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The World of Taurus Military Firearms

By
Travis Pike
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We all know Taurus as a civilian firearms company renowned for its affordable semi-auto firearms and mix of classic and new revolvers. However, there’s a lesser-known side to Taurus beyond their budget-friendly handguns. I’m not referring to Rossi and Heritage. I’m talking about a distinct line of Taurus military firearms, a world apart from their civilian offerings yet largely undiscovered by the American market. 

I call them the forbidden Tauri; Tauri is plural for Taurus, right? Eh, either way, it shows us how international the company is and that they produce more guns than you might realize. Let’s dig into the Taurus military firearms and see what we are missing out on. 

Taurus T4 

Most of us can probably guess what the T4 is just by its name. Taurus copied Eugene Stoner’s design and produced their M4 variant. The T4 comes in both the classic 14.5-inch barrel length and Mk 18 style 11.5-inch variants. These guns are straight M4-style clone rifles. Taurus released a few variants of the T4 as the T4SA to the American market, but I’ve never seen one in person. 

(Wikipedia)

The T4 gives shooters selective fire capability and features a quad rail, an optics rail, and the same six-position stock we all know and love. The Taurus T4 rifle has gone on to serve the Brazilian police forces and the Army. Taurus also sold T4s to the Philippine Army and the Armed Forces of Senegal. I’m sure it’s a fine rifle. It’s tough to mess up the Stoner design. The Taurus military weapons lineup wouldn’t be complete without some form of M4 firearm. 

Taurus ART556 

The ART556 and CT556 premiered in 2011, but I’d guess they are out of production. The ART556 was an assault rifle that jumped on the short-stroke gas piston train with a polymer lower and monolith upper. In 2011, guns like the SCAR, ACR, and similar platforms were all the rage. The ART556 offered you the Taurus version of this gun. It was complete with rails galore, ambidextrous controls, and a collapsing and folding stock. 

Taurus

The CT version was the semi-auto option. The guns came with either 11.5 or 16-inch barrels. I can’t seem to find anyone who adopted the rifle, so it may have just faded away. It looks pretty cool, and I would have been curious to see how Taurus could have competed with the SCAR and ACR with the CT556 in the American market. It might not have been a successful rifle in the Taurus military firearms lineup, but it’s worth mentioning. 

Taurus T9 

The Taurus T9 comes from the recent partnership of Taurus and Indian firm Jindal. The Indian government most certainly needs all the help it can get. They kind of suck at designing weapons. Their SOF required a submachine gun, and more than a couple of companies threw their hat in the ring. Taurus and Jindal produced the T9. The T9 is a micro-sized AR-style submachine gun. 

(Taurus)

The T9 features an uber-short 5.5-inch barrel, a collapsible stock, an M-LOK handguard, and a flat-top upper receiver. It’s super small, which is one of the big benefits of using a submachine gun, as is the short overall length. It’s a straight blowback design and appears to take Glock magazines. Taurus should consider bringing this to the States as a braced pistol and take it from the Taurus military world to the Taurus civilian market. 

Taurus SMT

The Taurus SMT is the OG of Taurus submachine guns. It came out alongside the ART556, and if you compare the two, you’ll certainly see a very similar design inspiration. The gun used lots of polymer, lots of rails, and a monolithic scope rail and came in both 9mm and .40 S&W. Taurus also produced the SMT9C and SMT40C variants, which are uber small and essentially K models of the SMT series. 

Taurus

The SMT series were produced as semi-auto rifles and released in the States. I feel like I’m one of five people who own one. Sadly, Taurus didn’t support the weapon very well. The Taurus SMT series proved successful internationally. Police and military forces in Brazil adopted the gun, as did the Bangladesh military and the Indian military. 

Taurus LT40 

Taurus makes both a 38mm less lethal and a 40mm grenade launcher for Taurus military customers. The LT40 has a fascinating and fairly creative design. It can be attached to a rifle or used as a standalone platform. The standalone platform features a folding stock, an AR-15-style grip, and an optics rail. This single-shot design can pivot to the left or right to open the breech for loading grenades. 

This ensures that it can use any length of grenade. The gun definitely takes some design cues from the ART556 and SMT with its use of polymer and a familiar ridge-like handguard. I can’t track any information regarding anyone adopting the LT 40 beyond the Brazillian military. 

The World of Taurus Military Firearms 

You might know Taurus for the Model 85 or the G2C, but that’s only scraping the surface of Taurus. As an international company, it produces more firearms than your standard. The Taurus military lineup is fairly diverse, and while they aren’t all hits, it shows that Taurus is more than a budget handgun manufacturer. 

Odyssey Training & Consulting 1-Day Low-Light Pistol Course Review

By
The Suited Shootist
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photo credit: Riley Bowman of Concealed Carry.com

The internet has been awash with debates over the last several years as to the necessity of weapon-mounted lights on concealed carry pistols. Should you carry your pistol ready for low-light scenarios? Or not? That is the question.

Low-Light Pistol Training with Odyssey Training and Consulting

Having lived and worked my entire life in urban or suburban areas, and having had a couple of what I call “non-events” (situations that got my hackles up and very well could have been a setup/interview but didn’t end up degrading to a point where force was needed), I’ve personally never experienced a compelling argument for a light specifically on a carry gun.

A local range has done some low-light “skills and drills” nights, where we mocked up some situations with various lighting conditions and played around with various hand and gun lights. But that has been the extent of it.

Up to this point, I hadn’t prioritized a low-light class, but I realized that I should test my theories more seriously to see how well they held up. When Chris Cook of Odyssey Training approached me about auditing his Low-Light Pistol class that was coming to town, I obviously jumped at the opportunity.

The course started off with a few hours in the classroom going over relevant terminology as well as real-world examples of light usage (mostly by officers, since that’s what tends to get caught on camera), to help frame the problem that we as Civilian Defenders are likely to encounter.

On the Range

Once we hit the range, there was the requisite warm-up/skill evaluation. Chris likes using the Bill Drill since it highlights grip, presentation, trigger control, and recoil management. His guidance is that your 1-handed Bill Drill splits should be no more than 2X that of your freestyle Bill Drill. One-handed shooting gets introduced early on in the day since the support hand will soon be tasked with other things. Namely, the three major hand light positions that Chris favors.

A combination of Modified FBI, Temple Index (higher than Neck Index), and Harries gives the shooter a good range of mobility, stability, and alignment of the light.



After lunch, we then progressed to manipulations with the weapon-mounted light, Chris’ preferred activation methods (he and I both agree with the late Paul Gomez’s philosophy that “I only want my trigger finger doing one thing, and that’s adjusting the volume on the gun”). This was my first time really trying to activate a gun-light from the holster, and it was a lot more finicky than I had expected. Chris’s “standard” for gun lights is that the draw w/activation should add no more than 1/2 a second to your draw to first hit.

We worked a few more exercises, including moving around barricades to force the use of the various different techniques and Centrifuge Training’s “Third Grade Math.” Then, the day culminated with a game Chris calls “Flashlight Tag.” It’s basically a rudimentary force-on-force exercise with a flashlight instead of a UTM gun. It helped highlight how to use lighting conditions to your advantage and how to control other people with light.

What the Class Is:

This is a fantastic introduction to the skills necessary for the concealed carrier to effectively, safely, and legally apply deadly force in a low-light environment. It also affords a great opportunity to shake out your current gear and assumptions, to see how well they hold up to testing.

What the Class Isn’t:

This is not an introductory class. Students need to have their gun handling locked in tight, including holster work. Nothing was done in pitch black, but you find out quickly how much you rely on sight when holstering your pistol (especially ensuring there are no obstructions in the holster). There’s enough material that requires active mental engagement that basic skills should be deeply ingrained already to avoid overload.

As always, I shamelessly steal the Short-Barreled Shepherd’s 3×3 Course Review template:

Top 3 Topics Covered:

  • The five uses of light for the concealed carrier
  • Handheld & weapon-mounted techniques & positions (Mod FBI, Temple Index, Harries)
  • How your environmental factors will affect your light usage (like how barriers can reflect light back at you)

Top 3 Takeaways:

  • The weapon-mounted light is the most complex to employ, with the narrowest utility for the concealed carrier (you’re far more likely to need the light well before you need the gun)
  • I really liked how Chris quantified “acceptable” skill degradation w/par times when it came to splits & draw times (one-handed shooting & activating the light on the draw)
  • How different beam designs can either facilitate or complicate different shooting positions. (Lights with a tight hot-spot and minimal spill require far more precise alignment when shooting from FBI & Temple Index especially)

3 Things I’ll be Doing Differently:

  • I need to spend a lot more time working Harries and Modified FBI
  • I need to spend a lot more time working with my Cloud MCH, because of its tighter beam pattern. My Stiletto Pro is far more forgiving.
  • I’ll be putting an even taller ND Guard on my Cloud MCH. There were a couple of times where I inadvertently double-punched that light because it was easier to activate than I realized.

photo credit to Mike Branson Photography

The Richardson Guerilla Gun – The Story

By
Travis Pike
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Often, it’s not just the gun but the captivating narrative that accompanies it. Consider the Richardson Industries Guerilla Gun—it may not initially catch your eye. Perhaps it reminds you of the infamous slamfire shotguns used by a certain individual to outsmart a gun buy-back program. And indeed, these guns bear a resemblance and a similar function. Yet, delve deeper, and you’ll discover a fascinating story. 

It’s a very simple wood stock with a mounted pipe containing another pipe. The gun has a fixed firing pin shotgun that allows the gun to slam fire. It’s as simple as a gun can get. The gun itself seems downright silly. Why would anyone ever buy one of these? I can tell you I bought one because of the story. The Guerilla Gun was created by Richardson Industries, a company owned by Iliff Richardson. 

Iliff Richardson might be in the running for one of the most interesting men in the world. 

Iliff Richardson and the Guerilla Gun 

Richardson was a naval officer fighting in the Philippines during World War II. He served as an ensign on a Motor Torpedo Boat and was the ship’s executive officer. After a fight with a Japanese cruiser, the boat limped back to Cebu City. While waiting for repairs, the Japanese attacked and seized the city and control of the Philippines. To keep a long story short, Iliff and several other Americans were stuck in the Philippines dodging the Japanese. 

He didn’t just survive. He thrived. Iliff Richardson fell in with other Americans stranded in the Philippines and became a guerilla. His strategic mind and resourcefulness came to the forefront as he worked with the guerillas, establishing radio and telegram posts to improve communication and provide intel on Japanese ship movements. His contributions were not just significant; they were instrumental in organizing aid for the guerillas from the US. 

At one point, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy and an Intelligence Major in the Army. He is the only person receiving consecutive medals in the Army and the Navy. He served amongst the guerillas for years and the book American Guerilla tells his full and fascinating story. 

Back to America 

Iliff survived the war, and a book and movie were written about him. He worked as a life insurance salesman, a consultant and technical advisor for movies, and a firearm manufacturer. Iliff produced the guerrilla guns in a few different designs. They were all slamfire, 12 gauge shotguns of a very simple design. 

He essentially recreated the weapons he saw in the hands of the Guerillas in the Philippines for the American market. As you’d imagine, there wasn’t much of a market for such a shotgun. They didn’t make or sell many of them. They cost a whole seven dollars, but they still failed to attract much attention. 

The model you see here is the Basic model. The Deluxe gun had a trigger and a wood foregrip locked to the barrel. The trigger didn’t fire the gun but rather released the barrel to allow it to move and be shot. I grabbed one for a hundred bucks before I knew the story and was ecstatic to learn the history behind the gun. 

Shooting the Guerilla Gun 

I’m never planning to shoot this more than a handful of times, and I’m not brave enough to send some 3-inch magnum downrange either. I keep it to very light trap loads. Loading the gun is easy. Remove the barrel and insert the cartridge into the barrel. 

For safety’s sake, I never place a loaded barrel into the gun until I’m ready to fire and orient the gun downrange. You pull the barrel rearward to fire the gun, and the primer strikes a fixed firing pin. My guerilla gun lost its bead sight before it got to me, but a good sight picture is a bit of a dream with this gun anyway. Using the sight is tough when you have to slam the barrel rearward to fire the gun. 

The barrel has a lug at the bottom that aligns with a small cut in the receiver. This ensures that the barrel doesn’t twist; if there were a sight, it would align properly. So, how does it shoot? 

It’s got to be the most uncomfortable shotgun I’ve ever shot. The ‘stock’ is stupid thick, and you can’t get a great grip. It’s just solid wood that throws itself against your shoulder. The guerilla gun has a mean recoil impulse even with sub-1000 FPS trap loads. I would hate to have to shoot this thing with buckshot. 

The system works, but give the barrel a healthy slam rearward. Operating the weapon quickly isn’t easy. When the hulls expand, they can’t be easily removed. A cleaning rod is necessary to knock out the shell to reload and shoot again. It’s not fun, accurate, or easy to shoot, but it’s an experience. 

The Story 

Owning this gun is all about the story. It’s not a capable or fun gun to shoot. It’s downright silly. After firing it, I greatly respect the guerrillas who fought the Japanese with these guns. It’s slow to fire, tough to aim, and you got one shot against an enemy better-armed than you. Those guys had massive balls. While the gun didn’t succeed, I’m thankful men like Iliff Richardson did. 

The Shield Arms ROC – Optics and Revolvers

By
Travis Pike
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The conversation that revolves around optics on revolvers is getting interesting. Optics on revolvers isn’t new, but it’s been largely focused on hunting and competition. The concealed carry and defensive revolver market has been largely ignored. You had guns with rail systems like the TR88 from S&W and the Chiappa Rhino’s with six-inch barrels, but those are more duty-sized guns. Taurus really kicked off the conversation with the TORO series of revolvers, and now Shield Arms and MDFI are replying with the ROC. 

The ROC, an acronym for Revolver Optics Conversion, is a groundbreaking innovation. Designed by MDFI and produced by Shield Arms, this system revolutionizes the way we approach optics on revolvers. You no longer need to purchase a new revolver to mount an optic. The ROC allows you to convert your existing revolver into an optics-ready design. Its simplicity and ease of use, as demonstrated at NRAAM, have left many wondering why this wasn’t done sooner. 

The ROC – Simple Is Better 

The ROC requires absolutely zero milling. It attaches to the side of your revolver and is bolted onto the gun. Most average gun owners can install the ROC, and revolver heads can most certainly do so. The device installs over the top and side of your revolver and sits super low on the gun’s frame. MDFI and Shield’s goal is to keep the weapon concealable. 

This mounting system offers you two optics footprints. You can pick from Trijicon RMR and the Shield RMSc footprint so there are tons of different choices for optics. I’d go with the RMSc, so your optic is smaller and lighter, and your gun is easier to conceal. Having choices is admittedly always a good thing, and the RMR footprint is easily the most popular modern optic footprint. 

Shield produces the mounting system from precision machined billet aluminum. Its hard coat is anodized and secured to the gun via titanium screws or through stock S&W screws. The ROC will be available for the S&W 442 revolvers as of this writing. There are plans in the future to extend the line to other revolvers and likely other optics. 

Price-wise, we don’t have a definite price, but the predicted price is less than $100. Availability is also not super clear, but it seems like the release is imminent. The predicted timeline is June. 

Optics and Wheel Guns 

I think the ROC is a brilliant step forward for revolvers. As we all get bored of AR-15s and 9mm striker-fired guns, the revival of revolvers has been nice to see. You might be willing to move to an older platform but don’t want to sacrifice modern amenities. I’ll live in a log cabin, but I want central A/C. Optics-ready concealed carry revolvers are tough to find as is, so being able to add an optic to an existing platform is a Godsend. 

What about carrying the gun? Well, I have good news on that front. Phlster, one of our favorite holster manufacturers, makes the City Special, and the S&W 442 with ROC and optic is compatible with the rig. A system is only as good as all its parts, and it seems like the ROC is well-supported. 

Personally, I’m hoping to see one available for the 432. Heck, the ROC might fit the 432, but you never know the subtle frame differences. Either way, I’m excited to see the ROC take off and hopefully get some time behind one in the near future. Watch this space for an upcoming evaluation. 

(All photos provided by MDFI)

TarnKappe Gear Concealed Carry Dress Shirts

By
The Suited Shootist
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In the concealed carry market, there are a lot of novel products designed to address various perceived and actual problems. Purpose-built concealed carry clothing is a large section of this market. Sadly, many of these garments are little more than average-quality department store items with universal “one size fits none” gun pouches, which have lousy retention and underwhelming construction. TarnKappe Gear rejects this trend and has put some very serious thought into how the company designed its concealed carry dress shirts.

Concealed Carry Dress Shirts from TarnKappe Gear

If you weren’t paying attention, you’d think that this is just another menswear company.

The company’s casual sports shirts have cuts and colors that are perfectly suited for business casual and suburban backyard cookouts. However, they forgo the typical “off-duty” vibe that most of the popular “tactical” brands give off.

TarnKappe Gear built several features into its shirts specifically designed to facilitate access and deployment of your concealed pistol.

The small construction details, like the reinforced placket (the strip of buttons/buttonholes down the front of the shirt) and double-layered yokes (shoulder panel) are designed to withstand the rigors of a purposeful and deliberate draw and presentation.

They also have a shorter hem, which is not only aesthetically appropriate (most button-up shirts are far too long to be worn untucked), but also results in less fabric that can bind and foul your draw.

John Hearne of Rangemaster and Two Pillars Training likes to take his shirts and replace the bottom couple of buttons with snaps. This creates a breakaway placket to provide easier access to your holster.

TarnKappe Gear saves you the effort and has that as an included feature on all of their shirts.

Their shirts will run you about $100/ea (+/- 10 bucks). This is admittedly a little pricey for what they are, but supporting a small business always carries a bit of a premium.

But Are They Worth It?

That’s not a question I can answer for you. Value is incredibly subjective.

For me personally, I’ve spent my entire gun-carrying life working with the limitations of traditional button-up shirts. So, when I put my draws on a timer to compare the features of this shirt to the rest of my wardrobe, I didn’t find an appreciable difference.

These features absolutely address a pain point for some folks. It’s just going to depend on the individual’s needs.

If you are wrestling to dig your EDC pistol out from under a button-up, or you’ve been rocking the same graphic tees you wore in high school because anything else is “hard to draw from,” these are absolutely worth checking out.

-DISCLAIMER- This shirt was provided to me at no cost for testing & evaluation.

Gunday Brunch 148: SBRs are the Short Kings of Guns

By
Joey Ferguson
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Let’s be real. Rifles are in their short king era, with every military worth mentioning going to an 11.5 or 14.5 configuration rifle.

The boys get a little off track after that

ONSIGHT FIREARMS TRAINING Course Review: Defensive Pistol

By
The Suited Shootist
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I’ll get the disclaimer out of the way up front: I’ve been connected with Ben DeWalt on Facebook for a while now, and we got a chance to meet in person at SHOT Show in Vegas back in January. During one of the after-hours informal networking gatherings, he graciously extended an invitation for me to attend Defensive Pistol when he came out to Houston in March. The invitation was not contingent upon a favorable review, but I do feel it important to mention that I did not pay for this class.

OnSight Firearms Training Defensive Pistol Course

The day started a little differently than most classes I’ve taken. After we went through introductions & the medical brief, we stepped up to the line, and Ben said, “I’m going to do something that no other instructor has done to you…I’m going to tell you the truth! You know why they always start shooting classes with a “warm-up exercise”? Is the instructor just being nice and letting you knock the rust off? No! This isn’t for you. It’s for me. This tells me where you are and how I’ll need to tailor the material & pace”

So, from the very first time our hands touched metal, there was already a little pressure due to expectation.

Ben likes shooting small targets, so we started the morning with a walk-back drill on a 3×5 card, followed by some discussions about trigger prep. Then, we advanced to some longer distances and then incorporated movement.

When I write course reviews, I don’t spend much time on the specific drills we run through. This is partially to keep people from trying to game their preparation and partially because all drills are working some combination of grip, sights, and trigger. It’s the diagnosis & individual feedback from the drills that matter most.

I always like touching on what the class IS & ISN’T, because that is what I feel best equips people to appropriately direct their training efforts.

WHAT IT IS:

Defensive Pistol is a principled-based, concealed carry-oriented class designed to develop and refine marksmanship and gun handling beyond the “stand and shoot” skills of intro-level courses. You’re not doing Hondo-rolls or fast-roping out of flaming helicopters. But you will learn what it feels like to draw and shoot while incorporating movement and what degree of ownership you truly have in your skill with a pistol.

WHAT IT ISN’T

This is not your “first class after your carry permit” type of course. While Ben & Rachel can certainly help someone with rudimentary skill, you’ll get the most out of this class if you already have good trigger & muzzle control, are comfortable working from a holster, and have a little more awareness & sensitivity about what’s going on during the shot cycle.

Years ago, I discovered The Short-Barreled Shepherd and his 3×3 Course Summary, which I have adopted for my reviews.

TOP 3 TOPICS COVERED:

  • Methods for grip and trigger consistency. As you would imagine, as you start shooting from a less stable foundation, consistency in your grip and trigger press become even more important. Ben has his preferred method for gripping the pistol, and some specific touchpoints that help index his grip in the same place every time. I found this little hack particularly beneficial.
  • Movement is a major focus of this course. Everything from “getting off the X” with lateral movement (more than just the single step often used to simulate movement) to advancing on & retreating from the target. Being able to read/control the wobble zone, as well as timing shots appropriately as the target zone grows or shrinks, is something that not enough people get exposure to outside of match conditions.
  • Shot accountability and knowing your limitations. As we pushed out to longer distances and as movement got introduced, the emphasis was still on keeping hits in the -0 zone of the target. The emphasis was knowing what shots you could make and when you could no longer guarantee those hits (whether that be at a given distance or within a given timeframe).

TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS:

  • I should be more deliberate on the trigger. Not slower, necessarily. Just trust my process instead of trying to make it happen within a given time window. It’s amazing how the difference in time between a good rep and one that “feels faster” is inconsequential.
  • After taking Rangemaster Instructor Development last April, I’ve found that I vastly prefer a flagged/high thumbs grip over the conventional “thumbs forward” that was in vogue in the late aughts and early teens when I began my firearms training.
  • It’s amazing that when I get out of my own head and trust that I know what I’m doing, I’m able to shoot pretty well. As soon as I try and make it happen, things fall apart.

3 THINGS I’LL BE DOING DIFFERENTLY:

  • I’ve found that my action items from courses like this tend to be one or two little nuanced tweaks more than life-changing revelations anymore. What I walked away from with this class was a far better understanding of what my “right” trigger press feels like. So, I’ll be working on various exercises to groove that in more subconsciously.

I look forward to exploring more of OFT’s coursework. I like how Ben presents the material, and he offers a variety of material depending on what you’re looking for. If OnSight is coming to a range near you, I’d highly recommend signing up.

An Appeal To Modern Gun Culture

By
Travis Pike
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So there I was, holding an expensive, obscure shotgun at one of my favorite gun stores. It was a High Standard Model 10B. The guys at the store had only just got it in, and before I plopped my hard-earned cash on the counter, I asked to test-fire it. They handed me three rounds and sent me to the range. Out there, I ran into two younger guys who were getting ready to shoot, each armed with fairly nice AR-15s and Glocks. They had Safariland holsters, EoTechs, and magnifiers. I think one guy had a MAWL. Their handguns had optics and lights. They were a living example of modern gun culture. 

I fired the three rounds, and the gun worked. As I cleared the gun, I realized the guys were watching. They were amused, to say the least, and neither of them had ever seen or heard of a High Standard Model 10B. One even made a comment about it being for elephants. I don’t expect everyone to recognize an obscure shotgun because most people aren’t weirdos like me. 

I didn’t expect that neither of the guys had ever fired a shotgun. These guys are clearly gun guys, and it was evident that they could shoot. We didn’t chat long, but that day has stuck with me. 

Modern Gun Culture – A Bit Stuck 

I had a fairly diverse, gun-influenced lifestyle. I grew up amongst hunters and learned how to handle shotguns and rifles to shoot birds, deer, squirrels, and more. The military exposed me to all sorts of things, mainly modern weaponry, and then I joined the firearms industry and was exposed even more. I never thought about the generation of gun guys who didn’t grow up with guns, and they have only ever concerned themselves with the most popular and arguably most effective firearms. 

Reliability was never a concern with this rifle.

To borrow a term from gaming, the current Meta is an AR-15-type carbine and a polymer-frame striker-fired pistol. For a lot of people, that’s where their experience with guns begins and ends. My appeal for modern gun culture is to get out there and try something different and new. If you can afford to do so, I think learning to operate a diverse group of firearms in a diverse group of disciplines can be super beneficial. 

It’s easy to see why. Sports and shooting clubs aren’t nearly as prevalent as they used to be. Hunting can be tough to get into due to the skill it takes to break into and the myriad of laws you have to deal with to hunt. Also, the gun industry really pushes the modern firearm, as does pop culture. 

Get Out There and Try More Guns 

The cure to modern gun culture being stuck to a very limited range of firearms experience is to get out there and shoot. If you’re an AR guy, go try a shotgun. Heck, get out of the defensive mindset and shoot some clay pigeons. I’d suggest doing a casual shoot with friends because real Skeet can be a real challenge. 

Try lever-action rifles, revolvers, bolt-action guns, or anything outside of your norm. The switch from an AR to an AK can be massive. It’s just worth getting out there and trying new things. Break outside of your comfort zone. 

Henry Model X Levered Up

There is no reason for modern gun culture to have a reverse Fudd attitude. A reverse fudd is someone who dislikes the classic wood-stocked rifles, shotguns, and handguns of yesteryear. Trying new guns will make you better in your preferred discipline. You can get better by trying other platforms if you’re an AR-15 and Glock guy. 

Shooting higher-recoiling .308 caliber semi-auto rifles and shotguns has taught me a great deal about recoil mitigation and made me faster with intermediate-caliber guns. Learning how to master the double-action trigger on a DA/SA handgun or revolver has made me faster on modern striker-fired guns. 

The lessons I learned by shooting a precision-oriented .22LR rifle designed for competition follow me to the AR-15. A diverse shooting experience doesn’t mean you’re taking away from your chosen discipline’s skills. It can often enhance them. 

Don’t Get Stuck In The Meta 

Let’s face it: doing the same thing over and over again gets boring. Trying different guns and different disciplines can keep things interesting. It has the potential to make you a better shooter in more ways than one. When you learn something new, your brain’s neuroplasticity increases. 

The more you learn, the more capability you have to learn. All learning comes down to problem-solving, and shooting is also problem-solving. How do I get this bullet to that target is the problem, and it gets more complex from there. Learning to solve the problem stimulates neurons, creates more neural pathways, and ultimately allows you to learn better. 

See, if you try something new, you won’t just be a better shooter but a better person overall. 

Vertx Delta Stretch LT – Yoga Pants For Gun Slingers

By
Travis Pike
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When the term ‘tactical pants’ comes to mind, what image do you conjure? Perhaps the classic cargo pants, reminiscent of the stereotypical guy in 5.11 pants and a polo shirt? That would have been a fitting image a few years back. However, the realm of tactical pants has undergone a significant transformation. Pants like the Vertx Delta Stretch LT now represent a new era of so-called tactical pants.

Even 5.11 now produces modern, non-cargo pants that fall under the category of tactical pants. But what exactly makes a pair of pants ‘tactical’? The answer lies in the marketing strategies of companies like Vertx, 5.11, and similar brands, who have coined this term to describe their not-so-standard pants.

Utility pants make more sense because I rarely do tactical things, but sadly, I’m almost always wearing pants. Pants like the Delta Stretch LT tend to be more utilitarian than normal pants. The difference between my ordinary khakis and the Vertx Delta Stretch LT I’m wearing is measured in miles.

The Delta Stretch LT – What New in Pants

Vertx categorizes these as CCW pants to differentiate between them and their uniform-style cargo pants. The best thing about the modern world of tactical pants is that these just look like normal pants. They allow you to stay gray, so to speak. The Delta Stretch LT pants just kinda look like khakis. Looks can be deceiving, and these pants offer you several features you won’t find on some J.C. Penny dress pants.

You can start with the pockets. You get 14 pockets with the Delta Stretch LT pants. I swear none of these are cargo pockets, and none stand out very much. I probably couldn’t name them all without taking them off and looking.

We have the normal front and back pockets and some hip pockets that are the right size for a modern cell phone or an AR-15 magazine. If you live a life that calls for that, you can pack 60 rounds of 5.56 as your EDC. We also get dedicated tool pockets below the main pockets with reinforced lips to accommodate pocket clips without getting frayed or beaten down.

On the right front, you have two front pockets. The rearmost pocket features a zipper to prevent thievery and increase retention. I toss my pocket gun in here and appreciate the zipper to secure the gun, especially if I’m doing something physical.

Inside the pants and around the belt line is a set of sized concealed carry pockets. They can hold tiny little items, so they seem perfect for something like a hidden key, especially for handcuffs. There just happens to be one right in the center at the rear of the pants.

Getting Stretchy

One of the things I like about this new generation of tactical pants is that there is a serious focus on the comfort level of the pants. That’s a big reason why I keep coming back to Vertx, 5.11, and Viktos for pants because they are so damn comfortable. The Vertx Delta Stretch LT is like yoga pants for men.

They stretch and move just perfectly and fit well. These pants allow you to easily crouch, sit, squat, and do everything from climbing ladders to sprinting. If I had the ability to do a Chuck Norris-style roundhouse kick, these pants would let me! Realistically, you could actually work out in them if you had some desire to do so.

The pants fall into that lightweight category, which is important to me because it gets hot here in Florida, and I have to wear pants. Sometimes, jeans are painful to wear due to the heat, but the Delta Stretch LT pants don’t make it feel like a swamp in my pants.

Eight belt loops make it easy to pack heat with a rigid belt. The loops can fit up to 1.75-inch belts. Another interesting feature is that each belt loop has a small hidden loop for tethers, lanyards, and similar items. The pants have a ton of little features that I keep finding. I almost feel like a small manual would best explain all this stuff, but that ruins my hidden surprises.

For Daily use

At 90ish dollars, a pair of the Delta Stretch LT pants isn’t cheap. Decking a wardrobe out in Delta Stretch LT pants would be costly, but the pants are very well made. The crotch is fully gusseted, the zippers are all brass YKKs, and the knees have articulated pleats. The heavy wear seems to be double stitched for double the durability.

These pants are rugged, durable, and comfortable. They aren’t cheap, but damn, they are well made. These are feature-filled pants with more pockets than you can shake a stick at! The Vertx Delta Stretch LT pants are clearly a step above not only your average khakis but also the competition’s tactical pants. Check them out if you’re interested in giving your legs an upgrade.

The Intrepid BT From War Bird

By
Travis Pike
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War Bird seems to be a company on the rise. I can’t be the only one seeing their marketing campaign. From their marketing, it’s easy to think of them as a body armor company, but they seem to be involved in all manner of safety from gunshots. This includes protecting your eyes and ears. War Bird sent me a set of ear protection recently, and it’s been my go-to in the last month. Is it worth the 159-dollar price tag? Let’s dig in and find out. 

The Intrepid BT – High Tech Hearing Protection 

The Intrepid hearing protection series is electronic; honestly, it had better be for 159 dollars. I’m a firm believer that serious shooters need electronic hearing protection. Maintaining situational awareness at the range, receiving instruction, and even having conversations is a must-have. 

There are two models of the Intrepid. You have the Intrepid RC and the Intrepid BT. I have the BT, which stands for Bluetooth. The Intrepid BT can hook up to your phone to make phone calls, listen to music, or whatever else you might need. I enjoy listening to a little Wu-Tang Clan when I’m turning money into noise at the range. I’m actually convinced that listening to Run The Jewels helped me achieve a sub-second draw. 

The RC system is 40 bucks cheaper at 119 and doesn’t have Bluetooth capability. It’s still electronic and features an input jack, so you can still have a wired connection to your phone or Zune. Both sets have a noise reduction rating of 23 dB with a 0.01 sound reaction time. It cuts off gunshots in a heartbeat. 

Getting Electric with the Intrepid BT 

I’ve had more than a few sets of electronic hearing protection, but this is the first time I have had a set that goes over my ears and is also rechargeable. I prefer the rechargeable design since I will always forget to swap batteries and won’t have them when needed. They recharge via USB-C and can recharge in 1.5 hours from empty to full. 

The Intrepid BT battery life will vary depending on how you use it. The muffs have multiple modes. You have Bluetooth, Hearing Protection and amplification, and a hybrid mode. The Bluetooth lasts the longest, and the hybrid mode kills the battery the fastest. They can last for up to eight hours, but volume, mode, and similar factors will alter that time. 

The muffs have four buttons to control power, volume, and swap modes. It took me a second to figure it out while wearing them, but eventually, hitting the right button when needed became second nature. 

The Sound Of Freedom 

When it came time to start shooting, the muffs did exactly as advertised. They shut off any and all noise before I can detect it. That’s their most important feature, and it works and does it well. The muffs use gel seals that create a comfortable experience and an excellent seal to prevent any noise from leaking inward. 

The Intrepid BT mics are omnidirectional and do a decent job of letting you pick up some form of sound direction. It’s not perfect because it really can’t be, but it’s pretty decent. I can typically detect the general direction of the noise, and that’s good enough for range use, competition, and similar events. Sure, sometimes the guy talking beside you sounds like he’s right in front of you, but that’s the name of the game with hearing amplification. 

Those conversations, briefings, or instructions issued will all sound surprisingly clear. It’s not HD IMAX Dolby Digital quality, but dang, it’s close. It’s some of the best sound transitions I’ve heard through electronic hearing protection. Once I get Wu-Tang bumping, the sound quality will be up there with a decent pair of headphones. I’m sure audiophiles will disagree, but Bring Da Ruckus sounds fantastic. 

Form and Fit 

The Intrepid BT’s gel cups make a huge comfort difference. I used to love my Walkers, but I don’t think I can go back after the gel experience. These things are solid and super comfortable. They don’t squeeze my head or tend to cause excess sweat. If they do, I don’t notice, and they don’t slide off or back. That’s important because Florida is hot. 

I’ve worn them for about four hours, with a few very short breaks. Training is continuous and all. After four hours, I wanted them off, but it wasn’t until the last hour that I got sick of wearing them. That’s the longest I’ve ever worn hearing protection continuously. I don’t think any set of muffs is comfy for four hours. 

Overall, the Intrepid BT headphones provide excellent performance. They are comfortable, have great microphones, clear audio, and, of course, excellent ear protection. Is it worth the price? I think so. Check them out at WarBirdPro.com. 

The Easy Day Eye Pro From War Bird

By
Travis Pike
-

I’m a big fan of using my eye protection as my daily sunglasses. There are some perks to wearing ballistically rated eye protection throughout your day. It’s like having an IFAK on hand in the way that it’s more likely to get used than your carry gun. Plus, I can combine the cost of a good pair of sunglasses with a good pair of eye pro and justify the expense. Admittedly, the subject of today’s review, the Easy Day eye protection from War Bird, was provided free for review. 

As a man with a larger head, finding glasses that fit and look good can be a challenge. However, the Easy Day eye protection from War Bird manages to strike the right balance. While it’s important to note that these glasses do not meet the Z87.1 specifications due to the lack of wrap-around coverage, they still offer impact protection. For solo trips to the range, the side protection is not a major concern. 

War Bird, a company new to me, seems to specialize in body armor, with a side dish of ear and eye protection. While I may be unfamiliar with them, their focus seems to be on personal protection.  

The Only Easy Day 

The Easy Day glasses come in a ton of frame and lens colors. You can mix and match to an extreme degree, but I’m a simple man who went with a classic black-on-black look. The glasses come in a semi-hard case with a section of MOLLE-compatible webbing. This would attach with ease on the inside or outside of most modern packs. The case arguably offers a nice touch to protect the classes when not in use. 

The polymer frame design keeps the glasses super light and cooler in the summer. I’m a Florida man, and my previous glasses were a pair of Gatorz. Gatorz are great, but metal frames are tough. The downside is that if you leave a pair of metal-framed glasses in your car during a summer day, they are way too hot to wear. That’s not a problem with the Easy Day. 

I like the Gatorz, and I only retired them for the Easy Day because they got a save. I was on the wrong side of an old Remington Rolling block, and the frames and lenses were impacted by some shrapnel from the case that blew backward. It left a few marks on the lenses that made them a pain. 

Wearing the Easy Day 

I almost felt like a fudd moving from a metal-framed 1911 to a polymer-framed Glock 19. The lightweight design of the frames is a nice change from the hefty weight. With Gatorz, I had to stretch them a bit to fit, but the Easy Day has enough stretch to accommodate my big head. The Easy Day glasses were an interesting change and quite comfortable. 

The frame is made from Kaiwall, a polymer material with high degrees of strength and flexibility. It’s also drop-resistant and tough. The Easy Day glasses are supposed to last nearly forever, and they feel like it. The lightweight, flexible design means the glasses never get painful or annoying to wear—not bad traits to have. 

The lenses deliver a crystal-clear look at the world. The smoke lenses do a great job of dialing down the brightness without compromising your ability to see details. It’s easy to see your red dot reticle, make out the fine details of targets, and see and land shots where you want them. 

More than once, I’ve looked over the top of glasses to get a better look at the target, but I never found that to be an issue with the Easy Day glasses. Even when I went for an extended range session and the day became evening, I didn’t have issues with clarity until the sun got behind the trees. 

Squint and Print 

The Easy Day glasses have become a favorite for both daily wear and range use. They are comfortable and clear and work well at the range, on the boat, or just driving home from work. I like the impact resistance for range use but also for daily use and protecting my eyes. There are some downsides. 

I can’t swap from smoke to clear lenses for night-time shooting or low-light courses. That requires another set of glasses, and that’s a pain. War Bird offers other glasses with swappable lenses if you prefer that. The Easy Day glasses are capable, comfortable, and well-suited for most adventures. Give them a peak if you want something that’s comfy for both daily wear and range use. 

The Dark Star Gear Apollo For Glock 19

By
P.E. Fitch
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Glock 19 Apollo Holster Dark Star Gear

Last year, Dark Star Gear, the holster company famous for its Orion and Rigel concealment holsters, launched its Apollo holster line. The Apollo is Dark Star Gear’s solid value proposition for an AIWB or IWB concealment holster. The core design is well-made with high-quality materials, but Apollo is only available in black instead of having all the various trim choices and color options.

They exclude any fancy metal belt clips (think Discreet Carry Concepts, Dark Star Gear Monoblock, etc) or soft loops (Pull-The-Dots) to reduce costs further. Instead, Dark Star Gear designed the Apollo holster series to work with Raven Concealment’s excellent nylon polymer IWB overhook belt clips.

Because of its simplified design, the holster’s retention is fixed. The holster shells themselves are fixed, but Dark Star Gear does offer extra add-ons before checkout, such as their retention adjustment kit, wedges, and DSG Dark Wings.

Dark Star Gear actually offers the Apollo for various makes and models, especially all of the popular slimline carry pistols. This includes the Glock 43X, Glock 48, Sig Sauer P365 series, Springfield Hellcats, and Smith & Wesson M&P Shield series. The company even offers Apollo holsters for “larger” pistols such as single or double-stack 1911s/2011s and, of course, the ever-ubiquitous Glock 19. (And the Glock 45, too, whose slide is the same exact size as the Glock 19’s).

My understanding is that Dark Star Gear is working to release more holster fits in the future, too.

Apollo Holster Overview

Glock 19 Glock 45 Dark Star Gear Apollo Holster
Glock 45 in the Dark Star Gear Apollo Holster

As previously mentioned, Apollo holsters are designed to cover all the basic requirements of a holster without being too expensive. And they fully adhere to modern holster design cues—lower costs notwithstanding. These modern cues include things like a symmetrical design that promotes ambidexterity, the complete covering of the trigger guard, a sight channel that clears suppressor-height front sights, and, naturally, a body design that doesn’t clash with mounted red-dot sights on pistol slides.

Beyond this, the Apollo was also created with industry-standard compatibility in mind as far as its infrastructure is concerned. Apollos work with industry-standard belt clips, hardware, bushings, spacers, etc. The same goes for its holes which are also spaced in the industry-standard manner. This also provides a subtle amount of adjustability, depending on how the end-user tweaks their belt attachments and mounting hardware.

Again, I already mentioned the holster’s fixed retention level by default. Similarly, its sweat guards are left on by default on either side. (But there’s no reason one couldn’t trim these to their preference.)

Raven Concealment Systems IWB Overhook Clips

All Apollo holsters are shipped with Raven Concealment Systems’ IWB Overhook nylon polymer belt clips. Don’t look past them because they’re made from polymer. These clips have been around for several years now and have been standard equipment on many of Raven’s own holsters, such as the Eidolon holster—a holster I’ve carried in and have extensive experience using.

As far as I’m concerned, the Raven IWB Overhook has earned its rightful place as OEM hardware in the modern holster world. The nylon polymer clips provide a degree of flexibility, which makes it far easier to don or remove the holster from the belt—far easier than the Discreet Carry Concepts steel clips, for example. This same elasticity also aids in comfort as the play allows the attached holster to conform to the wearer’s body regardless of carry position on the waistline.

Dark Star Gear Dark Wing

Before checkout, one can add a DSG Dark Wing to their Apollo order for an extra $10. A Dark Wing installed on an Apollo holster serves two functions. First, the lower part serves as a bushing to support one of the Raven Overhook clips. Second, when being actively worn, the tension from the flat of the belt pushes against the wing in order to drive the holster closer to the body and aid in concealment.

Dark Star Gear isn’t the only modern holster company to use such a concealment aid, but the Dark Wing design specifically is Dark Star Gear’s signature part. Please note that it isn’t a reversible part, as I found out being left-handed. The Dark Wing isn’t mandatory, and an Apollo will ship with a standard bushing in lieu of one if none is selected.

Carrying with the Glock 19 Apollo

I’ve carried both a Glock 19 (Gen4) and a Glock 45 (Gen5) with my Apollo, and from a practical perspective, the holster works just fine. I typically carry appendix on my left side. Not too long ago, a buddy came by, and I switched the hardware around to a right-handed configuration (plus, I had an extra right-handed Dark Wing), and he was able to carry the Apollo with a loaner Glock IWB just fine. No hardware came undone, and concealment didn’t present any challenges.

Because Glock 19-length slides are on the shorter side, this specific holster is also fairly short to match them. Depending on one’s waist and how they carry their gun, this could be a problem with printing. In my case, with the spare tire around my waist, the holster’s shorter length was causing the top half to twist forward and print against my cover garment.

This issue, of course, is fixed by adding pads or foam on the holster, and I honestly simply reviewed it as is. I know from experience that it does help to be thinner in this regard, as the relatively short Raven Eidolon also started packing flatter the more weight I lost.

Other than being fat, I didn’t really experience too many issues while carrying. I did find that the full parallel sweat guards took some getting used to, but that’s about it.

The Takeaway

With its lower general cost, the Apollo makes a fine no-frills holster. Sometimes, Dark Star Gear will even put them on sale for $40. But even at its standard price of $50, you can rely on a fairly inexpensive and viable concealment holster. The default hardware and belt clips have been vetted by Raven Concealment Systems for some time now.

Apollo holsters are inexpensive enough that you can buy them as a stocking stuffer for your dorky friends who haven’t gotten rid of their Serpas. In all seriousness, expect to play around with it and feel it out as you wear it, but this diligence comes due for any concealment holster at any price point.

My Bad $20—A Tribute to Jack Clemons

By
P.E. Fitch
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My Bad $20—A Tribute to Jack Clemons

Dear Reader, I wrote this piece as a small token of appreciation and as a tribute to our very own recently departed Jack Clemons. Unfortunately, he passed away way too young and way too soon earlier this month. His untimely death has left many of his close friends, family, and others who spent time interacting with him heartbroken. Many are still coming to terms with his absence.

Personally, Jack was more than just a colleague from GAT to me. He was a true friend. Jack was blessed with a deep pool of wisdom, insight, and life experiences. Jack had a special ability that allowed him to draw from his well of wisdom and impart knowledge and guidance to his friends and loved ones. The topic of this piece, the “My Bad $20,” is one of many such nuggets of wisdom that emanated from his mind. The MB20 is part of his streets-smarts legacy.

Self-Defense And Its Different Parts

The topic of personal self-defense is multi-faceted and composed of several different parts. All parts are equally important, but there’s no doubt that some of these topics are more interesting, fun, or glamorous than others. Guns come to mind immediately. For many besides myself, they’re probably also the central locus of attention. You are reading this on a publication dedicated specifically to guns and shooting, after all.

The truth is, however, that the other less-than-sexy aspects of self-defense are equally as important. Maybe more so than the guns. Because I don’t need to convince any readers that avoiding a violent altercation resulting in deadly force and further involvement with the legal system is the goal. By all means, it’s what we all strive to avoid in the first place.

De-escalation

The social aspect of self-defense communication—that is, specifically, talking and dealing with bystanders and potential assailants—is one of these vital aspects that gets overlooked. Unfortunately, it’s not “Instagram-able” like a sub-second draw or five-second FAST Test run. When delving deeper into self-defense communication, it’s hard to avoid one of this subtopic’s most important kernels: de-escalation.

The ability to diffuse and remove conflict from any potential altercation in order to avoid bloodshed or worse can’t be overlooked. It’s more important than the make or model of the defensive gun carried, one’s rank in a martial art, or how much of a badass they are. I cannot stress how important it is to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to avoid any situation from boiling over.

Sun Tzu’s famous ancient tome, The Art Of War, famously highlights the importance of resolving conflict without striking a blow.

This is where Jack Clemons’ “My Bad $20” (MB20 for short) comes into play for the modern citizen self-defense practitioner. 

The MB20 

The MB20 itself refers to a US $20 bill that’s folded in half twice and kept separate from the rest of one’s money, money clips, or wallet. A few years back, Jack recorded a spontaneous video with a humorous bent describing the MB20 as a “small bribe” one could use during nightlife activities to curry favor with a hostess, maitre d’, usher, bouncer, security guard, etc.

Sure, it’s a small bribe or a preliminary tip to get better service, a better seat, a better table, or a parking spot. Even so, in his video, he mentions the MB20 as the key to avoiding a fight or altercation, staying out of jail, and even the ability to ward off felony charges. And this is where the true power of the MB20 lies for the modern self-defense practitioner.

A $20 is not a lot of money, but it’s hard to beat as a gratuity—especially in cash. Whatever $20 is truly worth (you can’t even get a shitty Old Fashioned at any of the casino bars in the Venetian during SHOT), when that $20 bill is contextualized as a chit with an ability to bring down tempers and smooth things over, it’s truly a cheat code. $20 is $20, right?

Developing skills with firearms, blades, combatives, fitness, and even the [smooth] talking parts of self-defense take some time to cultivate and grow. But a $20 bill is a $20 regardless of whose pocket it’s in. That’s why it’s a social cheat code. And it’s a pittance of a sum in order to avoid a truly negative outcome or a ruined evening with those around you.

And sure, if your MB20 helps you land a better table? Go for it!

Life is short.

RIP Jack Clemons 

The Trijicon SRO

By
P.E. Fitch
-
Trijicon SRO Walther PDP Match Steel Frame

In the world of red-dot sights, the Trijicon SRO (Specialized Reflex Optic) isn’t exactly new. It first saw the light of day nearly five years ago at the 2019 NRA Annual Meetings And Exhibits show held in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, in the ecosystem of slide-mounted reflex sights, the Trijicon SRO is still a cornerstone, especially in the premium performance reflex optic category. One could argue that it set the tone for its “weight-division.”

Certainly, five years after its launch, the Trijicon SRO is seeing stiff competition from other competitors at more affordable price points. In spite of this, the Trijicon SRO is the optic that set the tone in the first place.

Trijicon SRO Overview 

The Trijicon SRO has a large and distinct circular window with a flat bottom that measures nearly a full inch tall and about ⅞ of an inch at its widest point. The SRO has three main sub-variants whose only practical difference is the size of the projected red dot. Sights are available with a 1 MOA dot, a 2 MOA dot, or a 5 MOA dot. All three variants use a red emitter only, and there are no other reticle options besides the standard basic red dot.

The SRO runs off a CR-2032 battery that sits in an easy-to-reach battery tray at the base of the optic. A quality battery will last approximately three years on its medium setting at a standard ambient temperature of 70* F. While accessing the battery compartment isn’t as difficult as the SRO’s RMR sibling, it does require a specialized cruciform tool to unscrew the battery cover.

The optic body has brightness-adjustment buttons on either side, and its windage and elevation dials are in the usual spots. I appreciate that the dial slots are wide, and clicks are tactile and audible—something not featured on every Trijicon red-dot sight.  

Mounting the SRO

Mounting-wise, Trijicon SROs use the same mounting footprint as its siblings, the Trijicon RMR and RCR. This footprint itself is also a cornerstone in the realm of pistol slide-mounted reflex sights and is one of the most popular and most used, even by other competitors. The SRO runs off a CR-2032 battery that sits in an easy-to-reach battery tray at the base of the optic.

Because it matches in footprint, its base follows the same dimensions as the RMR and even the newer RCR. Unlike those two, the SRO is longer as its glass lens sits over a “parapet” that extends fore and over the base. For many shooters, this is actually a point of contention with the SRO, as some claim that the overhang can interfere with the proper ejection of brass on their specific pistol.

This is something I’ve specifically heard from dedicated double-stack 1911/2011 shooters, but I can’t speak to the phenomenon being substantive. These claims seem to be on an individual basis. Nevertheless, the SRO’s overhang gives the sight a very unique and distinctive profile that’s not seen on many other red-dots—other than those that directly mimic it.

Trijicon SRO Red Dot Sights
The Trijicon SRO sitting in the middle next to its peers and rivals. From this angle one can clearly see how far the objective window sits over its “parapet.”

The SRO Experience

Shooting

Regardless of the gun it is mounted on, shooting with the SRO has always been a positive experience. To be honest, its circular window provides an excellent sight picture that I find conducive to target-focused shooting. This is true of large-window dots, but they’re more “visually comfortable” in addition to being more forgiving on subpar draws or target presentations.

After mounting it to the Canik Rival-S for its review, I recall the Canik factory plate sitting tall on the slide with the optic, but it didn’t matter because the sight’s window is so wide. The same is true for my experience with the the SRO on a Glock 34. I don’t hate the Glock grip angle, but it’s slightly swept back too much for optimum optics shooting (for me). Even so, the SRO had my back, and it wasn’t a big deal.

I’ve only ever put rounds through two SROs, mine and a friend’s (mounted on an M&P 2.0 5”). Both use a 2.5 MOA reticle, so I can’t comment on the 1 MOA or 5 MOA versions. Ultimately, I think this sight picture and the experience it provides can’t be beat. Being confined to only a central aiming point isn’t an issue either.

Besides that, there’s a handful of shooters who like to carry with SROs because they claim that the rounded housing helps break up the lines of their mounted red-dots under their cover garment.     

Using It On Various Pistols 

Since the start of my “red-dot shooting experiences,” I made it a priority to start working with one of these Trijicon units due to its importance and position in the market. Given the assortment of red-dot optic models that pass through my hands and writer’s desk, keeping an SRO on hand has been invaluable. It is, after all, the “big-window benchmark.”

Red-Dot Dry-Fire Trijicon SRO
The Rival-S and the Trijicon SRO still make a fantastic pairing. But that Mecanik M03 is also showing some promise.

I purchased my SRO used, so its true round count isn’t known. My own round count should be north of 800 between the Glock and Canik. It’s not much, sure, but considering all the dots and pistols I review, it’s something.

Last night, I pulled it off the Glock and swapped it around with the Trijicon RCR that was sitting on my Walther PDP Match Steel Frame. Suffice it to say, the Walther now proudly wears my SRO while the RCR sits on that Glock (I have a future project and evaluation in mind).

It was switching the sights around last night that inspired me to write this. Because of the SRO’s wonderful window, I think it’s better mounted on the PDP Match SF—a gun I know I can perform even better with compared to the Glock 34.

SRO Quirks and Issues 

As with all pieces of kit, SROs have their issues. Perhaps its single biggest issue is its cost. SROs aren’t cheap. Their real-world retail price can range between $500-$600 depending on the seller. Looking out for a used one in good condition is probably the best way to score a “deal” on one. That’s what I did, buying secondhand.

Cost aside, this sight can be affected by the “false reticle” phenomenon. Depending on the time of the day and the position of the sun in the sky, if the sun’s rays hit the lens just right, one can see a false or double dot, which can obviously be misleading. This phenomenon affects other sights as well, usually ones with angled lenses with sloped downward edges.

In the SRO’s case, its window is large and prominent, so it has a tendency to catch the sun and show the false dot. I don’t think it’s the end of the world because at least it’s daylight bright.

Compared to other Trijicon dots like the RMR, RCR, or even the MRO, the blue tint on the SRO’s lens appears to be less severe. From my perspective, parallax and distortion appear to be extremely marginal, and they’ve never been an issue during shooting.  

The Takeaway

I wouldn’t hesitate to call the Trijicon SRO the “king” of the RMR footprint performance red dots. There’s a good reason why several competitors are trying to mimic its form factor with the large and prominent window. It’s a winning formula from a design standpoint, which also enhances the shooting experience with any pistol. So it’s easy to understand why many of its competitors want to take a swipe at the SRO’s crown—”round window” competitors or otherwise (I’m looking at you, Holosun HS 507 COMP). 

Trijicon SRO Red Dot Sights
The Trijicon SRO sits second from left, besides its #1 rival: the HS507 Comp. On the other side is a Holosun 507C along with my first-generation Gideon Optics Omega. Does the Omega’s shape remind you of something?

.38 TPC – Taurus Makes a Pistol Cartridge

By
Travis Pike
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Imagine being the average Brazillian. Under the last President, your gun rights were expanded. Brazil is a beautiful country, but the criminal elements are sometimes violent and well-armed. Being able to defend your home and your family is likely a priority. Before you know it, your people elect a literal criminal, a money launderer, a terrorist sympathizer, a racist, and a corrupt politician who, like most criminals, abhor gun ownership. After passing numerous gun laws, the average Brazillian can no longer own a 9mm handgun, so Taurus responds and offers you the .38 TPC. 

The Lula Government took office, and almost immediately, a series of gun laws were passed. The laws reduced the number of guns one can own, reduced the length of a gun license, and banned calibers like 9x19mm. There is no grandfather clause, and you either find a way to sell it or face confiscation. This forced most Brazilians to give up the most popular guns on the market and use less powerful options in .380 ACP and maybe .32 ACP. 

In response, Taurus created a cartridge known as the .38 TPC, specifically aimed at the civilian market in Brazil. TPC stands for Taurus Pistol Cartridge. The .38 TPC is designed to skirt the current law and remain legal for civilian self-defense needs. 

Why the .38 TPC 

The .38 TPC is designed to try and replicate the 9mm as closely as it can without violating the law. Taurus pushed some boundaries and bent some rules but left them unbroken. The .398 TPC does use a 9.02 mm projectile and an 18mm case. The 9mm Makarov famously used an 18mm case, but the 9mm Mak is a bit closer to .380 ACP. The .38 TPC sits next to 9mm. Think of the .38 TPC as a 9mm -P and not as .380 ACP +P. 

The cartridge uses the same 124-grain 9mm projectile as 9×19, which means reloading wouldn’t be difficult. It delivers about 90% of the power of the 9mm Luger cartridge and is 40% more powerful than the .380 ACP. The .38 TPC reportedly has a max chamber pressure of 35,000 PSI, which is the same as that of most standard 9mm loads. 

According to Taurus Brazil, they have created a bonded JHP that can reach 14 inches in ballistic gel with 40% expansion and zero mass loss. That’s a capable defensive option that can penetrate as needed, with the advantage of expansion if it works as claimed. 

Using a slightly less powerful cartridge results in less recoil, which is always good. Taurus can likely easily convert its 9mm guns to .38 TPC without any significant investment. 

The .38 TPC Guns

Speaking of guns, Taurus plans to release both the G2C and the GX4 in .38 TPC in Brazil. The G2C is one of Taurus’ most successful firearms in Brazil and the United States, making it an easy seller. I find the GX4 more interesting. Taurus builds the G2C in Brazil, but they build the GX4 in Bainbridge, Georgia. Taurus will be exporting the GX4 into Brazil. 

Why is that interesting? Well, it’s usually the other way around. Typically, Taurus imports weapons from Brazil into America. This Uno reverse might be the first time it’s gone the other way. According to some Brazilian websites, the Taurus brand sells over 300 thousand firearms a year in Brazil, so the .38 TPC might be a winner there. 

Brazil isn’t the only country with silly bans on ammo, and those countries might also adopt the .38 TPC for civilian firearm sales. I don’t think we’ll see any of these guns in the States, but I’d love to have one cartridge for my collection. 

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