Tactical Lifeの December 2021 の目次

When it comes to taking great guns and making them even better, now seems to be the time for just such a reboot for several big firearms companies, as you’ll see within these pages. A perfect example is Smith & Wesson’s popular M&P15, a basic AR-15 that has been well known to get the job done no matter what the application. Smith’s newest model, the 15T II (see page 46) takes it far beyond the entry-level AR that the line was designed to be, adding all the bells and whistles necessary to make it a great carbine for personal defense and shooting sports. Incredibly, it still retains that entry-level price tag! And talk about reboots, how about the new FN SCARs, which do away with the reciprocating charging handle? Coverage…

• The Hi-Power is the most-issued military pistol of all time, carried by the armies of over 50 countries.• A terrorist used a Hi-Power in an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Pope John-Paul in 1981, giving rise to the bulletproof-glass-enclosed “Pope-mobile.” • The original Hi-Power had an internal extractor, which was changed to an external extractor in 1962.• Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi carried a gold-plated Hi-Power with his likeness engraved on the grips.• The first Hi-Power was imported into the United States in 1954.• Browning Arms discontinued the Hi-Power in 2017 after 62 years of production. However, licensed copies of the P-35 are still made today in India, Hungary and Turkey.…

It’s 3 a.m., and a noise downstairs jolts you awake. Your mind is scrambling when it comes again. You hear angry voices and the sound of movement. You have your entire family in the home, and they are spread across multiple rooms. Your worst fear has just become a reality and it is time to step up and defend your family. The question now is which weapon will serve you best in this situation? While the above scenario is obviously fabricated for our story, it has been played out hundreds of times. Long before a situation like this arises, you should educate yourself on what firearm will serve you best. There are few things as vigorously debated as what is considered the “perfect” home defense gun. Some swear by the…

The 6.8 TVC round that will soon be available for commercial use is born of the Army solicitation version of the 6.8mm, the 6.8 TVCM. The military round has a similar construction and design, but similarities end there with no real specifics on projectiles or powder used in the solicitation version. The host weapon, RM277 by Lonestar Future Weapons, was designed from the inside out along with the team from True Velocity. Both weapon and ammo were able to be optimized because of this interaction, which spawned from collaborations on past projects. While I was able to test the 6.8 TVC in both bolt-action and semi-auto AR platforms, I found shooting the prototype RM277 to be quite eye opening. While it looks unlike anything I’ve fired and operates as such,…

Berger bullets have been winning competitions since the days Walt Berger had to make them by hand. The 65-plus-year story of how this small “garage-based” company bloomed into full commercial production is quite amazing, especially if you have been loading their bullets along the entire journey. Or course, if you don’t handload then you likely aren’t familiar with these bullets or the stellar accuracy that they produce. Berger isn’t blind to the fact that they were leaving the lion’s share of the shooting world out, so they tested the waters in 2018 with the release of a few select factory-loaded cartridges featuring their famous bullets. Well, who would have guessed that sub-MOA factory ammo would have caught on like wildfire (we did), so in response to the positive feedback other…

We live in an era where our younger generations often fall prey to stereotypes of entitlement and lack of ambition. Strong character and a valued sense of integrity seem to be missing among many of the young men and women who are entering our society as adults today. However, things are not always as they appear. There are young adults within the masses that are set apart—young men and women who will restore your faith in humanity as they challenge these common stereotypes. With them comes a new hope that not all is lost. Dakota Overland, a competitive shooter who recently accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, illustrates this beautifully. Overland has been a proud member of the Benelli Shooting Team since her early…

During my visit to Wilson Combat I had the opportunity to get some range time with their new eXperior commander 2011 pistol. It was love at first shot, and Bill offered to send me one for additional testing. The gun is immediately a Wilson classic in my opinion. It is a unique blend of classic 1911 design with modern reliability and ergonomic enhancements that optimize overall handling and shooting performance. The fiber-optic front sight and U-notch rear sight combined with a hand-fitted Wilson Combat match-grade barrel make this one of the most accurate 9mm handguns I have run. EXPERIOR MEANS SUPERIOR The heart of the gun is a collection of match-grade slide, frame and barrel that are hand-fitted by the skilled gunsmiths. Appearance-wise, the gun retains traditional 1911-style slide serrations,…

ADAMS ARMS AA19 HANDGUN Well-known for being a top-quality piston-driven AR-platform firearms maker, Adams Arms has introduced a new 9mm handgun. The AA19 combines Adams Arms’ years of experience with handgun barrel and slide innovations with its mission of elevating firearm reliability and performance. Features include enhanced front and rear cocking serrations, a double undercut triggerguard, Ameriglo Defoor EDC sights, a profiled and lightened slide, and a threaded barrel. Additionally, the slide is cut for an optic. The pistol has an overall length of 7.6 inches and weighs 1.26 pounds empty. (adamsarms.net) BULLETSAFE BULLETPROOF VEST Made-in-the-USA and NIJ-Certified Level IIIA, the BulletSafe Vital Protection 3 (VP3) Vest is considered by the company to be its crowning achievement in its impressive collection of life-saving products. Easily concealed beneath a working uniform, this vest…

IN 2018 Browning Arms announced that they were going to discontinue the Browning Hi-Power pistol. It was an ignominious ending for a gun that possessed such a storied history. Designed chiefly by the legendary John Moses Browning and refined by FN’s Dieudonné Saive, the Hi-Power was issued to the militaries of over 50 different countries after its introduction in 1935. It was used by both Allie and Axis powers during WWII, and it was also used by both communist and free nations during the Cold War. Elite military units like the British Special Air Services (SAS) used the pistol, as did the United States Special Operations Group (SOG). Even the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) used the gun at one point. Licensed and unlicensed Hi-Powers were built in countries like…

Until recently, Smith & Wesson’s M&P line has never included a single shotgun. Enter the S&W M&P12 Bullpup Shotgun. The M&P12 has an 18.5-inch barrel but measures under 28 inches overall. Dual-magazine tubes hold six 3-inch shells or seven 2 ¾-inch shells for a total of 14+1. The controls are completely ambidextrous. The Action Lock Lever Button (the button that releases the pump) sits at the front of the triggerguard and is easily actuated by the trigger finger on either hand. The safety is AR-15 style and has a shorter throw lever, which doesn’t dig into your hand on the support side. Finally, it ejects straight out of the bottom, so there are no empty hulls flying across the shooter’s face. We’ve got live-fire video of the new M&P12 on…

IF You’ve carried a rifle for any amount of time or distance you’ve undoubtedly fantasized IFyou’ve about a lighter, more compact gun. I’m talking about something that wouldn’t be a chore to carry and maybe even have a short barrel and a folding stock so it could be easily stowed in your backpack. And, as long as you’re fantasizing, it would have to be capable of MOA accuracy. But that’s too much to hope for, right? Not if you’re Christensen Arms, whose motto is “Better materials, advanced processes, and emphasis on breaking with tradition.” The Christensen Arms Modern Precision Pistol (MPP) is anything but traditional! In fact, the only thing conventional about this gun is its bolt-action operation. Its chassis is machined from aluminum, the 12.5-inch barrel is wrapped in…

Being a gun writer for around 10 years and an avid gun enthusiast all my life, I’ve been witness to some great advances, not only in firearms but with the innovative gear that accompanies the lifestyle. However, there’s one specific niche that has gotten very little real attention over the years, in my opinion. That niche is the area of hearing protection and hearing enhancement. Other than warnings to wear “ear pro” and brand announcements about the latest muffs or earbuds, the topic doesn’t receive much play. I guess this is a sensitive area for me because I had a few ear operations when I was young and have experienced some hearing loss over the years. That’s why, when I ran across a company called Axil, I stopped in my…

The year 2020 wasn’t a good one for most people, not even firearms manufacturers! While the spring and summer riots increased demand for guns, the pandemic ensured those orders wouldn’t be filled. With unfilled orders waiting to be satisfied there was no reason to introduce new models. This is exactly the position Mossberg’s leadership team found themselves in. In mid-June 2021, Mossberg held a new product seminar at Gunsite, the nation’s oldest and largest firearms training facility devoted to training responsible gun owners. The three-day event covered their brand new MC2sc high-capacity subcompact pistol and the 590S pump-action shotgun. I had received my test and evaluation sample of the 590S Shockwave 14 months earlier, but because of Mossberg’s backorder situation its launch was delayed until this new products seminar. There…

Oftentimes when a gun writer begins a story about a gun or product there’s one particular feature that stands out to give him a hint about what to write for the “lead” paragraph. As I sat with a computer in my lap, I had a firearm in mind, but it was not one, but three major attributes that created this writer’s dilemma…how to begin? It is compact, has high capacity and provides rifle-like power from a pistol platform…well, kinda. Daniel Defense’s new DDM V7 P (Law Tactical) is an AR15-platform pistol with a folding brace that creates a very compact package with a punch. GUN DETAILS This highly maneuverable pistol pairs a 10.3-inch barrel and Daniel Defense’s MFR 9.0 rail for fast handling. A variation of the DDM4V7 S, this…

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR NEW AND NOTEWORTHY GUNS AND GEAR If you think that cleaning your gun takes too much time and effort, the Bore-Max Speed Clean System from Real Avid includes brushes, jags and patches designed as a faster, easier way to clean a gun’s bore. With the Speed Jag and Speed Jag Patch, expect the same results in only one pass as you’d get pushing four or more traditional square patches through the bore. And with twice the bristle density of standard brushes, Bore-Max Speed Brushes deliver more than two times the scrubbing power to the bore with each pass. (realavid.com)…

There seems to be an almost endless selection of AR-15s on today’s market. From mild to wild, there is certainly something for everyone. In this sea of black rifles, though, it can be hard to decide just what is what and, more importantly, what is good. When I have people, especially new shooters, hit me with this question, my answer is always the same: You can rarely go wrong if you stick with the major brands. When pressed, however, I am always quick to steer them to the S&W M&P15 line. I have had about a billion of these rifles come through classes over the years and they have always run well. It is because of this admiration of the durable M&P15 that I was excited to learn that S&W…

If truly evolutionary technology made its way into your favorite firearms products would you be able to accept it? Especially if it meant that you had to change your habits and, more importantly, your thought process with a particular product? The newest 6.8mm round, dubbed 6.8 TVC (True Velocity Composite), will be available commercially. Yes, the round that the NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapon) was developed for will be one that you can buy. Better yet, it’s packaged, so to speak, in its original unconventional form, which will take some getting used to for many of you. If you can move past the looks, you’ll witness performance characteristics that we have not seen in ammunition up to this point. I’ll go out on a limb and say that a truly…

THE SCAR RIFLE has been a popular cornerstone in the FN product line for years. The Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) was developed in 2004 to meet the need for an elite, modular battle rifle. Since its initial launch, it has seen only slight changes or expansions in regard to actual operation of the gun. We have been fortunate to have different length barrel versions offered and the like, but nothing truly game-changing has been introduced. That has all recently changed, however, as FN has taken the SCAR to the next level. The FN engineers have now designed the SCAR to run without a reciprocating charging handle. This design is designated as NRCH and will appeal to all those users who love their SCAR but had challenges with the…

Corporal Arthur Hare and Private William Packham had the most dangerous job on the planet. At 33 years of age, Hare was absolutely ancient compared to his youthful peers. Raised in Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire, Hare had lost his dad to the Battle of Ypres at age seven. His subsequent feral backwoods upbringing was superb preparation for his current profession. Hare and Packham were British snipers. Their German counterpart had already caused no end of trouble. The sniper on the modern battlefield is a combat multiplier. They foment chaos disproportionate to their numbers. At their baseline snipers can also be simply infuriating, snipping off a human life here and there as the opportunity allows and subsequently sowing madness among a targeted unit. In this case, a German marksman had recently…