Recoil November/December 2018의 목차

You know that high school girlfriend you think about every now and then? The one who keeps popping up unbidden, despite the fact you love your wife and kids and wouldn’t ever dream of doing anything to jeopardize the good thing you’ve got going? Yet there it is, that memory that won’t go away. Like most daydreams, the reality isn’t anywhere near as good as the fantasy — a situation that goes double for guns. Despite the pitfalls it might entail, we decided to go back to the future. Rather than just pick 10 years beginning with a zero and ending with a nine, we chose a chunk of time which spanned the end of the Cold War and the as-yet-unseen origins of the GWOT — think “Clash of Civilizations”…

There was a time when the words Land Rover brought images to mind of robust safari vehicles chasing lions across the African plains. Over the years its reputation has changed considerably. A new Discovery or Velar would be out of place anywhere other than a valet-attended country club. Although the brand has moved more into competing with other luxury SUV companies, vintage Land Rovers have an ecclesiastical following. The older versions still see considerable use overseas, and there are a few boutique companies passionate about retaining the brand’s off-road, utilitarian roots. Phoenix, Arizona-based Method SV is one such outfit. First, a little history on the Defender. The model became part of the company’s lineup in 1983, but was originally called the 90 or 110. The Defender’s simplicity and ease of…

Old gun parts that are laid to rest and rust in a rubber bin are quickly forgotten thanks to the next new and shiny things that UPS delivers. But when we were sent a complete Cross Machine Tool .224 Valkyrie upper, those old parts needed to be resurrected. It’s rare that we can double-dip parts from one sport for use in another. In this case, three-gun gear was reincarnated into a precision rifle gas gun setup. Competitive shooters constantly chase what will give them the advantage to gain ground. Federal’s .224 Valkyrie can do everything a .223 can — but better. The ballistic performance is closer to that of 6.5 Creedmoor, but the felt-recoil mirrors a .223. While Federal has different loads for plinking, hunting, or precision, this build had…

Back in the 1980s, if you wanted a 9mm handgun for serious purposes, your choices were severely limited. The Glock 17 had just been introduced and was still getting the side-eye from just about everyone, Beretta was cashing in the adoption of the 92 by the U.S. military, and everyone who tried CCW’ing one likened it to stuffing a fat chick into a Miata — and the S&W model 59 variants were OK, but DA/SA operation and slide-mounted safeties are not everyone’s cup of tea. Now, if you were a member of the cognoscenti there really was only one choice, the one which had been adopted by the armed forces of over 50 countries, the one gifted to the masses from the hands of the prophet John Moses (peace be…

Engineer. Designer. Mad scientist. Jim Hodge has been called a few of those as well as some other descriptors besides. The fact is, there’s no one word that can accurately describe Jim Hodge. When asked, he refers to himself as just a “normal guy.” However, the name Hodge is synonymous with firearms innovation. As the owner of Hodge Defense Systems, he’s pushed the edges of the envelope of an industry that’s anything but innovative these days. His contribution is the Hodge Defense AU MOD 2 rifle. Just when people thought Eugene Stoner’s classic rifle design was pushed to its material limits, Hodge continued to question industry standards, ultimately finding a material that had never before been used in modern firearms. The material, aluminum lithium, is lighter and stronger than the…

1 The job dictates the tool. Applying some stucco? Grab a trowel. Installing a new turbocharger? Time to bust out the wrenches. But sometimes it’s enjoyable to have a tool that can do more than just one job. Take for instance the Flagrant Templar. This tomahawk is sharp enough for troops to stop bad guys in their tracks, whether through intimidation or blood loss. It’s strong enough for first-responders to pry through barricades thanks to its 1095 high-carbon steel. And it’s comfortable enough for outdoor adventurers to choke up on the tapered handle for detailed work on firewood, fresh game, and more. This chopper features a Cerakote and comes with a Kydex sheath. It’s a multitool with more bite. MAKE: Flagrant Beard MODEL: Flagrant Templars OAL: 12.75 inches MSRP: $380…

Asia’s history was carved out in large part by fierce warriors. Mongols. Samurai. Shaolin monks. Sikh warriors. Persian Immortals. Tactical mall ninjas — OK, maybe not that last one. But there’s no doubt that this region birthed some of the mightiest military cultures. So, in a RECOIL first, we’re taking a sharper look at big blades from yesteryear that have been used on the battlefield or been inspired by those that have. But note that this buyer’s guide isn’t comprehensive. There have been way too many swords crafted by too many civilizations over too many centuries across the biggest continent on Earth to include them all here. This is just a small slice (pun intended!) of the countless cutting instruments created in that continent. Secondly, we excluded crappy replicas made…

Like most love stories, it started in a gun shop. The West German SIG SAUER P226 remains a desirable and acquirable pistol to this day. Whether it’s due to the unique mandrel-stamped slide, sheer nostalgia, appearance in awful action movies, or history, we know not. But finding one at a decent price and chambered in 9mm always brings the boys to the yard. There are probably thousands of old P226s languishing in old desk drawers or shoeboxes tucked into closets. After all, it was a very popular LEO pistol through the ’80s and ’90s. There are many out there who have either inherited an old duty P226 or will very soon. And a lucky few will come across one in a gun shop for a song — count us among…

As the oldest continuously operating gunmaker in the world, Beretta and their pistols need no introduction. Anybody who’s seen an action movie made after 1980 could probably pick a Beretta 92F out of a lineup, not to mention the thousands of military personnel who continue to carry them as a standard-issue sidearm, even as its replacement trickles slowly into the supply lines. But underneath the battle-tested creds and sheer sex appeal, this old warhorse leaves a lot to be desired. Its overall size isn’t particularly friendly to shooters with smaller hands. Its slide-mounted safety is difficult to manipulate. And that double-action trigger pull feels about a foot-and-a-half-long and almost 25 pounds. We’re not saying there aren’t redeeming qualities. The relatively tame 9mm round shot out of a metal-framed pistol makes…

The film Black Hawk Down has left an indelible mark in the minds of United States military members and gun enthusiasts alike. The movie recounts the story of Operation Gothic Serpent, involving the Task Force Ranger mission on October 3 and 4, 1993. Released mere months after Sept. 11, it was one of the first film depictions of urban combat in a post-Operation Desert Storm world. Firearms for the film were provided by lead armorer Simon Atherton (whose film credits include The Killing Fields, Aliens, and Saving Private Ryan) with the assistance of U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. veteran and military film advisor Harry Humphries. When discussing film props, the term “hero” is used to describe the main prop weapons used by the lead characters in the film. Hero props are frequently…

At the 4th Infantry Division Museum at Fort Carson, Colorado, there’s a simple display of a fairly plain World War II officer’s uniform on a mannequin with a hand-painted sign nearby that says, “The War Starts Here.” The quote isn’t exactly what was said, but together this exhibit honors a man who had some big shoes to fill. The display is of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of President Teddy Roosevelt, the assistant commander of the 4th Infantry Division, who, at 56, was the oldest man to take part in the D-Day landings and the only general to land with the first wave of soldiers. On June 6, 1944, the general truly would’ve made his more-famous father proud by going ashore with his men. Roosevelt, who had already…

Not terribly long ago, night vision was the stuff of action movies. While it did, in fact, exist somewhere in the real world, nobody of even remotely average means was ever going to touch, see, or experience night vision short of a few hazy green cutaways in a flick full of roundhouse kicks and amazing one-liners. Fortunately for the rest of us, advances in technology typically come with the added benefit of making existing technology more affordable and more accessible. Once coveted by guys with bushy beards who storm airplanes, green-eye goggles are now more available at a more reasonable price to the commercial consumer. Notice how we said “reasonable price” and not “cheap.” While it’s possible to find night vision devices for $250, those pieces aren’t of a quality…

About the time this issue hits the newsstands, the U.S. Special Operations community will likely be taking a look back at one of the most high-profile operations in their history: Operation Gothic Serpent, which included the infamous Battle of the Black Sea, made famous by the book-slash-movie Black Hawk Down. That mission, which took place in October of 1993, is officially 25 years old this fall. Several veterans of that operation are currently active in the firearms industry and have given their historical accounts of the mission to various media outlets. Instead of trying to retell someone else’s war story, we wanted to take this anniversary to examine the progress of America’s everyman rifle over the ensuing two-and-a-half decades, and perhaps reflect on just how good we have it now.…

There’s something incredibly gratifying about the sound of 45-70 Gov’t brass hitting the deck. The sound is deeper than the tink tink of smaller, bottlenecked brass. It’s more of a thud. Just like its big .45-caliber bullets, even the empty brass of 45-70 hits with authority. That gratification continues when you pick up Marlin Custom Shop’s Model 1895SBL Modern Lever Hunter package. The rifle is slim for what it is, but it feels stout — dense, even. All that steel in the action, the heavy barrel, and the epoxy-coated composite wood stock. It’s tightly fitted and well balanced. No faint interior ticking suggesting its mechanical purpose. Just the feeling that we’ve picked up the meanest man-club ever made. The bullet in a 45-70 cartridge might only be a fraction of…

2018 brings us into the third year for the Industry Choice Awards, as it begins to hit its stride with yet more categories and more companies involved. Hosted at Rockcastle Shooting Center in Kentucky, the Industry Choice Awards focus on conducting objective testing and evaluation of products by a panel of unbiased and experienced evaluators, in order to award product of the year accolades in a variety of categories. This gives end users and consumers an awards process that’s unbiased, while participating manufacturers receive all of the feedback from testers. Additionally, all the companies are invited to come to Rockcastle in the summer for the Industry Team Challenge match and awards ceremony. Designed by Andy Horner, the match features everything from three-gun to action pistol to long-range precision to trap…