SFP Optics, its probably what you need

By

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October 12, 2023

On first glance at first and second focal plane optics, the first focal plane seems like a no-brainer. The reticles have more data, more detail, and scale with the target image so that the data on the target is always appropriately sized. Solid state reticles in both scopes mean that you really don’t need any illumination to aim anyway under most conditions. It can certainly help to keep the eye focused on the center but it isn’t a necessity in any measure.

But you probably need a second focal plane optic.

A few weeks back, Jack and I discussed how the LPVO and the red dot have softly switched positions in mainstream carbine use. The LPCO is now, arguably, the standard to meet for an optic suite. Both US ground services are fielding them, several models, for good reasons.

To expand further on this topic in text form, I believe the SFP 1-6 is the current general purpose optic standard to look to.

Why you might need the SFP

The last ‘ gold standard’ optic, in an anything but standardized market, is arguably the Aimpoint PRO and/or EOTech EXPS2. Throw on the optional magnifiers and you have a highly capable carbine. Not going to the absolute top of the optics tier with dots allows for some significant cost savings with very little decrease in performance. By not going with an EXPS3 model or a CompM4/5 the user can save without sacrifice.

Author’s EXPS2-2 and G33 Magnifier Image by RMFA Photography, J. Sarkody

The same is true of LPVOs and you can access military grade models for nearly the same spend as a dot and magnifier.

The rise in LPVO quality and the decreasing costs mean that the same roughly $1100-$1300 (current market estimates) spend that get you the 1x/3x red dot can put you into an excellent quality second focal plane optic.

Most users, LEO, civilian, and military alike, are served by the matching and exceeding of what the red dot or fixed power ACOG gave them. The SFP LPVOs like the Tango6T, VUDU, and Razor II-E combine the bright aiming dot with greater variable magnification for enhanced sight picture and target ID.

“But, Keith…” you say smugly, pointing at the US DoD optics, “the Army and Marines have selected front focal plane optics.”

Correct.

I know why, too. For them it makes sense. They have specific weapons and ammunition for which front focal plane reticles can be matched. Several SFP models are in inventories too with high performance units.

But most users, not law enforcement, not civilians, and not military personnel using anything outside the normal inventory of rifle and ammo combined (IE: personal weapons on personal time) benefit less from a BDC equipped FFP optics. My M855A1 BDC doesn’t do me much if I’m shooting M193 out of a different barrel length or twist. I have to reshoot and dope the scope to use the scale with my ammo. New ammo, reshoot.

But most shooting, personal and professional, doesn’t require that. Most shooting is inside 300 yards, it doesn’t require much in the way of offset precision holds to make good hits.

So what you need is an aiming point and the assist that zoom provides, a bright aiming point is a bonus. Scope like the S-VPS above offer that. They can operate quick and close and still make shots at 300, 400, 500, even 600 yards with just a little bit of knowledge of ranging and hold over.

In my experience teaching, that natural tendency to holdover at distance and a reasonable ability to estimate range are fairly simple. Additionally in my experience, shooters will use maximum magnification on the optic at distances so adding a very simple hold over estimate for ranges doesn’t overcomplicate a reticle and won’t disrupt the simplicity of its main role. That role being to give an enhanced detail sight picture but not complicate the sight.

The Staccato-P

By

P.E. Fitch

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October 12, 2023

The Staccato-P 2011 pistol is Staccato’s flagship duty-sized gun, and the company sells this handgun with either a steel frame or an anodized aluminum frame. Ceteris paribus, they retail for the same amount and the actual difference in weight is only five ounces between them. On the one hand, five ounces is five ounces, but on the other hand this is still a chunky duty size gun. And don’t forget to consider the extra weight of the dot and a light either. To be clear, the one I got my hands on is the aluminum version with the five-inch threaded barrel with a black DLC finish (10-1201-000300). This gun is mounted with a Holosun 507C. While shooting it for the review, I attached my Surefire X-300U-B WML so I could take full advantage of my Floodlight’s universal capabilities. Fortunately, shooting this gun coincided with USPSA’s introduction of the limited-optics division, because literally the first thing I did after confirming the zero on the dot was to take it to a match and shoot limited-optics. After all, this is a gun marketed as a tactical high-performance pistol, so what better way than to review it by pushing as hard as I can?

I’d like to make a point by first referencing a famous Mexican proverb.

“El Que Es Perico, Donde Sea Es Verde.”

It originally means that parrots are green no matter which jungle they live in. Proverbially it means that someone who is talented can thrive anywhere. The Staccato P-Aluminum is no exception. Staccato was once known as STI (Strayer-Tripp International), who invented these high-capacity 1911s in the first place. After its current re-organization, the company also pared down its product line. Their current offerings are optimized and tuned their to be suitable for the street, as raceguns are not. So sure, this Staccato-P was built for the streets but it fell right-in at USPSA. As a left-handed shooter, I like that all Staccatos are outfitted with ambi safeties from the factory.

SHOOTING THE STACCATO-P

The very first 10-round 25 yard B8 string i shot, while verifying zero when I took the gun in. I don’t usually shoot like this!

Since receiving the gun, I’ve taken it to at least three matches where I probably fired around 450 rounds, plus another 120 or so at an indoor range. My estimated round count sits around the 550 mark, with approximately 80% of these being my handloads and 20% being factory 9mm loads. But this review isn’t supposed to be a dull range report of round counts. It’s not a secret that as far as 2011s go, Staccatos generally have a good reputation for reliability. The third generation (G3) magazines make them even better.

The Staccato-P is extremely easy and accurate to shoot, and I think this is a huge factor in why they are extremely popular and sell very well. I mean, who doesn’t want a pistol that amplifies their skill? There’s a reason why even single-stack 1911s are still around after a century, and it’s not merely the matter of “two world warz!” I’ve shot some of the easiest 25-yard NRA-B8 targets in my life with this specific pistol, and this easy accuracy proved itself very useful in the classifier of the last match I shot. Ditto for longer distance shots across stages at “challenging targets” like tuxedos and the like. It’s always challenging to articulate felt recoil, but this is a full-size 9mm pistol, so there’s really nothing to worry about.

A box full of 124-gr 9mm handloads next to a 3rd generation Staccato 17-round magazine.

A “non-issue” I had with this pistol is how it’s tuned at the factory. The rate at which the slide reciprocates back and forth during firing by default doesn’t feel the way I like it. It actually feels a little bit slow to me. I’d wager that most people wouldn’t notice this nor even care. And for those who would, it’s likely no big deal because the chances are they were planning on tuning with their favorite loads. I say non-issue because it actually doesn’t matter and it’s not a real criticism because it would be like judging a truck because the driver’s seat wasn’t adjusted to your own body. At the end of the day, the slow slide never got in my way.

However, something to keep in mind is the size of the grip. The Staccato-P’s grip is rather chunky and shooters with smaller hands need to see if the pistol fits them properly in order to wring the most performance from it.Trying to use any pistol with an ill-fitting grip is like trying to run a mile with shoes two sizes below.

Classically built 2011 pistols, such as this one, were designed around a very wide double-stack magazine built for the competitive .38 Super cartridge. Even though the gun is chambered for 9mm, a lot of the internal dimensions exist with .38 Super blueprints. As a result, 2011s have some of the largest and widest pistol grips in the modern handgun world. Staccato-P owners who plan to conceal carry their pistols also need to be aware and make sure that this oversize grip does not cause printing issues.

The Staccato-P Nested In Dark Star Gear’s new Apollo AIWB holster for 2011s. I would not recommend the 20 round mags nor the magwell for concealed carry.

STACCATO-P DETAILS

The Staccato-P makes use of a wedge-lock arrangement in lieu of the classic barrel-bushing set-up, this is common for many bull-barreled 2011 pistols. Instead of the traditional guide-rod and recoil spring, it has the nifty Dawson Precision Tool-Less Recoil system. The slide stop is removed the classic way, by lining it up with the take-down notch. Once the slide is off, the Dawson self-captures the recoil spring by a clever hinge that catches the other half along with the spring under tension. It’s no different than taking out a captured recoil spring from a Glock, in this sense. Since this barrel extends a half-inch further because it’s threaded, it includes an O-ring to detain the muzzle cap. This works very well and the cap never came loose. This barrel is finished with a black DLC finish (and this costs a few hundred extra over the normal Staccato-P). This specific pistol also came with Staccato’s factory optics cut, the DPO (Dawson Precision Optic). The system and its plates are designed to co-witness properly with the most popular reflex sights on the market. Even as plain iron sights, these are nice. The rear sight has a wide square notch and serrated face. The front sight has a wide, but not too wide fiber-optic insert. As all-around iron sights are concerned, these are fantastic.

Both the slide and frame are fit exquisitely with no real rattle to report. The way the safeties engage is very crisp and positive even after multiple on/off cycles. The barrel lug engagement with the slide recesses feels very good when you gently ease the slide forward. Staccato pistols are known for their reliability, correct dimensioning of their parts and their build quality. Joe Chambers of Chambers Customs has an informative video series where he measures and discusses the critical dimensions of both single and double-stack pistols. Mr. Chambers has looked over a handful of Staccatos and their numbers are consistent across the board. It’s important to keep in mind that any 2011 pistol is still a 1911 at heart. This means that is mechanics reward the shooter with superior shooting ability and accuracy, but there is no such thing as a free lunch. When the time comes, this gun will still be more critical to maintain and keep an eye on compared to your typical striker-fired polymer pistol. It’s a trade-off many serious shooters willingly make.

TAKEAWAY

2011 pistols have a lot to offer shooters in terms of performance. Their biggest downsides are going to be their grip-size and their cost. Keep in mind that magazines cost more and need more maintenance as well. The median price for the typical 2011 pistol these days hovers around the $5,000 mark and its not unreasonable for some custom builds to cost twice that. While Staccato-P pistols are production guns, they also aren’t cheap by any means. The specific model I reviewed retails for $2,800. But in the world of “serious” double-stack guns, the Staccato-P is actually the value proposition.

The FRT Ban joins the Brace Ban in Legal Semi-Stasis

By

Keith Finch

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October 12, 2023

US judge limits enforcement of forced reset trigger ban

The headline at Reuters tells the tale pretty well. The ATF’s classification of Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs) has been put on hold as, once again, the courts are enforcing the fact that words mean things and ‘Machine Gun’ is clearly defined.

Like the stay on the Brace ban, the block on enforcement is limited to plaintiffs and associated members and customers. So it isn’t necessarily everyone who owns an FRT is in the clear but good luck to the ATF getting only non-member and non-customer triggers.

The ATF used a broad interpretation of their mandates and DoJ urging to try and take guns and triggers that are not machine guns off the market for being to like machine guns in final function. IE: They allow the owner to shoot fast with a mechanical advantage. They are not automatic though, they use distinct and separate trigger movements to fire each shot.

The court is saying that you cannot just declare something close enough to a machine gun, which follows in the logic of the bump stock ban falling to the court system too. These suits are in process and don’t expect the products back commercial any time soon, but it is nice when the courts read plain english and agree with it.

It they want to ban FRTs, binary triggers, or anything at all, it is the job of Congress to pass a law, the President to sign it, and the court to determine if it passes constitutional muster. It is that last bit that so many gun control laws on the book are failing to meet.

Kimber KDS9C 1911 Double Stack Review

By

248 Shooter

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October 11, 2023

New Kimber K6XS 6 Shot Alloy Frame Revolver

By

248 Shooter

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October 11, 2023

New Bul Armory Axe C Hatchet: Glock Perfection?

By

248 Shooter

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October 11, 2023

An Ode to Blowback Operation

By

Travis Pike

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October 11, 2023

The simple blowback system has been around for quite some time. From a practical standpoint, blowback operation, as we know, dates back to 1883 when Hiram Maximmodified a Winchester 1866 lever action rifle for blowback operation. Before that, blowback operation had been used to open breeches and to cock hammers. These days, blowback operation seems to be looked down upon and generally not as respected as alternative systems. Today, we are taking a moment to appreciate blowback operation.

What Is Blowback Operation?

When one says blowback operated, they could be referencing a number of systems. There are plenty of delayed blowback operations like roller delayed, radial delayed, and even chamber ring delayed. When most people say blowback, they mean straight blowback, and that’s what we are talking about today.

This simple system uses an unlocked breech. The bolt sits against the barrel and chambered round but is not locked there. When the weapon is fired, the projectile is propelled forward by force, and force also pushes rearward on the bolt. This causes the bolt to retract rearwards, which often results in the cartridge extracting, ejecting, and the cycling of the next round.

When designing a firearm, the designer has to ensure the bolt stays closed long enough for the bullet to leave the barrel before the bolt retracts. There are several ways to achieve this, and the most common is the combination of a heavy recoil spring paired with a heavy bolt to delay the action opening until the projectile has left the barrel.

As you’d imagine, this is about the simplest way for a semi-auto firearm to operate. It was quite popular in the early 1900s for handgun operation. For about a decade, it was the most successful way for a handgun to operate.

Handguns that use straight blowback systems are typically shooting less powerful rounds. Cartridges like the .32 ACP, the .22LR, and even the .380 ACP work well in blowback handguns. In rifles and SMGs, blowback operation works well with more powerful calibers like 9mm, 10mm, 45 ACP, and beyond.

In handguns, you can go bigger, but this requires a very heavy slide to function. That’s one of the reasons why Hi-Point firearms have such massive slides.

The Benefits Of Blowback Operation

Blowback operation is remarkably simple! This makes it an affordable option for firearm companies. It’s why Hi-Point handguns and carbines are so affordable. It’s also why things like the Extar series, the Keltec SUB 2000, and the S&W FPC are so affordable. That simplicity also ensures it’s a reliable system.

In fact, it’s one of the most reliable systems. It works very well with a variety of ammunition types and cycles reliably when filthy, dirty, and in the worst environments. Adding suppressors, compensators, and breaks won’t challenge the reliability either. These guns just run and run with very little reason to complain.

The system tends to be quite durable. There is a lack of small parts that can break or malfunction with heavy use, like gas tubes and pistons. Blowback rifles might not be lightweight, but most of the weight is to the rear of the rifle, making it a bit better balanced than other systems.

The Downsides of Blowback Operation

There is no such thing as a free lunch. It’s not a perfect system by any means. Trying to chamber rifle rounds in a blowback firearm would be incredibly difficult, so you’re left with lower-power rounds, which are most commonly handgun cartridges.

The weapons tend to be heavier, and the stiff springs make them harder to operate. We also get a hefty dose of recoil. This makes a 9mm AR feel like a 5.56 AR in some cases. These guns also tend to get quite dirty, but they also run pretty well when they are filthy, dirty anyway.

It Won’t Die

Blowback operation just won’t die. It can’t! We can’t have that, and the systems continue to function and work, so why would we? It helps keep a lot of guns affordable, and affordable is good. Blowback operation isn’t high speed, high tech, or all that interesting, but it’s incredibly reliable, functional, and durable, so put some respect on its name.

Deadpool is the New Punisher (For Gun Cringe)

By

Travis Pike

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October 11, 2023

I’m betting everyone reading this has, at one point, had to smile and nod at someone’s rifle or handgun to be polite. If you’re a gun guy or gal, someone will eventually want to show you their guns, and most of the time, it will be fine. However, there is a fair chance that you’ve seen the dreaded Punisher logo on someone’s gun. I like the Punisher comics, the video games, and even the movies and TV shows that tend to be entertaining, but Good God has that skull logo become one of the worst things to happen to the gun community. While that’s bad, I fear that the Deadpool fans are quickly taking up the mantle of cringe king.

As I’ve become a crotchety old man, I’ve become a bit sick of the buy-product culture of modern entertainment. A handful of big companies own my favorite properties and seem hell-bent on producing safe cookie-cutter material. The sterilization of art to attract advertisements has left me feeling scorned. I say all this because it shows my bias. It’s also why I think things like the Punisher logo and Deadpool logo on firearms have become so cringy.

The Problem With the Punisher and Deadpool

Maybe the real problem is with the fans of these two characters. They tend to be rather annoying. The Punisher is a vigilante power fantasy that ignores the reality of crime and the effects of vigilantism. It’s fine in a comic, movie, or video game because it’s escapism. When we see it in real life, especially on someone’s guns, it becomes ultra cringy. Are you trying to say you’re equal to special operation commando Frank Castle?

Are you a vigilante? A badass? A tough guy? Or are you a dude who paid way too much money for a bare-bones AR at a gun show, tossed on an ACOG clone and an Olight, and called it good? It reeks of being a try-hard. It’s kind of like how when Modern Warfare 2 came out way back when, and as teenagers, we thought Ghost was cool. Then we grew up and realized how dumb a skull mask is outside a story.

Deadpool isn’t the grim, dark hero that is the Punisher. He tends to be a sarcastic, smart-mouth, mentally ill, violent killer. Depending on the comic, he’s an anti-hero, a hero, or maybe even a villain if it suits him. Being Deadpool is cool if you’re Ryan Reynolds, but homie, you ain’t Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool as a character is fun, but the Deadpool-themed guns I’ve seen are super cringy.

Editor’s Note: I have seen more than one cheap dead pool blaster chilling in crime labs too. Not that this should stop you from doing what you want with your property, but just an observation that there seems to be a correlation (which isn’t causation) between absurd and ‘perhaps ill taste’ property and other poor decisions.

Why is This a Problem?

I’m not one to tell people what to do with their guns and I don’t buy into the argument that things like the Nintendo Zapper-themed guns are dangerous. However, when we slap characters from comics on our guns, we can look like idiots. It becomes an issue of optics, and as gun owners, we are constantly on the defensive. As a gun owner, the last thing you should want is to have to use your weapon anywhere other than the range. Your turbo murder mercenary themed gun on an evidence stand is less than ideal

Putting characters like the Punisher or Deadpool on your firearm makes you seem like you might be the type wishing someone would try you. That plays into the anti-gunner’s view of gun owners as bloodthirsty morons. You also look like a try-hard and someone who might be a little on the dumb side. It comes off as very immature.

There is certainly an argument for the coolness of custom cerakote work, and I’ll agree with you. That takes time and talent to achieve. But tossing on a Glock backplate or a literal magwell sticker on your AR will make you someone other gun owners mock as unserious.

Does the AK-12 Hunt?

By

Keith Finch

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October 11, 2023

The AK-12 has been much derided for its less than stellar performance and under equipped debut in the hands of Russian forces in Ukraine.

But how bad is it as a stand alone? This would accurately meet how Russians went into Ukraine with the weapon, despite its alleged increased ability to mount modern ancillaries.

Make sure you give 9-Hole reviews a like and a subscribe too as you stay tuned here.

Tuning, for the younger crowd, is an old magic trick we had to perform for TV’s in order to watch whatever happened to be being broadcast at the time. We didn’t get to pick. Scary, I know.

New Beretta APX A1 Compact Review

By

248 Shooter

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October 10, 2023

New Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Magnum Gun Review!

By

248 Shooter

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October 10, 2023

FN Reflex Micro 9 Gun Review

By

248 Shooter

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October 10, 2023

Marking Mags – Why and How

By

Travis Pike

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October 10, 2023

Do you ever see high-volume shooters mark their mags? It seems odd, right? Why would they ever need to write numbers of their magazines? Well, great questions, and today we dive into the why of marking magazines and why it might be a valuable idea for you to give a spin.

Why Marking Mags Is Useful

The main reason why magazines are marked is to be able to tell one from the other. Most shooters will number their magazines so they know that this is PMAG 1, 2, and 3. Being able to identify the magazine is crucial in case one begins to fail. Let’s face it: all magazines basically look alike, and in the midst of training, competition shooting, and similar endeavors, it’s easy to experience a malfunction, remove and replace the magazine, and keep going.

If one malfunctions, you can notate the number and keep track of it. One malfunction doesn’t mean much, but if the magazine consistently malfunctions, you’ll know which magazine is problematic and to remove it. You might need to fix the spring the follower or just toss it or regulate it to a training magazine.

That’s one reason, but marking goes beyond that. You might be using a series of very similar magazines for a variety of calibers. Dedicating magazines to .300 Blackout helps you prevent your 5.56 gun from going boom. I also like the Endo 9mm magazines that use a PMAG as their host. These mags all have a big nine on the side. I joke that they are Red Nine magazines.

You might also want to mark your magazines based on what they are used for. Are they training mags? Duty mags? Defensive mags? It might be worth marking them. My Glock mags from KCI don’t look much different than my OEM mags, but I don’t want to mix them up. If you take an AR class there will be mags everywhere and a set of initials makes them easy to separate.

Mark ‘Em Up

Marking mags is pretty easy. You can do it with a paint pen pretty easily. Magazines like the Gen 3 PMAGs have a dot matrix that makes it easy and convenient to mark. Birchwood Casey makes paint pens, and so does Sharpie. That’s the easiest way and can be done on demand.

Another easy way is if you just want to mark them with your name or something similar you have them laser engraved. It’s a bit fancy, but permanent and admittedly looks nice. It’s like monogramming but for your gun’s feed device. You’ll be the classiest gent in class. It’s not exactly complicated to get your magazines marked and can be a valuable task to complete.

Prism Tricks

By

Keith Finch

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October 9, 2023

Travis wrote a bit on this not too long ago, but for those of us more visually inclined 9-Hole reviews has a video here on the magnifier trick of using a scope through an RDS or Holographic optic.

As mind breaking as it seems the concept is simple. A magnifier is simply a reticule free scope. Putting a regular fixed scope behind the dot can work the same way as long as the objective lens can gather the light properly from the dot. Neat solution to pre-LPVO mainstream life and times.

Lehigh Ammunition Testing

By

V. Caldwell

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October 9, 2023

Above all else Lehigh bullets are consistently manufactured.

The test of science isn’t asking you to believe but presenting the results of testing and letting you make your own conclusion. I have tested Lehigh ammunition extensively and came to the conclusion that these loads feature good quality control feed reliability and accuracy. Lehigh began manufacturing match grade copper bullets and today Lehigh ammunition is owned by Wilson Combat. The load I was most interested in was the .45 ACP 170 grain hollowpoint. My carry gun is a Springfield 1911 and I enjoy running different high quality load in the pistol and gauging performance. The 170 grain load breaks just over 1,100 fps according to the RCBS chronograph. Recoil is about the same or less than the usual 185 grain .45 ACP loading. Accuracy is good. Expansion in water jugs and wet paper is startling- 1.2 to 1.5 inch and 8 to 10 inches of penetration in this less than scientific media.

I also fired the 135 grain .45 ACP Lehigh. A fluted bullet designed to chop tissue and create damage by fluid force is more difficult to qualify than an expanding bullet. Expansion is obvious, fluid damage is not. These bullets penetrate less than a full metal jacketed bullet and cause a lot of damage in water jugs and gelatin. Advertised at 1250 fps this load clocked at 1190 fps. The Savage 1911 pistol exhibited good accuracy, firing both off hand and from a braced firing position. Powder burn is clean with limited muzzle blast.

The 9mm loads were feed reliable accurate and pleasant to fire.

Next I broke out the Springfield Echelon for testing 9mm Luger loads. First up was the 105 grain fracturing hollow point. Velocity is 1193 fps on average in the Springfield. I also fired a few rounds in the SIG P210. This pistol registered 1270 fps and an associates long slide Glock 34 delivered 1301 fps. Certainly plenty of velocity. Expansion in fourteen inches of water is a solid consistent .80. From the SIG a bullet went fifteen inches and .84- statistically meaningless but impressive. I cannot think of a 9mm load that has given me more confidence in testing.

The 90 grain all copper fluted nose load came up next. The XD load offers significantly lower recoil than most 9mm defense loads. Penetration is good and at 1349 fps it isn’t a slow load. A 90 grain bullet simply produces less recoil energy than a heavier bullet. I was able to take pot shots with this combination at a long 50 yards on steel gongs. You could hear the resounding thunk as the bullets hit the eight inch gong a little more than half of the shots fired. I like this load and its easy combination of light recoil and high velocity.

Lehigh loads are available in a wide range of bullet weights.

I also fired the CF +P loading. An all copper bullet is longer than a lead core bullet and as a result more of the powder space is taken up by the bullet shank. As a result while real speed may be achieved with all copper bullets that are a bit lighter for the caliber heavier bullets cannot be loaded as fast as the 90 to 100 grain bullets. As a result this 115 grain bullet clocks 1150 fps in the Springfield about average to below average velocity for a 115 grain 9mm. Just the same the all copper bullet treatment is accurate and make for good penetration. The controlled fracturing design with its all copper bullet serrated in order to ensure expansion is a reliable mechanism that produces consistent results. This load is also the single most accurate of the 9mm loadings. Firing from an MTM Caseguard K zone firing rest and taking every advantage for accuracy and with no time limit two five shot groups were fired, one at 15 yards and one at 25 yards. The 15 yard group was 1.4 inch while the 25 yard group was 2.1 inch. This is excellent accuracy for service grade ammunition.

The 115 grain XD 9mm low recoil load proved interesting. A solid copper fluted bullet may cause more disruption at high velocity but then it doesn’t need high velocity to do its chopping effect. And lets face it some loads simply kick a little too much for lighter pistols. A Shadow Systems compact or FN Reflex may not be the rest choice for +P loads. This load clocks 1089 fps in the FN Reflex 1101 fps in a Glock 19 1121 fps in SIG P210 and 1090 fps in the Springfield Echelon. Low recoil loads are not designed for a great deal of energy. This carefully designed combination offers good function and accuracy. There is a lot to be said for accurate delivery and fast recovery.

The 135 grain .45 ACP loading is a formidable choice for personal defense.

In firing several hundred Lehigh ammunition loads I admit perhaps I am short on wound potential testing although my tests of the hollow point loads certainly proved these are good choices for personal defense. The bottom line in choosing ammunition must be reliability. These loads proved reliable accurate and clean burning a wide range of handgun. That is the bottom line for choosing defensive ammunition.