Indice dei contenuti per March - April 2023 in Tactical Life

’Twas the week after Christmas, as we closed out this issue,Keyboards were clacking, this was no time for tissues; Gun spec charts designed, all photos cropped nicely,Editors triple-checked copy, gotta make press precisely; Corrections and cover blurbs, dancin’ ’round in our heads,With SHOT Show just weeks away, office air thick with dread; Sure it’s last minute, but that story must get nixed,If we don’t run the SCAR piece, readers will be pissed; Emails flying about Dead Air, Nighthawk and Leapers,Barrett and Springfield, Demo Dick—jeepers creepers; Yarns ahead from Rendezvous, about targets getting toasted,While Chad, Ben and Josh prep web stuff, that’s about to get posted; There’s also Duncan and Chesnut, Cernauskas, Ortega,Slifkin, Allocca and Nino the elf who might save ya; Our crew isn’t big, but they work hard for…

I remember when the SCAR 16 first hit the shops. My memory is a little foggy, but I think it was around 2011. I was fortunate enough to get my mitts on an early version—a blem one at that. I cared none about the looks for I was purely focused on performance. While the first iteration of the SCAR 16 was good, let’s just say that we found out a few things early in its development that have since been reworked. At the time of this acquisition, I had a penchant for short-barreled gas guns. They couldn’t be short enough, and I couldn’t own enough. The SCAR 16 of course had a mandatory 16-inch barrel to be non-NFA, and to be completely honest, I was not a fan of that…

When most hear the term “sniper,” visuals of military Special Forces operators are what come to mind. While these quiet professionals are quite skilled, effectively fulfilling much-needed duties, there’s another category of sniping professionals keeping us safe right here at home within our law enforcement officers. While many of the technical skills may be similar, this type of sniping falls within a completely different arena with many differentiating realities, which begs the question, “What are the differences between military and LE sniping?” For that we turn to subject matter expert and friend, Brian K. Sain. SAIN’S CREDS Sain is a 33-year veteran LE sniper/sniper team leader/sniper instructor with both municipal and county agencies. He is on the Executive Board of the American Sniper Association and the Advisory Board of the…

When Federal released its Punch line, the original intention was to bring the everyday CCW holder affordable ammunition that could handle the task at hand. In other words, it was defensive ammo that was geared toward civilian use. With that notion, the line wasn’t painted into the 9mm/.40 S&W/.45 ACP box that similarly destined carry fodder often finds itself placed. Federal made this evident when it released the .22 LR version of this round, which sparked a debate over whether or not .22 was powerful enough to be considered for practical self-defense use. As most people were on the fence with the LR, it only made sense to give them a gentle nudge. That gentle nudge came along in 2022 in the form of .22 WMR. Years ago, I fell…

The United States Army first used trucks during the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916, and it was quickly determined that their mobility and endurance surpassed that of horse-drawn wagons. To facilitate vehicle maintenance, the Army also worked closely with civilian manufacturers to develop and produce thousands of “Liberty Trucks,” but also with the Society of Automotive Engineers and truck companies to develop a standard design with interchangeable parts. That was a key to the vehicle’s success, and it built on lessons learned from a concept pioneered by the Ordnance Department 100 years earlier when making firearms at its armories at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. In total, 15 companies produced some 9,500 trucks before the end of the First World War, and 7,500 of them…

When you’re thinking of other college sports or extracurricular activities to look into besides football or other much more publicly focused sports, collegiate shooting isn’t usually the first sport that comes to mind or even in search results. This is largely because of the ever-growing sensitivity of the public and their need to be politically correct. This often comes at the cost of groups and entire categories of events, such as college shooting teams, being overlooked because of the subject matter they’re based around. Instead of looking at the valuable lessons and discipline that sports like shooting teach, the impressive skills needed to compete or even just the surface-level fact that the Second Amendment protects such sports, “cancel culture” uses their loud voices and numbers to shun these sports that…

It was a crisp September afternoon in London. Thanks to Covid, my wife and I were enjoying a long overdue holiday celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary. We took a leisurely stroll through Kensington Gardens on a glorious Saturday replete with countless families out playing in the sun. We made our way south until we hit Kensington Road and took a left. I recognized the Iranian embassy building immediately. Police officers from the London Metropolitan Police (Met) had erected temporary barricades to complement a robust security fence. There was a protest taking place across the street. Angry Muslim women were shouting about the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini was arrested by the Iranian Morality Police in Tehran for violating their draconian hijab laws and was subsequently murdered. As…

FOR MANY, there is no debate over choosing a personal-defense handgun. Any discussions of preferred weapons start and stop with John Browning’s .45 ACP 1911. The association between the .45 ACP cartridge and the 1911 platform is seamless. Few remember that Browning is not only the architect of what many feel is the ideal handgun form—the 1911—but also the originator of the perfect personal-defense handgun cartridge—the .45 ACP cartridge. Nighthawk Custom has created a loyal following due to its quality and grounded approach with its contributions to the 1911 design lineage. Not so long ago, Nighthawk collaborated with Thunder Ranch training legend Clint Smith to create a fighting 1911. Clint’s Thunder Ranch is a mecca for people/groups interested in serious training. The Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special 1911 embodies…

During the past year, the pistol that got the most time in a holster as my EDC gun was the Walther PDP Compact. I liked just about everything about it. Not everything, but just about everything. The grip fit my hand like a glove. The pistol is exceptionally accurate, and the trigger is one of the best you can get in a stock, striker-fired pistol. You can imagine my excitement when I heard the announcement at the 2022 SHOT show that Walther was coming out with a new “Pro” model in its PDP lineup. It wasn’t until this past August that I finally got one in my hand, but it was definitely worth the wait, as my fellow AO content creators and editors can attest, because they got their hands…

Sain went on to explain the importance of utilizing the right rifle in LE sniping conditions. One rifle with a very specific role that has gotten a lot of attention has been the Barrett M107A1. This semi-auto .50 BMG rifle has been utilized for years in various maritime and antipiracy roles and also as a solution for VBIEDs due to energy on target. And although it has been long utilized, the .50-caliber SASR is being replaced with calibers such as .338 Lapua/Norma and .300 Norma/Win. Mag., all of which have less spalling and collateral damage and are better suited for the LE mission. Here again, Barrett makes an outstanding SWS for this application in the MRAD multi-caliber platform currently fielded by SOCOM—the MRAD MK22. The Barrett MRAD MK22 started its…

Few things have been as consistent as the military’s desire to modernize their weapons. It seems that the conversation has been going on for decades with timid starts here and there. However, that all changed in 2017 with the launch of the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program. The military looked to replace the M4 carbine and M249 SAW light machine gun (both 5.56mm chambered) and the 7.62mm M240 machine gun. The submissions flew in, and testing began. At the end of the day when the smoke cleared, the winner of the contract was none other than Sig Sauer. The new weapons were state-of-the-art and designed to provide the modern warfighter with precision, reliability and ballistic overmatch. SPEC BOX SIG SAUER MCX-SPEAR LT CALIBER: 5.56 NATO BARREL: 16 inches OA…

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY DESCRIBES ITS OBJECTIVES AS: Educate and engage current and future generations about the Army and its contributions. Preserve the Army’s history and its prominent role in the nation’s past, present and future. Honor Army values, such as patriotism, respect, loyalty and integrity while providing an understanding of what it means to serve. Pay tribute to 14 generations of American soldiers whose leadership, selfless service and personal sacrifice have forged and safeguarded our nation. Inspire soldiers of today by connecting their experience to the legacy and leadership of a great nation. Stimulate the youth of America to pursue scholastic excellence in any field of study that supports the Army’s core missions.…

The AR-15 is America’s rifle, which is why pretty much every company tries its hand at producing them. Being a fan of the platform myself, it is hard for a company to truly impress me with an AR. Let’s face it, they are really all the same for the most part. Sure, some companies are making fancy uppers and lowers while other companies focus on tight tolerances and quality with a bit less flair. One thing that a good majority of AR manufacturers have in common is the need to collaborate with other companies within the firearms industry to outsource various parts. My guess is if you own a few ARs, they came with another company’s stock, magazines, accessories and controls. Then, whether you run flip-up sights or an optic,…

PART THREE Editor’s Note: This serialized short story feature is based on a fictional military thriller series featuring Drake Woolf, the singleton operator from JSOC’s Task Force Orange. “J.T. Patten” is the pen name of a former mission support advisor to the special operations and intelligence community who has published black ops-themed novels and numerous articles under his true name covering unconventional and irregular warfare topics, all of which can be found at jtpattenbooks.com. Part 2 was published in TL Jan./Feb. 2023, which is available at outdoorgroupstore.com. “With all the voices in my head, I'M never alone.”-Drake Woolf, TF Orange- THE PAST HOURS had been shocking for special mission operator Drake Woolf. First, he was choppered out of Afghanistan for a routine training mission only to land in Pakistan and find…

One of the unspoken benefits of choosing a 1911 for use is the plethora of aftermarket accessories available to support your decision in the form of holsters. The Versacarry Compound and Decree OWB holsters along with the Versacarry Double Stitch gun belt were used with the Nighthawk Thunder Ranch 1911. Versacarry continues to innovate beyond its initial ZeroBulk offering from 10 years ago. Versacarry’s new hybrid Compound series takes their known use of premium water buffalo leather and combines it with Kydex by infusing it between leather layers. This offers better support and retention for your handgun. The holster is built with a recessed area in the Kydex to keep the front sight from snagging when the firearm is drawn. The draw tension is adjustable to give owners the flexibility…

Tomahawks have come a long way. Until rather recently and from the perspective of the average “Joe,” the thought of a tomahawk was that of a feather-decorated, primitive fighting tool used by Native Americans. Fortunately, that stereotype of the tomahawk is virtually gone with the new rendition being that of a versatile, high-performance tool that can also double as a weapon if need be. The tomahawks of today run the gamut from wood-handle traditional with, of course, modern upgrades to completely metal, multipurpose beasts that tear up material like it wasn’t even there. Some perform perhaps one or two functions only, yet do them extremely well, while others offer options for hammering, prying, stabbing and even fire-starting assistance, in addition to their primary purpose of chopping. The key to choosing…

Richard “Demo Dick” Marcinko was given just one simple order when he was assigned to establish, train and operate the world’s best maritime counter-terrorist SEAL team by the Navy’s Chief of Operations. He was told, “You will not fail.” There were no limits placed on him, no rules that slowed or stopped him and his men from becoming the best, but Marcinko knew that his biggest threat to success was time itself. He was given just six months to produce what became SEAL Team Six. BRED IN BATTLE Marcinko was already a decorated special operator with two combat tours with the teams in Vietnam, earning many combat awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, Silver Star, four Bronze Stars with combat “V,” two Navy Commendation Medals and the Cross…

LET’S FACE IT, going to the range isn’t getting any cheaper. As if skyrocketing ammunition prices haven’t been hard enough, everything from fuel to cleaning supplies costs more now than when the bad orange man was in office. One of the easiest ways to work around this is to shoot firearms chambered in .22 LR. As a brick of 500 rounds can cost as little as $40 (even in this market), owning something that fires it can save you hundreds of dollars a day on the firing line. Naturally, if that means not shooting your preferred platform, this becomes a non-starter, which is precisely why Bear Creek Arsenal created the BC-22 line—a series of dedicated .22 LR AR-15s and upper receivers that can be configured to match the firearms you…

The two columns of young men carrying M16 rifles and shouldering heavily loaded ALICE backpacks trudged through the inky darkness of the Ozark night. They left nothing behind to mark their passage except for miniature dust clouds kicked up by fatigue-induced missteps partnered with an occasional follow-up expletive (tactically muffled, of course). Their heads were protected by soon-to-be-replaced WWII/Korea/Vietnam vintage M1 “steel pot” helmets, their bodies by sweat-soaked woodland camouflage BDUs and their feet by Vietnam-era “Direct Molded Sole” combat boots. These government-issued boots sported extremely thin soles with non-aggressive, shallow tread patterns, had virtually non-existent arch support and lacked shock-resistant heels. Quite simply, they were as uncomfortable and fugly as they were cheap. If YELP had a boot rating system, these Dollar General Store reject kicks would register somewhere…

COOKING SALAD WITH KAMALA → To keep winning the hearts and minds of Americans and other people in the world she often meets, chats and cackles with, the VPOTUS is coming out with a cook-book, Word Up To The Salad. This new 666-page coffee-table-grade hardcover will feature Kamala’s top 10 salad recipes, plus a 16-page coloring book section. The remaining pages will contain the Veep’s most poignant quotes. Classics like these: “My fellow Americans, words have many meanings. Sometimes instead of conveying our meanings, they can suggest other meanings.” And, “When we talk about the children of the community, they are the children of the community.” Plus, “Talking about the significance of the passage of time…so when you think about it there is some great significance to the passage of…