STI Nemesis & the 7mm Penna

By

-

February 22, 2024

I love weird guns, and I love weird calibers, so it was only a matter of time before I came across the 7mm Penna and the STI Nemesis. STI because the 2011/1911 company before they changed their name to Staccato. In anticipation of SHOT, I was looking at ancient SHOT articles…going back as far as 2010! That’s when I ran across the STI Nemesis and the 7mm Penna round.

It’s tough to find a lot of information on guns and their caliber. It bears mentioning that the Nemesis didn’t seem to have been built by STI but perhaps imported. It’s not incredibly clear, but it appears the Nemesis was built by an Italian firm called QS Armi. Why would STI market or import an obscure gun and caliber from Italy? Well, they were also producing M1911s in both standard and double stack frame types for the 7mm Penna round.

The Nemesis Pistol

Not much seems to be known about the QS Armi Nemesis pistol. We know that it was a concealed carry-oriented weapon. The magazine held 13 rounds of 7mm Penna. From some reports of SHOT Show attendees, the trigger was nice, and the slide was easy to rack. It appears to be a fairly small pistol.

The edges look mostly melted, and the gun looks snag-free. The magazine release is a very odd design. It’s placed to the rear of the grip and looks like a revolver cylinder release. It seems to be the only thing close to a snag point. While unconventional, I try to withhold judgment until I can try it myself.

It appears to be about the same size as a single stack 9mm for the era, but those 9mm typically held eight rounds. Four extra rounds aren’t bad, but is it revolutionary?

The 7mm Penna

The 7mm Penna was developed by Leonardo Penna, who, unsurprisingly, was of Italian descent. He designed the caliber for IPSC, which might have you holding your horses. This caliber doesn’t appear to be IPSC legal, at least by my calculations. However, maybe the Italian IPSC has a few different rules. The idea was to create a small, low-recoiling cartridge that allowed for higher capacity. Why not just use 9mm?

Well, up until 2011, you couldn’t. Italy has some laws in place regarding military calibers owned by civilians. Not all calibers used by the military are banned for civilian use, but some are, and for a long time, this included the standard 9mm cartridge. Plus, the 7mm Penna still offered lower recoil and higher capacity than the 9mm.

Mr. Penna took a 5.7x28mm cartridge and necked it up to accept a .277 bullet, which actually isn’t a 7mm bullet. It’s actually 6.8 mm, but rounding up was likely an easy way to capture the minds of folks who think bullet size is everything. Fiocchi would later produce the ammo as the only major manufacturer who adopted the load.

The bullet would be light and fast. It’s tough to find solid information on the different loads Fioochi offered, but a load that utilized a 68-grain bullet moves at 1,400 feet per second from a 5-inch barrel. The smaller bullet allowed a single-stack M1911 to hold 13 rounds and a double-stack to hold 26!

While the cartridge was designed for IPSC, it does seem like they pivoted towards concealed carry and self-defense. That’s where the Nemesis pistol came to be. Sadly, that’s where the round and the gun ended. The 7mm Penna didn’t generate much interest, and it has since faded into obscurity.

The .224 BOZ – A Forgotten PDW Cartridge

By

Travis Pike

-

February 21, 2024

The world of PWD cartridges is a weird one. The term PDW has shifted around a bit. The original definition was of something between a rifle and a handgun cartridge. Rounds like the 5.7x28mm and the 4.6x30mm defined the genre. They were a lot like light rifle cartridges, similar to the old .30 Carbine. While the FN and HK rounds dominated the genre, there was a contender that is often forgotten, and he goes by the name .224 Boz.

The .224 Boz – The Forgotten PDW Cartridge

A British company called Civil Defence Supply was the force behind the .224 Boz. The intent was to provide special operations and law enforcement an intermediate option between a full-powered rifle round and a pistol round.

The .224 Boz was a PDW cartridge intended to provide the same benefits as the 5.7 and 4.6. It would be a relatively short-range round. It would outperform a pistol, but getting beyond 150 yards might be challenging. The round was also designed to be able to punch through soft body armor and some helmet designs. The design started in the 1990s, which would make it a contemporary of the 4.6 and 5.7.

While the 5.7 and 4.6 were radically different from other rifle rounds, the .224 Boz would utilize some familiar components. The original cartridge utilized a 10mm case that was necked down to .223. The projectile weighed 50 grains and was able to reach velocities of 2,500 feet per second. It was capable of piercing soft flak jackets as well as military helmets of the era.

One test had the .224 Boz, the 5.7 and 4.6, competing in head-to-head trials. The trial included penetrating a NATO CRISAT spec target of layered titanium and kevlar armor. The .224 Boz performed favorably compared to the two O.G.s of PDW cartridges. The .224 Boz flew flat out to 100 meters and provided low recoil.

Keeping Things Standard

One of the big benefits of using the 10mm case was the ability to use established weapons. Civil Defence Supply utilized the MP-5/10, the Glock 20, and a 1911. The cartridge worked in each gun, which ensured there was minimal need to develop new firearms to chamber the cartridge. New barrels and other such parts were needed, but existing weapons and even magazines could be used.

With that said, the .224 Boz didn’t perform well from short barrels. According to Civil Defence Supply, the handgun would be available as a 5.5-inch compact version and a 6.5-inch standard version. These would be fairly large handguns, and a lot of their value was probably lost. It’s not too different than handguns chambering the classic PDW cartridges.

As the 1990s turned into the 2000s, this crazy thing called the GWOT occurred. This seemingly stalled the need for PDWs since we weren’t facing the Red Menace at the Fulda Gap. With the GWOT, we saw the rise of the small carbine; the M4 took over, and even smaller variants like the MK 18 came to be. This largely eliminated the military need for a PDW. As the war continued, the PDW role was taken over by .300 Blackout with guns like the SIG LVAW.

A Rise Again

In 2010, there was an attempt to revive the project. The new .224 Boz would use a 9mm case and could reach velocities of 2,200 feet per second. It was sadly lost and didn’t pick up any steam. What didn’t help that Civil Defence Supply only marketed the cartridge to law enforcement and military forces. It might not have succeeded if offered to the civilian market, but the 5.7x28mm is still kicking around, and FN released the PS90 years ago.

For now, the .224 Boz is dead. However, it seemed like a cartridge that could have really succeeded as a light rifle option. Sadly, the market for a ‘light’ rifle is more or less dead with the versatility of the .223/5.56 round dominating the market.

How Spicy is the 5.7? GT Science

By

Keith Finch

-

February 21, 2024

The 5.7x28mm has had a successful resurgence in popularity. New ammunition and available, new pistols, and new carbines have all combined to give the round that is essentially 5.56Lite a new lease on life.

But is it effective?

That seems to be the cyclical question, are the available ammunitions good as a sidearm round or PDW round. Does it do defensively what is required of a sidearm or PDW? Does it, at the least, compete favorably with .380 ACP, .38 SPL, or 9mm?

Mike and the Garand Thumb team are looking to put a little science behind the inquiries and generate data to form answers. I’ll say for certain that the Belgian armed forces use it as their sidearm, and they are not slouches in selection. But in contrast, I also know how military procurement and firearm selection can go and you sometimes just deal with what you have. M14, M17/M18, M9 with the bad mags, just because it is in use doesn’t assure its greatness.

Anywho, enjoy the vid!

The Trijicon RCR’s Mounting System

By

P.E. Fitch

-

February 20, 2024

Demand for more ruggedized duty-grade enclosed emitter pistol mounted optics is at an all time high, which is why Trijicon responded to the market by releasing the RCR during the summer of 2023. The RCR is the Michigan company’s first duty-grade enclosed-emitter reflex sight. Keep in mind that all of Trijicon’s micro reflex sights (except the smaller RMR CC) use the RMR footprint. This includes the RMR, the SRO and the newly released RMR HD.

With very few exceptions (see Holosun EPS/Carry), virtually all enclosed emitter optics on the market are fastened to slides or optics plates via a lateral clamping force, not unlike the way Picatinny based mounts clamp onto Picatinny railed surfaces. The Aimpoint ACRO pattern is the clear leader for enclosed emitter footprint styles. This differs from the manner in which most other [open emitter] reflex sights are anchored to a slide, which is via a pair of vertically oriented screws. Like every other enclosed-emitter design save for the Holosun EPS, the Trijicon RCR has no openly accessible screw holes either. However, it doesn’t use a side-clamping fastening pattern. So what’s the Trijicon RCR’s footprint? The same and original RMR footprint! But the RMR footprint takes vertical screws, so how is the RCR mounted?

ENTER THE CAPSTAN

A capstan is something found on ships and docks of old. It’s a horizontal pulley with slots near the top that sailors would attach rods into for leverage. With their rods inserted, a team of men was able to apply torque to turn the capstan, which could provide a mechanical advantage in order to move or lift things connected by ropes. Similarly, Trijicon developed special screws with heads tall enough to drill slots into. These screws keep the same thread pitch as any other RMR spec screw.

Tourists turning a capstan on an old sailing ship. Image Credit: Wikipedia

The idea behind Trijicon’s capstan screws to fasten the RCR is that they fit within the unit’s slots, and one inserts a small, thin allen wrench into the screw head’s slots to tighten the screw down. Think of the sailors inserting their rods into the capstan to turn it. Trijicon will instruct the user to snug up the capstan screws. Obviously these cannot be torqued via normal means, such as with the aid of Fix-It Sticks. Instead, Trijicon includes a small card with various graduated markings. The capstan screws are properly tightened when the allen wrench can bend past four of these markings. Don’t forget the thread locker prior to tightening them (a small vial of blue Locte is included with the RCR).

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO

Trijicon’s ingenious solution is important because of the popularity of the RMR footprint pattern. Besides Trijicon, other companies have adopted it and make many of their wares compatible with this footprint. It’s fair to say that the RMR footprint holds a good portion of the market share. That the RCR is an enclosed-emitter dot but can still use the traditional RMR footprint is a fairly big deal. Not only is this footprint part of Trijicon’s legacy and brand identity, the RCR can be mounted on damn near every gun that already uses the RMR pattern. These implications are important because it means that shooters now have the option of a fully American-made enclosed emitter reflex sight. I happen to use Trijicon RMR pattern plates with both of the PDPs I’ve been shooting, so mounting my T&E RCR unit to my Walther PDP Match Steel Frame pistol was fairly straightforward.

RCR Capstan Screws — Trijicon RCR mounted on my Walther PDP Match Steel Frame pistol. The slot for the capstan screw can clearly be seen.

AFFIXING THE TRIJICON RCR

Besides reading this piece, I strongly recommend for anyone interested to watch the video below, it’s worth one thousand words. Honestly, installation is quite straightforward though tightening the screws by inserting and extracting the small allen wrench into the holes to turn the capstan screws can become a little tedious, but not actually difficult. At the time of this writing, I’ve only mounted the RCR and dry-fired with it. But I’m very interested to see how the capstan screw system will play out when I shoot this new red-dot sight on my Walther PDP Match SF.

The Space Carbine By Booligan Shooting Sports

By

Travis Pike

-

February 20, 2024

I love the little Heritage revolvers. Their affordability is tough to beat, and their design makes them a ton of fun to shoot. I purchased a Rancher a while back, which is the Rough Rider turned into a rifle. While fun, I wanted to have a scope mount for a red dot. That’s what started this entire journey. In researching that, I came across the Booligan Shooting Sports Space Carbine and immediately knew I wanted more than a scope mount. I wanted a Space Carbine Kit.

Booligan Shooting Sports is a fella who designs a variety of 3D prints for guns. This includes frames for various Glock designs, MACs, and more. There are numerous Space Cowboy dress-up kits for the Ruger Wrangler and Heritage Rough Rider. The original Space Carbine was designed around the massive and ultimately silly Heritage Rough Rider pistol With the 16-inch barrel. The complete Space Carbine features a stock for the Rough Rider. I didn’t have the Rough Rider, but I did have the Rancher.

At the end of the day, this is just a dress-up kit. It certainly adds a new edge to the Rancher, and yes, it made it possible for me to mount my red dot. Would it have been cheaper and easier to just purchase a Tactical Rancher? Yes, but where is the fun in that?

Printing the Space Carbine

The Space Carbine print job took several hours. Booligan Shooting Sports does all the drops for his prints for free, but he does accept donations and subscriptions to keep things running. Prior to printing the three-piece Space Carbine design, I printed my kids some keychains, a Cali Cat, and a little tugboat.

Once I realized how easily the 3D printer went “burrr,” I hit the go button and slowly printed each part of the kit. I’m not sure how long it took in total since I slept for one print and attended basketball games with the kids for another. I know it took several hours, but it didn’t take much of my attention. The Space Carbine consists of two barrel shrouds and a handguard. I also printed a small section of the rail for the red dot.

The shroud portions do pack a small set of fixed iron sights, so you don’t need an optic, but what’s the point of not having a red dot on a Space Carbine?

Installing the Kit

Putting it all together wasn’t too difficult. Keep in mind this kit was made for the long Rough Rider, not the Rancher. The Rancher has Buckhorn sights, a sling swivel, and a taller front sight. Removing the sling swivel and buckhorn sight wasn’t tough. However, I figured out the taller front sight would be a hassle. A hand file was needed to shave it down to produce a short front sight that would lock into the shroud.

You have to remove the ejector rod housing. The rear portion of the shroud has a slot where you install the ejection rod and the spring. The same screw that holds the ejector rod housing connects to the gun. Once installed, everything is quite tight. The front shroud is secured by the front sight, and the rear portion by the screw used by the ejector rod housing. The use of a good plastic poxy to tie the front and rear together adds even more rigidity.

The final portion is the optional handguard, which covers the seam in the shroud. It also moves a fair bit and creates a ton of noise. I’m almost convinced to epoxy it down. The rail attaches to two screw points on the top shroud and is easy to install.

To The Range With the Space Carbine

With a Burris Fastfire 4 installed, I went about zeroing the rifle. It took no time at all to get a good 25-yard zero in place. The handguard and shroud provided no issues with zeroing, and I went about plinking and having as much fun as I could. It admittedly makes the gun a ton of fun. There are optional blast shields to reduce the blast that occurs between the cylinder and barrel, but I don’t find them necessary.

The worst part about the Rancher is how slow it is to reload because I really wanted to keep shooting. Have you ever tried to do a fast single-action double tap on two targets? It’s a ton of fun. The Space Carbine kit gives you something to hold onto, and the red dot makes fast shooting a breeze.

I shot a lot, probably two hundred rounds, on the first day, and there were no detectable problems with the kit or how it interacted with the rifle. In the next few days, several friends checked it out, and we fired plenty of problem-free rounds. It held zero fine and without fail.

The handguard can act as a pump to hit the ejector rod. It works, I guess, but it is slower than actually just using the rod. Booligan has mentioned producing an attachment to make the pump function as a way to cock the hammer in the future, and that’s the only reason I haven’t poxyed the part down. I think that would be absolutely awesome, and I look forward to the possibility of a pump-action Space Carbine.

3D Printing & Firearms

The Space Carbine kit brought new life to a gun I haven’t shot in quite some time. I look forward to exploring other realms of 3D printing and firearms, and I’m even considering buying a normal Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider to produce a space cowboy sidearm to work with my carbine.

The Galil ACE Shorties

By

Keith Finch

-

February 19, 2024

I am a fan of the Galil ACE Series, both generations of it. The IWI AK evolutions can be heard described from my lips as the best modern AKs, and I stand by that description. I have two, my company has three. Mine are in 5.56 and the very difficult to procure 5.45, because I am apparently a glutton for punishment when it comes to finding ammunition.

But the most handy little ACE in our collection is the one 9-Hole just dropped a review on. The 7.62×39.

7,62 (as is written in most other locales) is a phenomincally performing short barreled round compared to is lighter and faster peers. Where they Soviets made 5.45 to emulate our 5.56, we made .300 BLK to emulate many of the things that 7.62x39mm could do already. The short, chonky, mid-velocity .30 caliber is exceptionally handy in the small 8.3″ Galil ACE. The modernized control suite keeps it rolling and adding suppression is easy. If you seem to be over gassing the gun, throw in a KNS piston and tune it for your suppressor and that should alleviate.

So yeah folks, shameless ACE plug. My favorite is the 5.45 but it rocks in all four calibers. Plus the NATO ones have last round bolt locks and releases and take standard mags, which is nice.

The .32 S&W Long – A Missed Opportunity

By

Travis Pike

-

February 18, 2024

One of the cool things about guns is that if you get bored of polymer frame 9mms, then you can move into shotguns. Inside of shotguns, we got slug guns, double barrels, semi-autos, and more. I recently moved into shooting more revolvers. Part of that has been researching the history of old revolvers, which is basically an excuse to buy old revolvers. Believe it or not, revolvers from the early to mid-1900s are pretty damn cheap. Well, they are cheap if you buy one in a not-so-popular caliber, and that’s how I discovered and fell in love with .32 S&W Long.

It was a little range time with a S&W 1905 5th change that convinced me that there was more to this round than meets the eye. What I expected was a lower-powered, rare, and expensive caliber. I’d shoot fifty rounds from the box I got with the gun and enjoy it, but I’d never really think about it again. The S&W 1905 would be a wall hanger. Yet… that’s not what happened.

What happened was pure enjoyment. I loved shooting the caliber and the gun and started a deep dive into the .32 S&W Long and figured out that we were all missing out on such a great round.

The History of the .32 S&W Long

Smit and Wesson released the .32 S&W Long in 1896 and released the round alongside S&W’s first-hand ejector. This revolver set up every other S&W revolver they would ever make. Originally, the round was loaded in black powder, but in 1903, it was swapped to smokeless powder. The round’s most famous user was the NYPD, who used it in Colt New Police revolver. At this point, Theodore Roosevelt was the police commissioner.

Mr. Roosevelt was famously a fan of firearms, and was well known for being a soldier and hunter, and carried an FN 1900 as his chosen self-defense firearm. He knew his guns and adopted the little .32 S&W long due to its reputation for excellent accuracy. Beyond the NYPD, the cartridge saw some success with other Northeastern Police Departments.

Where it really shines and continues to shine is in competition pistols. Believe it or not, the .32 S&W Long continues to be used in high-end competition pistols made by Pardini, Benelli, Hammerli, Walther, and more. These specific rounds are complete flat cutters to reduce the overall length to fit in semi-auto actions. The accuracy of the round can’t be overstated. It continues to blow past other options.

The Benefits of the .32 S&W Long

We’ve mentioned accuracy, and it is an accurate round. I’m not six-gun fiend. I’m an enthusiastic amateur at best. With that S&W M1905, I was able to ping a 10-inch gong six out of six times at 25 yards. It’s not a big gun, and the sights are super simple, but the round is very forgiving. Hearing ding made me feel pretty good about my ability to shoot a revolver.

Another benefit is the small size of the round and case. It leaves enough room to fit six rounds in a cylinder that would usually accommodate a mere five .38 Special rounds. One extra round might not be much, but unless my math is wrong, six is more than five, and when it comes to ammo, more is always better.

The little round also has very little recoil. Another reason I fell in love with shooting it was the soft pop of the recoil. It was unassertive and greeted you like an old man’s handshake. You won’t feel a pinch of pain, and when tossed in a small revolver, that can be quite nice.

Is It Self-Defense Capable?

That’s the real question. Plenty of turn of the century revolver cartridges faded away simply because they weren’t very well suited for self-defense. We typically want a cartridge that can penetrate through 12 to 18 inches of properly calibrated ballistic gel. This ensures the round can reach deep enough to hit something vital.

If the caliber can’t hit the off switch reliably, we usually move on. I looked into it, and Terril Herbert, over at Guns.com has tested the cartridge from an old Iver Johnson revolver. He used some simple 88-grain rounds, and they made it through four layers of denim, and all landed between 14 and 18 inches of ballistic gel.

That’s not bad, and that was using a rather anemic target load. There is no reason you couldn’t amp the round-up a little with modern guns and add a little velocity alongside a modern projectile for good penetration and expansion.

What About the .327 Federal Magnum?

I have only fired about 12 rounds of .327 Federal magnum in my life. It’s all been fired from a Ruger LCR. I found it pretty comfy, but it was loud, with lots of concussion. Luckily, the .327 Federal Magnum can fire .32 S&W long safely and reliably. There is a little bullet jump from the cylinder to the barrel due to overall length differences, but I doubt it will degrade accuracy much.

I don’t have much of a use for carrying this caliber as a serious defensive revolver, but I can’t help but feel it would be a great option for those who are recoil-sensitive. I don’t expect the .32 S&W Long to be the next big thing, but it does seem to be a missed opportunity for small revolvers and recoil-sensitive shooters.

Gunday Brunch 137: SHOT Show Recap Part 1

By

Keith Finch

-

February 18, 2024

The boys are back, and they’re talking SHOT Show! Jack won the predictions game… but lost so much more.

Falling Block vs. Rolling Block

By

Travis Pike

-

February 17, 2024

The world of early cartridge firearms is fascinating. The cash-strapped American military first adopted the famed trap door carbines from Springfield Armory. While these might have been the first cartridge firearms formally adopted by the United States military, they weren’t necessarily the only cartridge firearms standing around. The Rolling Block and Falling Block designs had established themselves with hunters, military forces, and more. A fairly common question is, what’s the difference?

Trap door carbines are easy to understand, but what’s the difference between a falling block and a rolling block? What exactly is a block in the first place? There were other cartridge firearms in this era, mainly the famed lever action rifles. These rifles fired something more or less equivalent to a pistol round or near enough to a pistol round. When you got into bigger, more powerful calibers, you needed a more robust system.

Loading the round into the chamber was as easy as sliding it into the chamber from the rear. The big problem to solve was what kept it there. When you fired the rifle, gas propelled the round forward and would most certainly propel the round rearward if allowed. You needed a block to keep the round from flying outward. Engineering in this era was wrapped around muzzle loaders where a block wasn’t needed.

One of the first arms races for pull-powered cartridge rifles meant for military use was to establish a blocking system.

The Rolling Block

The Rolling Block was mostly designed in 1863 and was used as a split breech carbine issued to US Calvary troops. It wasn’t until Remington took over the patent in 1866 that the Rolling Block we know and love was up and running. I imagine the Civil War and the need for established rifles and handguns really dampened the production of new firearms, especially when you’re already swimming in military contracts.

A Rolling Block rifle appears to have two hammers at first glance. In reality, it has a single hammer and a breech lever. The user would cock the rearward hammer o the locked position. Then, they use their thumb to manipulate the breech lever rearward, which exposes the breech. This breech lever rolls the block rearward. Thus, it was named the rolling block.

With the block locked to the rear, the shooter can insert a cartridge. The block is then rolled back into place. The rolling block contains the firing pin. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer drops and strikes the firing pin and fires the weapon.

The Falling Block

The Falling Block design is much older than the rolling block. In fact, it dates back to the 1840s and likely earlier with custom gunsmiths. Sharps used the action in his rifles, so did the Belgians, and many more. After the Civil War, the falling block really took off with the widespread acceptance and use of cartridge firearms.

To shoot a falling block rifle, you have to use a specific mechanism to lower the block. With some guns, this is a lever beneath the action, much like the Winchester 1885 designed by John Browning. In smaller guns, like the Stevens rimfire rifles, it’s a lever on the block that the user presses downward. The shooter depresses the block in one way or another inserts a cartridge and raises the block.

The firing pin is contained to the block. When the block is struck by the hammer, the weapon fires. The Falling Block carbines are still fairly popular and produced as expensive custom guns. These rifles are quite robust.

Which is Better?

Both systems are robust, well-made, and certainly well-proven. The Rolling Block design was successfully fielded by the United States military, including as the first official cartridge pistol adopted by the US Military. However, the falling block is a much more robust system. That’s why it’s still produced for high-pressure, modern calibers. Both are a ton of fun, and if you just want to play late 1800s shooter, either one will work. I have both a falling block and a rolling block .22LR and enjoy them both immensely.

Five MORE Things You Can Do at The Great American Outdoor Show (that you can’t do at SHOT)

By

Dr LateBloomer

-

February 16, 2024

Last time I gave you five things to do at the Great American Outdoor Show. It was a great time and while one day was fun and exhausting enough, I discovered that it wasn’t “actually” enough. I spent a second day there. With 650,000 square feet of show space, “enough” is not really a thing. So here are five MORE things to do at GAOS (that you can’t do in Vegas). Yes, I had fun and you should too!

1. See a 3D target archery competition.

I’m not sure what the criteria were to sign up for this, but it looked like fun! It was set up in the horse barn area (I think?) so there was plenty of room. They had 3-D targets representing just about any game animal you could think of, set up both near and far. Some of the targets were even for sale. I loved the sound of the “thwack” as the arrows struck their targets. Afterwards, I checked out the archery product section, which was huge, and I also discovered that my own Ten Point Crossbow model has been discontinued. Does that mean that I need to go shopping for an upgrade? We shall see.

Multiple competitors shooting multiple 3D targets.

2. Buy spices from a guy wearing fluorescent deer antlers.

This was definitely a double-take moment. The hat alone warranted a stop at his booth. The spice array from this family owned company was mind-boggling. Only partly to reward his attention-getting hat, I purchased some “Chesapeake Bay” seasoning since Lent is coming up and I will surely be making crab cakes. Give his link a look if you are into interesting spice mixes. Major Flavor Seasonings.

3. Watch lumberjacks chopping wood.

The GAOS was the site of the Pennsylvania Lumberjack Championships and though none of the guys looked like Paul Bunyan and I didn’t see a blue ox, I got to watch some real hard-hitters at work. I don’t think there is much wood cutting in Vegas, although I hear that axe throwing can be a thing.

One guy’s working while the other guy’s talking. Kinda like the Dept of Highways.

4. Buy beef brisket jerky and bacon brittle from a young Amish/Mennonite guy.

Yes, bacon brittle – candy that has bacon in it! What’s not to love? I am not a fan of super hot stuff myself, but he offered an incentive for brave souls. If you could eat an entire (2.5 oz) package of their “Armageddon” hot jerky in five minutes without taking anything to drink, you’d get 25% off your purchase. The fellow told me that a few tried and succeeded, but a few also bitterly regretted their decision. I stuck with the original flavor, myself. This was a friendly, energetic fellow, and a good salesman! Their business ships to anywhere in the U.S. so give them a try! Gourmet Meat Express.

5. Sit in a rocking chair under the cows.

To avoid some of the crowds, the Farm Show Complex offered a “short-cut” up through the second floor, which I availed myself of a few times. But not many people used it. That meant it was quieter, cooler, and nobody was using the rocking chairs in the atrium. Ahhhh, so I rested my tired dawgs under the cow mural. Putting ten miles of concrete show floor under my feet in two days made this a blissful experience. You should try it. I’ve never seen a rocking chair in Vegas, but they sure could use some in the press room!

So that completes my list of the best things I did at the Great American Outdoor Show. My overall impression of the GAOS? Two thumbs up, would definitely go again.

Is the 20 Gauge Really the Best Low Recoil Defensive Option?

By

Travis Pike

-

February 16, 2024

I’m a big guy, and as such, I’ve always been partial to the 12 gauge. A low-recoil shotgun has never been necessary, and I realized there was a giant 20-gauge gap in my knowledge of defensive shotguns. So I did what any self-respecting gun writer would do, and I wrote Mossberg to try out their new Mossberg 590 in 20 gauge. The 590 is a legendary fighting shotgun that traditionally chambers the 12 gauge cartridge.

This modern tactical 20 gauge is a rare bird, so seeing Mossberg embrace the smaller gauge was interesting. This isn’t a review of the gun, but I will say it’s a very nice shotgun. It’s fun to shoot, lightweight, and compared to the 12 gauge 590, it’s light recoiling. Mossberg built the 20 gauge model on a 12 gauge frame, so it’s big and plenty heavy. It does provide a lower recoil option than the 12 gauge variant and is soft and easy to shoot.

The But Behind the 20 Gauge

But…is it really the softest shooting defensive shotgun option outside of .410? As I shot the 20 gauge more and more, I had a realization. I was shooting some cheap Monarch buckshot, 2.75-inch shells loaded with nine pellets of No. 1 buck. It’s not a bad defensive load. My realization was that this pump action 20 gauge was light recoiling, but was it better than a gas-operated 12 gauge with reduced recoil tactical loads?

I grabbed my Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical with some Federal Flitecontrol and Winchester Defender and shot the guns side by side. I could hardly tell the difference in recoil. The 12 gauge with the right ammo and a gas-operated action was fairly tame, as tame as the pump action 20 gauge.

That realization and experiment led me to believe that the famed low recoil 20 gauge option isn’t as big of a deal as I had always been told. If you absolutely have to have a pump action shotgun for defensive purposes, then yes, the 20 gauge is lighter recoiling. However, if you asked me for a low-recoil defensive shotgun, I’d point you to a gas-operated semi-auto with the right ammo.

Why?

Great question. Always ask why. First, let’s talk logistics. The 12 gauge dominates the tactical shotgun market. As such, it has the most affordable defensive ammo options and is the most widely available. Most importantly, it has Federal Flitecontrol. These purpose-built defensive buckshot loads pattern tighter and often feature reduced recoil. Training ammo, like birdshot, is cheaper and more common.

I’ve found a couple of defensive buckshot loads, but they are nothing to brag about. The Barnes option is No.3 Buckshot, which doesn’t always penetrate that well. I’m sure it would stop a threat, but I’d prefer a projectile I know will penetrate deep enough to stop a threat reliably with a single pellet. The Barnes buckshot is also $4.50 cents per round and doesn’t perform all that great. Winchester also produces a 20 gauge tactical buckshot, but it’s just a low recoil Super X load.

The lack of good, solid, and easy-to-find defensive 20 gauge loads makes it tougher to suggest. Sure, that cheap Monarch load will work, but I can have Flitecontrol with the 12 gauge variant. Also, don’t forget the fact it is a semi-auto, which means it is easier to use, faster to fire, and has less human mechanical reliance.

What About a Semi-Auto 20 Gauge

That’d be the real money for a low-recoil shotgun. The problem is that it is tough to find a semi-auto-defensive 20 gauge. Benelli doesn’t make the M2 series in a defensive configuration. Beretta doesn’t seem to make any semi-auto tactical 20 gauges. There are a slew of Turkish imports, and there might be some defensive 20 gauges in there, but man are Turkish shotguns really tricky…

Some work, but most don’t. The only tactical shotgun in the 20 gauge variety I know of is the Mossberg SA-20. That’s also a Turkish import, but one that meets Mossberg’s quality, so I tend to trust it more. Sadly, they are often tough to find and are not super well supported, making it tough or even impossible to find shorter-length stocks, magazine extensions, and more.

The 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun market has never been better. Beretta has the 1301, the A300 Ultima Patrol, Benelli has the M4 and M2 series in tactical varieties, Mossberg has the 930 and 940, and not to mention the Renegauge Security, the Stoeger series, and many more. A semi-auto 12 gauge with the right ammo is the better low-recoil shotgun.

That being said, if you wanted a pump action tactical 20 gauge, the 590 is pretty damn good.

Wiley X Announces Plans to Assemble All New Products in the USA at Frisco Headquarters

By

Keith Finch

-

February 15, 2024

FRISCO, Texas (Feb. 14, 2024) – Wiley X, the global pioneer and leader in premium protective eyewear, is proud to announce that the brand will now assemble all new products from its 2024 lineup and beyond in-house at its Frisco, Texas headquarters. This move signifies a commitment to creating additional jobs at the company’s Frisco location, ensuring quality control, and
streamlining production processes.

“As a Veteran-founded and second-generation American business, this has been a dream of ours for quite some time,” said Dan Freeman, CEO and Co-Owner of Wiley X. “We are proud and excited to continue building our business by not only designing but also assembling products in Frisco. We look forward to the opportunities it will create for our hardworking teams in the U.S. that made this all possible.”

Wiley X has built a reputation for providing world-class eye protection for those who serve, work, and play in life’s harshest environments. With the decision to assemble its new products at the Frisco headquarters, the company aims to further expand its manufacturing capabilities with additional product options and services for customers. Streamlined U.S. production will lead to quicker response times, faster product availability for customers, and an accelerated warranty and replacement program.

“For over 30 years Wiley X has provided the best possible protection and performance for professionals and outdoor enthusiasts alike,” says Myles Freeman, President and Co-Owner of Wiley X. “By bringing assembly of new products under our own roof we’re taking even greater control of the manufacturing process, guaranteeing the highest quality standards while creating exciting opportunities for our team here in Frisco.”

The decision to assemble new products at the Frisco headquarters also brings economic benefits to the local community. By creating more job opportunities in the area, Wiley X continues to contribute to the growth and development of Frisco, making it an even more vibrant hub for innovation and opportunity.

For more information about Wiley X and its range of eyewear products, visit www.wileyx.com.

About Wiley X

Veteran-founded in 1987, Wiley X has been producing the world’s most protective eyewear to various markets that rely on impact resistance for over 30 years. Myles Freeman Sr., a military veteran, started Wiley X to protect the eyes of those who protected America. The company’s military heritage helped carve a roadmap for Wiley X in the years to follow for many well-respected weekend warriors. Every adult sunglass style made by Wiley X meets ANSI Z87.1 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety Standards, for protection that goes far beyond the harmful rays of the sun. Several styles also meet U.S. military MIL-PRF-32432 (GL) standards for ballistic eye protection, a key reason why Wiley X has been a leading provider of vision protection equipment to the U.S. military and law enforcement for more than 30 years.

The Judge Home Defender – Breaking It Down

By

Travis Pike

-

February 15, 2024

I’ve been blasting away with the Taurus Home Defender for about a month now. The gun itself is rather interesting. It has more in common with something like the Mossberg Shockwave than the original Judge. Since the gun has been designed for home defense, I decided to outfit mine as if it was the only gun I had for home defense. What would I do, and why would I do it? With that in mind, I’ve had lots of people asking about the weapon and its accessories, so let’s break that down.

The Taurus Judge Home Defender

The Home Defender version of the Judge features a massive 13-inch barrel. It’s designed with an extended forend and comes with rails for both lights and optics. Taurus installed shields against the cylinder, which would provide a bit of protection against the blast when using the extended forend.

The longer barrel gives the rounds a significant velocity boost and tends to allow buckshot to be a bit more like buckshot. At the same time, it can still handle the proven and massive .45 Colt rounds. Let’s break my Taurus Judge Home Defender down.

The Optic

Across the top sits a Vortex Defender. Why the Defender? Well, if I doubled up on the Home Defender with a Defender optic, it’s got twice the defense, right? No, not really, but the Vortex CCW-Defender is very light and very small. It comes with a Picatinny rail adapter, which is necessary with the Home Defender.

Some of the problems I have with the Defender-CCW don’t much matter with a revolver, outside of the oddball motion sensing auto-off with a crazy long on time. Anyway, the Defender’s refresh issues aren’t a big deal on a nonreciprocating firearm. The buttons are massive and easy to engage, and the big 6 MOA dot is easy to see. It works and keeps with the affordability of the Taurus Judge Home Defender.

The Light

I’ve tried a few different lights but settled on the very compact TL RM1. This lightweight, compact light is designed for long guns but works very well for the Home Defender. The ergonomics of the ramp-style switch make it easy to access. I can also use a pressure switch if I so choose.

Five hundred lumens is enough for inside the home, and it casts a wide, bright white beam that has lots of spill. The TL RM1 is also very light, which makes it easy to maintain the ability to fire the weapon with one hand. It’s also fairly affordable and easy to use.

The Ammo

I’ve tried a number of different loads with the Judge Home Defender. The one that consistently makes the most sense and is the easiest to find is the Hornady Critical Defense. It’s a .41 caliber projectile backed by two .35 caliber balls. It’s three projectiles total, and the .41 caliber FTX slugs give you excellent accuracy, and the two extra balls give you that extra shot on target effect. It provides a rather light recoil and delivers consistently tight groupings at home defense ranges.

The Side Saddle

The side saddle mounts to the optic’s rail. It’s not made for shotguns but for rifles. This five-shot side saddle is a Monstrum Tactical .243 caliber side saddle. It attaches with ease, and the .410 shells slide in rather easily. Even the .45 Colt rounds fit, but they tend to be tight compared to the shotshells. It allows for five extra rounds to be held to the gun and doesn’t get in the way.

The Future of the Judge Home Defender

I plan to add a pressure switch to the TL RM1 light; this way, I can access the light at two different points if necessary. I also plan to swap the stock grips for an ATI X2 grip. It’s larger, and the Judge grips feel fairly small. If possible, I’m looking to add a single-point sling to the gun, which will provide greater control and retention over the weapon.

The more I use the Home Defender, the more I like it. It might not be my first choice for a home defense weapon, but I’m enjoying the process of dragging every ounce of potential out of it. Check out the Home Defender now and make it your favored home defense weapon…or just have some fun with a massive revolver.

The New Russian 6.02x41mm

By

Travis Pike

-

February 15, 2024

While Russian soldiers remain embroiled in a brutal war of aggression with Ukraine, the Russian Arms Industry is busy producing new rounds and a new AK. It’s odd because it seems even Russian soldiers don’t have enough AKs to fight and have even relied on the Mosin Nagant once more. Anywho, the Russians have developed a 6.02×41 and a new AK and sniper rifle to go alongside it.

What’s the Point of the 6.02x41mm?

Kalashnikov.ru first reported on the advent of the new AK and cartridge. It bears mentioning that Kalashnikov.ru has a very heavy pro-Russian bias but does offer the most information on the new cartridge and most things to do with the Russian arms industry. According to their report:

On December 12, 2023, the Federal Service for Intellectual Property of the Russian Federation registered patent RU 2809501 C1, which describes the “Small Weapon Cartridge with Increased Penetration,” developed at the Tula Cartridge Plant in collaboration with the Kalashnikov concern.

The increased penetration part and the fact the website discusses the new round having the same energy at 900 meters as the 5.45 at 500 meters makes it clear they are attempting to compete with the Next Generation Squad Weapon program that SIG Sauer recently won with their rifle, machine gun, and 6.8mm Fury cartridge.

The NGSW is designed to embrace technology, like the new XM157 Vortex smart scope, to make the average soldier more lethal at extended ranges. Additionally, the weapon platform and the high-pressure cartridge will supposedly have the ability to penetrate modern body armor. It seems like the Russians want to mimic that capability but on the AK level.

They tested three cartridges before landing on the 6.02x41mm round. Supposedly, it offers the best compromise of ammunition weight and size, with range, penetration, and controllability in an assault rifle platform.

The New Rifles

Russia has clung to the AK longer than America has clung to the AR. It’s unlikely they’ll be apt to swap from the reliable action anytime soon. The AK series is basically a Russian brand, and the rifle certainly works. Russia is one of the biggest arms exporters in the world, and the AK is their flagship. How much damage would they do to their brand by swapping rifles?

Kalashnikov Concern has seemingly converted the AK-12 into the AK-22. This includes all the AK-12 upgrades. It’s got folding and collapsing stock, rails for optics, a handguard with rails, and a few modern muzzle device options. The iron sights are moved rearward for a longer sight radius to top it all off. The AK-22 takes all that and chambers the 6.02x41mm round.

Alongside the AK-22, the Russians have shrunk the ‘Microwave’ rifle from its 7.62x54R design to a smaller, more compact 6.02x41mm option. The Microwave is a sniper rifle in the same vein as the Dragunov series. It’s semi-auto, mag-fed, and certainly looks cool and modern.

Does It Matter

The key to the success of the NGSW weaponry and the 6.8mm cartridge is its range. To get the most out of the rifle, it uses a high-tech, high-end optic that implements a ballistic computer a soldier can use to call their shots with ease. A good shooter can only do so much when they can’t see the target.

With that said, I, like many, have been following the Ukraine war. How many optics have you seen in use by the Russians? A few for sure, but not many. It seems like the most common are red dots. This also brings us to the question, how many AK-12s have we seen?

Not a ton, at least compared to the other AK variants. It certainly doesn’t seem like the Russians could get the AK-22 in production in enough numbers to matter. If they did, they don’t have the optics to make the new round worth it. It’s likely a patent to gauge potential foreign exports. Plenty of countries use the AK, but Russian military equipment hasn’t proven to be superbly useful. Maybe the 6.02x41mm will work out, but I doubt it.

Lakewood and the Bronx Shootings

By

Keith Finch

-

February 14, 2024

Two intriguing shootings happened this week, one in Texas at Joel Osteen’s Houston area Megachurch and the other in the New York Subway. Both shootings are likely to fade from the collective memory for different reasons.

The Bronx

As details began to emerge on the 1 killed 5 injured incident in the NY Subway, a sad old pattern took shape.

Two groups, verbal conflict, gun was flashed, shots fired. Criminals doing crime, territorial groups defending their egos. A tale literally as old as time. In gun control heavy New York it isn’t a thrilling success story for their policies on crime management and gun violence prevention.

On that note, I do have to add, California is still leading the nation in mass shootings with 7 and mass killings with 3.

Get bent, Newsom.

Houston/Lakewood

The Osteen Megachurch incident is also interesting in several respects.

First, I do hope the poor seven year old that the shooter brought as a human shield/cover/dissuasion recovers. No child so young could willingly and knowingly partake in a venture like the attack could have been on the Spanish language service that was about to begin. The boy appears to have been struck in the head during the gun fight and is identified as the woman’s son.

The RumINT around the event though has the corners of the internet ablaze, and we live in such cynical times the theories are… depressing. What we do know is the 36 year old woman, an interesting note as female shooters are rare but not unheard of, brought an AR or similar rifle and the five year old to the church, concealed, and attempted to attack the church service. Two off duty cops saw her raise the rifle and quickly shot and killed her. The boy was struck in the fire, likely unfortunately by the officers but at the fault of the shooter for bringing him.

“Palestine” has been confirmed by the authorities to have been written on the rifle, giving us some insight into motive. This indicates that the shooter had little expectation of survival, wanted to send a message with the recovered evidence, and lends credence to the child human shield tactic as getting a kid killed by hiding behind them is very Hamas brand.

Swift action by the off duty officers protecting the service stopped the shooter from killing many in a packed church where density could produce very high casualties if she had remained unopposed.

The rifle markings harken back to the Christchurch attack in New Zealand, the rumors of the shooter possibly being trans (due mostly to an alleged male alias name from a previous arrest) brings back memories of Nashville Tennessee, and attacks on places of worship call to mind many other events. The cynical nature and goodwill lost by authorities in recent years doesn’t help the discounting and dismissal of rumors any either.

Rumors aside, speculation laid down, and merely considering the facts as we know them… the nation and the world still remain in a state of heightened discontent and the pain points are factional. Many people are mad, many on edge, and they are at odds for different reasons. All of them tend to consider their reasons better than others reasons. This is a recipe for flare ups and those flare ups will be violent. That violence will cause injury and death, it will mostly be unjustified in the grand scale but justifiable to their particular faction and themselves.

Thoughts

Long gone is my personally held hope that the 21st Century would be a truly enlightened time. We’ve let exaggeration and hyperbole get away from us and let misconceptions become “personal truths”, all while pretending that if we pretend hard enough certain core mechanics of the human experience just won’t be.

We are sick of each others nonsense. We are sick of those in powers nonsense to a far greater degree. We are sick of facts being exaggerated into falsehoods to fit a preference. We are just sick and tired of so many things. That generates short tempers and aggressive, sometimes exaggeratedly so, reactions. Those actions and reactions hurt people.

We are already not an entirely rational species it well known. But the absurdity that we can pretend violence doesn’t need to exist in the first worldview while excusing it in certain underprivileged and strained factions where it is a currency is still mind-boggling.

I think the 2020’s are going to be their own brand of hostile. Roaring sure, but largely in anger and frustration.