An Ode to Blowback Operation
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)
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?
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.
Marking Mags – Why and How
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
What You Need to Know About Shotgun Tube Extensions
Shotgun magazine tubes are an interesting way to store ammo. It sits below the barrel and holds anywhere from three to 12 rounds, depending on how crazy the gun and manufacturer get. Typically, they hold between four and eight rounds. There is a big difference between four and eight rounds, and if you want eight rounds instead of four, you need to add a tube extension.
Tube extensions typically thread onto your shotgun’s existing tube and make things just a little longer, and extra length means extra ammo. Adding a magazine extension is pretty simple, but doing it the right way takes a little extra know-how. The first thing you should know is that while tube extensions are fine, if you have the option to use a complete replacement magazine tube, do that instead of using a tube extension.
Guns like the Benelli M4, for example, tend to work best with seven-round tubes rather than a five-round tube and a + 2 extension. A complete tube replacement is the way to go if that’s an option. It’s a simpler, more reliable, and overall better option.
Tube Extensions 101 – Know Your Gun
Sometimes, adding a tube extension isn’t always easy. You’d think it’d be a simple process, but alas, complications arise. First and foremost, you should make sure your gun can accept an extension. Guns like the Mossberg 500 cannot, but the 590 can. On guns like the Remington 870, you might run into a dimpled magazine tube. Why does Remington dimple their magazine tube?
Because they hate you? I honestly don’t know. You can use a swage to drive it out and solve the problem or even file it off. Other guns may have generational differences that make adding an extension impossible. Research it a bit before you dive in.
Go With Metal
If it’s a defensive gun, go with a metal magazine tube extension. Competition guns often use lighter-weight tubes, and that’s fine. Tactical guns should be rugged. Polymer can be plenty tough, but I’m not aware of any high-quality shotgun company making polymer tube extensions. Metal tends to be a better way to go for smooth feeding, as well as resistance to the elements. Plus, wrench flats allow it to get quite tight.
Springs Matter
If you’re extending your magazine, you’ll need a better spring. Most will come with the spring you’ll likely need, but if not, you need to find the right option. You’ll need to know your shotgun’s capacity after you install the extension. Check out Wolff for good springs for shotguns. Or good springs for anything, for that matter.
Followers Matter
Followers also matter. An anodized aluminum follower that’s ultra-smooth tends to work best with magazine extensions. Where the magazine meets the tube extension is a big hangup spot for your followers. I personally suggest the SMRT follower from Aridus. It’s specifically designed for this purpose and for more.
Barrel Clamps
Do you need a barrel clamp? I wouldn’t say it’s an absolute requirement. However, a barrel clamp does provide a little extra stability to the magazine tube. It’s not necessarily something you’ll notice in a self-defense situation, but it’ll help ensure the tube extension doesn’t bend or fail. With nothing between the barrel and the tube, it’s easy for a sling or anything else to get between the two and create problems.
Get a Paint Pin
Once you’ve installed the tube extension and gotten it locked down tight, use a paint pen to mark where the tube extension meets the tube. This is your index mark. This allows you to observe if the tube begins to loosen and can tighten appropriately. Once you start shooting a lot, you’ll be surprised by how much that tube extension will start to move. Once it gets too loose, you’ll run into all manner of malfunctions.
Tubed Up
A magazine tube extension allows you to pack a few extra rounds into your gun. However, extra ammo ain’t worth a damn if the gun malfunctions and chokes due to the tube extension. Like any other part of a firearm, it needs to be properly installed, and you have to apply a little forethought to everything. Don’t be lazy. Think it through, and do it right.
NAA Sheriff .22 Magnum
I am not recommending that you carry such a small caliber revolver for personal defense. I will posit there is sometimes a place for it. A good friend found a place for a small handgun. Hemingway’s comments on meeting a great woman or two in your life made quite an impression on me. One that definitely qualified is a woman I have not seen in thirty years. Amanda was and still may be a psychiatric nurse. During the course of some incidents in which our paths crossed we became quite close. She told me that she loved the people she worked with or she could not do the work but she wasn’t going to let them kill her. She carried a Colt .25 ACP in a sewn in bra holster. About the same time a nurse walking out of the local hospital was assaulted and dragged into a car. She drew a .380 ACP pistol and shoved it into the assailants belly. It fired once and jammed. The assailant seriously injured her and fled although we found him later. He was not seriously injured. A senior I used to walk from a church to her car at night showed me a .22 Magnum derringer she carried, a gift from her late husband, a peace officer. She said ‘I don’t need you!’ These small guns give the user some peace of mind and while it may be misplaced I suppose it is better than no gun at all. Although depending on the range I would perhaps prefer a good sharp stout knife.
A revolver that seems to be owned by practically every handgun crank although they don’t always admit carrying it is the North American Arms single action revolver. It is well made of good material. Some of the smallest examples are difficult to use well. Most are solid frame revolvers with a base pin that is removed to unloose the cylinder from the frame. There are break top and swing out cylinder versions and interchangeable cylinder revolvers as well. My example is a much improved shooter. The Sheriff features a three inch barrel and boot grip. The Sheriff features the standard base pin and cylinder design. The base pin must be pulled forward to allow removal of the cylinder. The cartridges are loaded one at a time then the cylinder is locked back in place. To unload the revolver the same procedure is followed. To safely carry the revolver the hammer spur must be lowered into a safety notch between cylinders. If you are not absolutely certain you are able to be certain you have the hammer properly placed in the safety notch then load only four cartridges in the five shot cylinder. To fire the revolver the hammer is cocked and the spur trigger pressed. The hammer must be cocked for every shot. No trigger guard is needed as the hammer is down and at rest and a press on the trigger cannot cock the hammer. As you may imagine drawing the NAA revolver cocking the hammer and firing must be practiced often to provide any degree of protection.
I have fired a number of the NAA revolvers and found the types universally reliable and well made. The problem is the power deficit and the difficulty in using them well. They are popular as I suppose a kind of handgunner’s fashion accessory. Some feel that flash and blast will deter a bad guy. I think a bad guy with a gun will be encouraged to fire more quickly and more accurately when they realize they have been shot at or to move in and crown you good if unarmed. It is best to hit the adversary hard in the right place. That said I come from a profession that relies on backup guns. Weight and expense have shooters looking for a solution and one that just might save a life. The Sheriff is a neat trick. These little guns are well made like good clockwork. The sights are very simple- a front post and a square notch rear. I have labeled the originals with their 1.9 inch or shorter barrel a contact weapon. They would be used much as if you were giving your attacker a nasal inhaler. The Sheriff is a far different story. I am actually able to get hits far past conversational distance. The trick is to take a firm grip. As you bring the revolver up toward the target from concealed carry cock the hammer as you bring the front sight toward the target. When the front sight breaks the plane between the eye and the target press the trigger. At three to five yards you will get a center hit with practice. At contact range as befits the .22 Magnum’s backup role it may be easier. At five yards slowing down and taking my time to get a hit the revolver groups five shots into about two inches easy enough. I really stretched the envelope and tried a few shots at ten yards. I used an unrealistic braced barricade position. I aimed as best I could and pressed the trigger. Being very careful I managed a four inch group at ten yards. The group was about three inches high, the result of muzzle flip. This is impressive for the weapon involved. In favor of the NAA Sheriff is smoothness and reliability. Power not so much.
The revolver is reliable with a wide range of ammunition. Most of us rely on the CCI Maxi Mag for its reputation for reliability. Do not use 30 grain loads as penetration is poor. Fairly recently Hornady developed the FTX .22 Magnum Critical Defense and Federal gave us the Punch. These are purpose designed defense loads. I might still opt for a non expanding .22 Magnum load and rely on penetration alone but just the same these loads give the best balance of penetration and expansion possible in this caliber. Each shows good expansion to about .32 to .35 caliber. Velocity is just at 1100 fps. After a 100 round evaluation I find the NAA Sheriff reliable and perhaps it fills a niche as a backup or third gun. It is a fun gun and challenging to use well. If it fits your needs practice and be certain to keep in mind the limitations of range, power, and accuracy.
- Caliber .22 Magnum
- Five shot cylinder
- Barrel Length 3 inches
- Weight 8.3 oz.
The Riton 3 TACTIX MPRD 2
It will be a long time before we get one universal footprint for duty-sized handgun optics. Trijicon, SIG, and Leupold seem to be fighting for supremacy in that realm. Luckily, the small dots market has decided that the Shield RMSc footprint is the way to go! Except for the RMRcc, both you and I forgot that it exists until right now. One such optic competing for small optic supremacy is the budget-priced Riton 3 Tactix MPRD 2.
One of the best ways to make use of my time and ammo is to try and review multiple products at the same time. I’m currently reviewing the Taurus 856 Defender TORO, and since it’s optic-ready, I installed the MRPD 2. Tell me that’s not synergy! Let’s dive into this little optic and see if its budget-ready price point is worth the squeeze.
The 3 Tactix MPRD 2
That’s quite the name. The 3 Tactix MPRD 2 fits the Shield RMSc footprint, which made it simple to attach to the 856 Defender TORO. While the MPRD 2 is budget-priced, the quality is surprisingly nice. It’s an all-metal body with glass lenses. Typically, affordable optics offer you polymer lenses with polymer bodies, but that isn’t the case here.
A quick look will reveal an absence of buttons present. This optic has none. Adjustments are made automatically by reading the ambient light around the optic. This works fine most of the time. Where you’ll run into issues is being in a dimmer environment and being forced to aim into a brighter environment.
This makes it tough to see the reticle. That reticle is a bright 3 MOA dot. It’s fairly crisp and round. It’s surprisingly nice for a budget optic. The reticle itself can dim to night vision levels and get bright enough to be easily seen in the high noon of Florida. The optic lasts 50,000 hours and does have an auto-shutoff, shake-awake feature. This shuts the optic off after three minutes with no movement. The feature set is a good mix of what we expect from budget optics and quite a few we expect to see from higher quality options.
Optics on Revolvers
The 856 Defender TORO prevents an odd problem with optics. Because it sits so high above the bore, it can be tough to get zeroed. You need enough elevation to get it done, and luckily, the MPRD 2 provides that.
I had no issues getting the optic zeroed to the gun, and before I knew it, I felt like a high-tech Private Eye sending round after round of .38 Special into a variety of targets. The adjustments are a bit of a pain. There are no tactile or audible clicks. This makes adjustments more of a feeling than an exact science. Luckily, I zeroed in at twenty yards, and it wasn’t too difficult to get some Speer Lawman into a palm-sized group.
Once zeroed, I had a blast sending lead downrange with the 856. It was quite a learning experience. The MPRD 2 held zero without a problem. On a revolver, there is no slide to cycle, so the optic doesn’t suffer from aton of Gs. However, even if it did, I’m positive the Riton could handle it.
Blasting Away
The Taurus 856 Defender TORO and the Riton MPRD 2 and I have taken quite the trip together. It’s been subject to plenty of live fire with both hands and one at a time. I’ve bench-rested and rapid-fired. I’ve worked double taps and well-aimed headshots. Regardless of why I did it or how fast I did it, the Riton MPRD 2 held it together.
The dot’s zero never shifted, and with a lot of practice, the gun and I became quite familiar with each other. As I learned the double-action trigger, I became quite accurate, and after a shot was fired, I could tell where it was by where the dot rested after the recoil impulse. Every time, it was dead on. A 3-inch barrel leaves some burning gunpowder, and it tends to gather on the lens. A quick wipe makes that a non-problem.
Speaking of, the clarity is quite nice. There is a blue tint, but it’s not obstructive. Seeing the dot is simple, and that dot stays consistently round at all but the dimmest night settings. At the lowest settings, it gets a little blurry, but I don’t shoot in the dark much.
Worth the Change
A few hundred rounds later, the MPRD proved to be quite well made. It surpassed my expectations by quite a bit. Sure, the lack of manual controls isn’t my favorite, but the optic proved functional. The brightness adjusted easily and quickly with light changes. The metal body and glass lenses are a nice touch, and it’s a well-put-together optic for very little money. It certainly works well enough to be mounted on a concealed carry revolver.
The Holosun EPS Carry
The Holosun EPS Carry is currently the smallest enclosed emitter reflex sight on the market. Like the Holosun 407-K and 507-K before it, the EPS Carry also makes use of the “slimline” Holosun-K footprint. The EPS Carry along with the slightly larger EPS stand out amongst enclosed emitter reflex sights due to the fact that they were designed with a lower deck height. This means that EPS series optics sit slightly lower than “normal” when mounted. Depending on the gun and the milling cut, the EPS series may sit low enough that standard height iron sights are able to be used. While this review is solely about the smaller EPS Carry, I do want to bring up the standard sized EPS one more time, because I think this bears mentioning and can avoid some confusion. Both the bigger EPS and the smaller EPS Carry use the exact same Holosun-K footprint in spite of their size differences. Holosun actually includes a thin Trijicon RMR-footprint adapter plate with the standard EPS so that it can be directly fastened to any Trijicon RMR footprint surface. In a similar vein, Holosun also includes a similar plate for the EPS Carry, but this one fits the Shield RMS-c footprint, which is more or less the “standard” when it comes to any of the slimline guns regardless of make and model (well, currently in 2023 it is). In fact, when I installed the EPS Carry on the Taurus GX4XL, I used this conveniently-included plate as Taurus cuts the GX4 series for the Shield RMS-c.
HOLOSUN EPS OVERVIEW
The EPS Carry can be had with red or green LEDs and an MRS (multi reticle system), fixed 2 MOA or 6 MOA dots. The unit that Big Tex Ordnance kindly loaned me is the MRS version, which has three different options: a 32 MOA ring + 2 MOA center dot, an empty 32 MOA ring or a plain 2 MOA center dot. I think that the combination reticle works very well on a micro-dot that’s paired with a smaller, less precise pistol, and it’s something I want to keep exploring further. The EPS Carry ships in pretty much the same foam padded small plastic case that all Holosun reflex sights include along with the complimentary T10 Torx combination tool that’s useful for adjusting windage and elevation and dealing with T10 screws in a pinch. It’s always a good idea to properly torque all hardware down to recommended specifications for reliability with slide mounted reflex sights. And like with most other Holosun pistol dots, the battery tray can be conveniently accessed from the right side of the unit. The EPS Carry uses a single CR-1620 battery which has an estimated 50,000 hour battery life. The EPS Carry has 12 different brightness levels: 2 for night-vision and 10 for daytime use. Tiny buttons are located on the left side of the unit’s external 7075-T6 aluminum housing, and like any other Holosun optic, on/off, reticle changes, locking and brightness adjustments function in the exact same way. The “roof” of this particular EPS Carry has a row of solar cells, and Holosun makes use of their Solar Failsafe function (not all EPS Carry models have the Solar Failsafe feature). The Solar Failsafe system is designed to power the reticle by gathering ambient light if the battery is dead. Lastly, like many other popular Holosun sights, the EPS Carry also includes Holosun’s Shake-Awake technology.
WHY ENCLOSED EMITTERS MATTER
All reflex sights big or small, work on a simple principle. They have an LED emitter which projects a beam at a coated lens (typically the coating gives off a bluish tint). This bluish tint allows all light to pass through, except specifically for the light projected by the emitter. The tint “catches” the beam and makes it reflects back to the human eye. That reflection serves as an aiming point. The majority of slide mounted reflex sights have a single lens with an emitter at the rear of the unit. For recreational or competitive shooting, these designs are fine. However open emitter sights run the risk of catching everything from water, dirt, mud, lint, snow or any other element which block or disrupt the projection towards the lens. An enclosed emitter reflex sight mitigates that risk by having the emitter inside a “box” with a front and rear lens that seals off the LED array from any external elements. For obvious reasons, such a design is preferable for duty-use, personal protection or other serious tasks. This is partially why the EPS Carry itself received so much fanfare during its initial launch. As the smallest closed emitter reflex sight currently available, it has much to offer to anyone serious about carrying with a dot.
SHOOTING WITH THE EPS CARRY
My experience with the Holosun EPS Carry (to date) has specifically been tied to shooting with the 9mm Taurus GX4XL. Having now sent rounds downrange through a multitude of pistol mounted reflex sights including other Holosun models, the Trijicon SRO and Steiner MPS, there was nothing negative that stood out to me about the EPS Carry. Even though this sight is the smallest one I’ve ever shot with, my experience was not interrupted or altered. If anything, having the EPS Carry enhanced my experience with the Taurus GX4XL, which as a sub-compact 9mm is more challenging to shoot than, say, my beloved CZ Shadow 2 or the full-size Walther PDP.
Though I hesitate to call this an issue, I noticed a tiny amount of distortion when not looking directly square into the middle of the window. If the shooter’s eyes perceive the reticle towards the top or bottom edge of the window, the 32 MOA ring will change shape and appear more like an oval. The central 2 MOA dot is not affected. Again, this is benign and Holosun does build these with aspheric lenses to help mitigate distortion. After all, we are talking about the smallest fully enclosed emitter sight on the market. Besides this negligible and slight distortion, the sight works as intended and shooting through it is no different than shooting a standard size slide mounted reflex sight. Ever since I got my hands on the EPS Carry and the Taurus GX4XL, I started imagining how nifty it would be to have a sight of this size on a full-size carry gun, like a Glock 19 or my Glock 45. Not only is the emitter enclosed and protected from the elements but the concealed carrier benefits from having a shooting aid that is very compact and doesn’t get in the way. After all, if it’s cool on the GX4XL, a Glock 48 or a Sig P365XL, why not a 19? Just because the EPS Carry was designed around slimilines doesn’t mean it needs to stay there.
For those interested in a direct comparison between the EPS and EPS Carry, here is a quick and dirty link I found.
The Beretta Tomcat – Not For Everyone
The Beretta tip-up barrel series is all kinds of cool. The tip-up barrel action is just neat, and the fact they look like miniaturized Beretta 92FS pistols lends to a sense of cuteness. The fact they have names like Tomcat, Bobcat, and Minx lends to their cool factor as well. Of those three guns, if I had to suggest one to the masses, it would be the Bobcat. The Minx is out of production, and the Tomcat just isn’t for everyone.
The Bobcat is a .22LR pistol with a tip-up barrel, various finish options, and even threaded barrel designs. To be fair, there was a .25 ACP bobcat, but it also seems to be out of production. The .22LR variant is very soft shooting and overall a ton of fun, so what’s wrong with its bigger brother, the Tomcat? The little .32 ACP pistol is seemingly just as cool and unique.
How the Tomcat Stands Out
The pistol came out in 1996, and for that era, it was fairly small. This was well before the rise of the polymer frame pocket pistol. We didn’t have the LCP, the S&W Bodyguard, or any other pocket .380 ACP on the market. Compared to those guns, it’s a bit large and heavy but still pocketable.
Beretta had been using the tip-up barrel design since 1952 with the advent of the Beretta 950. That old .25 ACP laid the groundwork for the various Beretta mini pistols. The Tomcat wears the famed tip-up barrel.
This provides shooters with an easy way to load the first round into the chamber. These guns utilize a straight blowback design with a very stiff recoil spring. A stiff recoil spring paired with a teeny tiny slide makes the gun tougher than average to rack.
The Tomcat is also a .32 ACP handgun, which is fairly rare for this era. We’ve seemed to settle on hurting our hands with pocket .380s for no real gain in ballistic potential. I have a whole rant on why .32 ACP is a better option than .380 ACP.
The Tomcat is one of the few pocket pistols that use a DA/SA trigger system. That’s likely why the grip is so thick for such a small gun. We have a manual safety, and the gun can be carried, locked, and cocked. The magazine release is a button, but it’s placed on the bottom and rear of the grip.
At the Range
Direct blowback guns are never fun, and the Tomcat could be a lot worse if it was in a larger caliber. The little .32 ACP isn’t rough, and the 1.1-inch thick grip helps absorb some of that recoil. We get a stiff recoil impulse that’s a bit worse than other small .32 ACPs I’ve fired. The worst part about the shooting experience was the slide bite and the slide cutting my wee little hand open.
The double-action trigger pull is exceptionally long and heavy. It’s not what Beretta is typically known for, and it is a bit disappointing. Luckily, if you like the extra security of a double action trigger to help avoid negligent discharges, you get it in spades.
The single action is nice, and paired with actual sights, we get a fairly accurate handgun that makes it easy to put those 32 ACP pills right where you want them. Every B8 gets the black shot out of it! You can keep shooting because the gun is plenty reliable. I never ran into any malfunctions, and the blowback operation is well known for its reliability.
Why It Isn’t For Everyone
Ultimately, it sounds like a gun with some quirks, like a heavy trigger and slide bite, but why isn’t the Tomcat a gun I’d suggest for most shooters? There are a few reasons. First, it’s a bit out of date for practical carry. It’s 1.1 inches wide, making it thicker than my P365. It also weighs 14.5 ounces, making it only three ounces lighter than my P365.
It is smaller, but it’s a bit awkward with most pocket holsters. It’s too thick for the smallest but too small for bigger options. You have to search around a bit to find one that works.
It’s also ammo-sensitive to a degree most aren’t accustomed to. Beretta includes a little flyer in the box stating that if you use 32 ACP ammo that exceeds 129 foot-pounds, your gun will break. Tomcats have long had frame cracking issues if you aren’t careful what ammo you put through the gun.
On top of a rather high price point, I don’t suggest this gun to many people. If you’re a gun nerd, it’s an interesting oddity. If you’re looking for a serious self-defense and concealed carry firearm, there are better options. This certainly isn’t for new gun owners. If you really want a Tomcat, I would suggest the .22LR Bobcat instead.
If you remain convinced you want a Tomcat because you love the look, feel, and uniqueness, then you won’t be disappointed.