Tabla de contenidos para March/April 2021 #53 en Recoil

Ask 10 car guys what the term “hot rod” means, and you’ll probably get 10 different answers. However, most of these definitions will share a central theme. A hot rod is typically a mundane vehicle fitted with the largest-displacement, highest-output engine available — usually a V-8 — which is then pushed even further through the addition of performance upgrades. Some of the earliest examples of this trend came from the Prohibition Era, when bootleggers and outlaws (most notably John Dillinger) evaded authorities in gutted Ford coupes equipped with souped-up Flathead V-8s. Dry-lakebed and drag-strip racers adopted similar tactics, upping the ante with bored and stroked engines, high-octane fuel, and superchargers. In the end, the goal was to squeeze every drop of power out of vehicles that, in many cases, started…

You’ve heard of Diamondback. For many, the name brings forth visions of cheap .380 handguns you may find in a purse. And Diamondback intends to change that. Sure, they make ARs too, but everyone makes an AR-15. So when someone told us we should check out their new PDW, we were skeptical. Cue our surprise. The initial design goal was to create a PDW-style firearm that was lightweight and slimmer than any of the competitive offerings on the market, while demonstrating the newer, more serious level of Diamondback Firearms. Adam Walker, vice president of engineering for Diamondback, told us the biggest challenge of the DBX was figuring out how to deal with the short-impulse of the 5.7mm ammunition while maintaining minimal mass in the reciprocating components. FEATURES & DETAILS There…

It’s said that one of the hallmarks of wisdom is learning from past mistakes. If that were the case, then you’d think so-called assault weapon bans would themselves be banished. In 1994, the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB), was passed, with a subsection banning weapon systems that looked scary to those who didn’t know better. It expired in 2004 due to a sunset provision, thus providing ample evidence in follow-up studies that AWBs do nothing to reduce crime. Yet enemies of liberty persist, ever pushing for more gun control. Biden’s 2020 presidential platform stated it in plain English: “Get weapons of war off our streets. Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Regulate possession of…

It’s hard not to feel a little sympathy for FN America’s struggles in gaining a toehold in the U.S. commercial handgun market. First is the fact that the American commercial handgun market probably adds up to a rounding error when compared to the money that comes in for the mothership on the sales of general-purpose machine guns to half the world’s militaries. Getting the home offices in Belgium interested in commercial handgun sales here in the States can’t be easy. Then, there was some wandering in the wilderness with regard to various models: FNP? FNX? FNS? That seems to have been hashed out though, with FN going all-in on the 509, descended from their Modular Service Handgun contestant. And while it’s easy to simply declare, “We’re getting deep into the…

In a world of Federal tax stamps, excessive paperwork, and menacingly long waiting periods, it often seems like the system is stacked to make gun owners feel like they’re innocent until proven guilty. The hoops that must be navigated to simply exercise a birthright, as cemented by the Bill of Rights, is astonishing … although that’s a libertarian conversation best left off the holiday dinner table. But is it worth it? Of course it is — it’s worth doing over and over again. After all, the Second Amendment gives us the right to keep and bear arms … plural. As in, lots. Even still, there’s something deeply American and amazingly refreshing to meet the UPS guy at your own front door, look him in the eye, and shake his right…

Rather than focus on a particular blade profile, I decided to take a look at some nightmarish knives. These blades deserve that name in more ways than one. Some of them sweep upward, some drop down, a few of different grinds and angles, and of course, there are serrations. While they may not look like a classic Bob Loveless drop-point, and to some they’re garish or look like what’s referred to as a Klingon or Fantasy Knife, each one of these blades was designed with a real-world purpose. Every one of them is combat oriented. The nightmare moniker has another meaning for the maker. These knives are a nightmare to grind. In one case, the maker had one somewhat get away from him on the belt and it resulted in…

Low power variable optics, which zoom from 1x to 4x, 6x, or more, have surged in popularity for their great versatility, whether for military, law enforcement, competition, defensive, or recreational use. At 1x, with a well-designed reticle and bright illumination, they function nearly as well as a red-dot sight. And dial up the magnification for precision shots, distant targets, positive target identification, or a better view. 3-gun competitors have relied on LVPOs to win matches for years, hosing close targets and ringing steel at distance. Special operations units have also fielded them, and they’re now trickling down to wider use. SIG Sauer has notched three contract wins to supply its TANGO6T 1-6x scopes to our military. Just a few months ago, SIG scored the Direct View Optic (DVO) contract to…

Strike Industries was founded in 2010 with the purpose of designing simple-but-enhanced small parts for the AR-15 and 1911. They’ve put out some products with questionably bling cosmetics and finishes over the past years but have always offered functional and affordable parts. Like many smaller, growing companies, they’re refining and expanding their product lines, and we like what we’re seeing. While Strike Industries is still making small parts, they wanted to show that they can do so much more than that. It’s clear to us they’ve been making moves toward establishing their own firearms designs, and the SIAR is the first major step in that direction. In fact, the SIAR has been in development for more than four years. You need to bear in mind when reading this article that…

The ongoing Syrian Civil War will perhaps be the most cataclysmic episode in Syrian history for the remainder of the 21st century. The conflict has produced some of the highest numbers of casualties and refugees than perhaps any other in the past decade and is one of the more brutal civil wars still continuing. It has also begot the rise and fall of the worst form of religious extremism that current generations may see in their lifetimes — that of Daesh, or the so-called Islamic State. Against this ghastly backdrop, we have the invention and tactical application of the “motorcycle DShK” concept. This is the improvised marrying of the original Soviet Russian-produced Degtyaryov-Shpagin Large-Calibre (DShK) belt-fed 12.7x108mm heavy machine gun to local motorcycles in order to create an extremely mobile…

THE SHORTEST AND SMALLEST CONFIGURATION AVAILABLE ON THE BASE MODULE IS THREE BAFFLES. THIS NANO-SIZED UNIT MEASURES 4.1 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHS 8.2 OUNCES. Rex Silentium is a small company making a big splash in boutique suppressor service. We recently had the chance to test their MOD X rifle suppressor, and while we’re very happy with its performance, we’re especially intrigued by their approach to customer service and customization. Rex takes a very meat-and-potatoes approach to can construction. They start with 17-4PH stainless steel, which is then hardened to 45-47Rc. The baffles are CNC-machined and welded together for a solid, tubeless construction rated for a tensile strength of 190,000 psi. From this foundation, the MOD X is grown into a tough, versatile can with some well-thought-out options for customization so…

We spend a lot of time talking about veteran-owned spirits in this column. But a truly relaxing, rewarding end-of-the-day drinking experience involves more than just good booze. Fortunately, this issue’s Veteran Vices column has you covered. Glenn Yench, former electronics technician, weapons rate, comes to this column all the way from Down Under. Glenn served for six years in the Australian Navy in the aforementioned role, roughly equivalent to a gunner’s mate in the U.S. Navy — the primary difference being the Aussie version doesn’t deal with small arms. Instead, he maintained shipboard weapon systems like 5-inch deck guns, Harpoon missile systems, and torpedoes. He served on ANZAC class frigates, including participating in the 2008 RIMPAC security joint exercise that allowed him to “cross-deck” to a U.S. Navy destroyer. Glenn…

One of RECOIL’s staffers lives behind the iron curtain, in sunny California. You might be surprised by how many shooters live in the state, despite its aggressively freedom-hating political leadership. Years ago, he bought a SIG Sauer M400 rifle that had been neutered for California with a device called a bullet button, which would only release a 10-round magazine with the use of a tool or tip of a bullet. When California politicians passed yet another law requiring the registration of rifles equipped with bullet buttons, rather than registering it, he disassembled it to remain legal and put in the back of his safe. But that’s not his only option — in California, you can freely own a magazine-fed semi-automatic centerfire rifle as long as it doesn’t have certain features…

FNH SCAR-L CALIBER: 5.56 NATO BARREL LENGTH: 16.25 inches, 10 inches (shown) WEIGHT (UNLOADED): 7.25 pounds OVERALL LENGTH (16-INCH BARREL): 27.5 inches (folded), 37.5 inches (open) MSRP: $3,299 URL: fnamerica.com The AR-15 family of weapons is no stranger to controversy. From the early days of initial fielding during Vietnam to modern-day Afghanistan, there have been detractors highlighting faults (real or perceived) about the AR. With more than a half-century of real-world use, the AR is the most mature rifle in human history. Seemingly every year, a new caliber or configuration hits the market. There’s an endless chain of products for every single part of the system, down to individual springs and pins. Barrel lengths run the gamut from a tiny 4.5 inches all the way to 28-inch monsters. You can…

For the last couple of years, it’s felt like all the attention in the concealed-carry world has focused on increasing capacity in subcompacts. SIG’s P365, Springfield Armory’s Hellcat, and the 43X/48 duo from Glock have been getting all the headlines. Because of this, it can be easy to overlook the fact that the original slim single-stack subcompact nines, in many ways the forebears of their double-stacked kin, are still out there and putting in yeoman work in holsters across the land. Springfield Armory jogged our memory with the recent launch of the OSP variant of their single-stack subcompact XD-S Mod.2, with a slide milled to accept red-dot sights and available right out of the box with a factory-installed Crimson Trace CTS-1500 red-dot optic. OUT OF THE BOX So, is the…

Did you know you can own a firearm regardless of political affiliation? Of course you did. So, if pretty much everyone, regardless of politics, can own and have owned firearms, why is “the gun” today considered only a tool of the Right? Too bad that answer isn’t simple. However, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Some may reference the National Rifle Association — see Ackerman McQueen — for what was a successful campaign to unite its current membership base using identity politics. Through their “I am the NRA” campaign, they united people from all walks of life, economic status, races, genders, and sexual orientations through the common need for self-defense. In a sense, they framed a collective political identity for an individual right. That is, of course, as long…

In the late 20th century (I feel old just typing that), Americans had been involved in multiple world wars and conflicts and were looking for a new frontier. That frontier, however, looked quite different from the days of the Old West. Rather, they set their sights on outer space, both physically and metaphorically. Americans landed on the moon in 1969 and even though not everyone could travel to space, they dreamed about it in movies, television, and novels. So, it’s no surprise that the space race would impact other industries. In the firearms industry, both military and civilian manufacturers were trying to develop more durable firearms with less weight and recoil, by incorporating new materials. The most well-known and popular firearm from this time period, the AR-15, was originally manufactured…