded reinforced polymer ensure years of dependable performance and reliability, all while shaving weight. At just over 11 oz., the Magpul Bipod is lighter than many pricier bipods currently on the market.

Innovative, Adjustable, & Easy to Use

Deploying and adjusting the Magpul Bipod is quick and easy. Spring-tensioned legs stow neatly forward and snap down and lock into place with one hand. Leg extensions slide and lock securely with the push of a button on any of the seven half-inch spaced locking detents. The legs extend a full four inches, from 6.3” to 10.3”. An industry-exclusive 50° of total tilt and 40° of total pan are controlled by a glove-friendly knurled tool-less bipod locking knob located between the extended legs, allowing easy adjustment between shots. Additionally, the Magpul Bipod has the exclusive ability to lock pan at 0° while maintaining full tilt functionality.

Smooth & Unobtrusive

From the drawing board, the Magpul Bipod was designed to be barely noticed until needed. Folded, the streamlined housing and legs fit neatly under the barrel and are just under 2.3” deep and 3.3” wide. In addition, anodized surfaces and tight, precision tolerances mitigate squeaks and rattles.

Functional Feet

The Magpul Bipod has many features that are also useful even when it is in the stowed position. A soft rubber bipod locking knob cap is attached to the locking knob gives users a steady, non-marring forward rest while the bipod is folded. Additionally, its staggered soft rubber feet hold fast on a variety of shooting surfaces and are easily removed with a roll pin punch. Should users choose to change feet, the Magpul Bipod’s legs accept most Atlas pattern bipod replaceable feet.

The Magpul Bipod is available in BLK or FDE colors.

Made in the U.S.A.

MSRP: $109.95

MAG933 Magpul® Bipod for M-LOK

MAG941 Magpul® Bipod for 1913 Picatinny Rail

MAG951 Magpul® Bipod for A.R.M.S.® 17S Style

Sunday Sermon: Don’t Drop Your Guard

By

Keith Finch

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August 12, 2018

Your heart is doing its level best to burst from your chest.

Your ears are ringing dully.

You start to notice the smell of the burnt powder and more noises start coming back to you from your surroundings.

In front of you lies a crumpled body. You begin approaching or go to check on your family and…

They weren’t quite as down as you thought.

But now you are.

Deadpool may be a dramatic example however as a fight is beginning to settle down you MUST continue to cover threats you’ve engaged.

Unless you have closed the distance and secured said threat in some manner to immobilize or confirm how permanently they are incapacitated that threat still demands your attention, most of it if you have no other threats.

Gun shot wounds, except to the CNS, are not immediately incapacitating and threat stop through exsanguination, even arterial, takes time.

Any time the threat can still act on their own their stop is voluntary only and you must continue to protect yourself. Any action you take during this period must always account for the engaged threat.

So cover down. Expect them to start fighting again.

Be ready to shoot again. Move to a more advantageous position.

The fight is not over until it is over and you are the only combatant capable of imposing your will on the fighting space.

“M4” and AR15’s

By

Keith Finch

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August 11, 2018

GarandThumb takes on a topic here that there is not a lot of information on. What are the major differences with AR15’s using high end top of the line components vs. the technical data packages that make up the military’s current M4 set ups.

There’s a myriad of options now to set your rifle up as you wish. You can run near military technical data packages or trick it to the 9’s, its ultimately up to you.

Pro Tip: Whatever you set up, even an M16A1/A2, if you spend the ammo learning to shoot it you’re going to be ahead of anyone who’s just dropping all their cash on accessories. An M16A4 with iron sights is still one of the most comfortable rifles in my hands because I spent years and thousands of rounds behind them.

GO SHOOT.