Table of contents for November/December 2022 #63 in Recoil

Established in 1980, to highlight and preserve New Jersey’s long military history, the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey features exhibits related to the state’s role in conflicts tracing back to the Revolutionary War. The museum is located on the grounds of the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, New Jersey. Sea Girt has been the home of the New Jersey National Guard since 1885. Also located on the same property is the New Jersey State Police Academy, along with various state agencies. The current director and curator of the Militia Museum is New Jersey National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Walker. Walker explained that the mission of the museum is to tell the story of the New Jersey National Guard and those who have served in it. The…

What’s one of the most iconic guns on the planet besides the AK-47 and AR-15? The MP5, of course. This Buildsheet comes from a much younger self seeing MP5s in movies like Navy SEALs, Die Hard, and of course, Predator. If you didn’t dream of being Carl Weathers dual-wielding MP5s in the jungle, your childhood was probably pretty lacking. For the uninitiated, the MP5 (Machine Pistol 5) was originally designed in Germany by Heckler & Koch in the ’60s. It quickly grew in popularity and became one of the most widely used submachine guns in the world. With numerous variants being made, the MP5 was capable of fitting the bill of militaries, law enforcement, and civilians. The rise in pistol-caliber carbines in recent years has seen many new models like…

Primary Arms Optics has spent the last several years making an excellent name for themselves for offering budget-friendly optics with solid feature suites and cleverly designed, easy-to-use reticles. But, in a sense, Primary Arms scopes have lived in the shadow of their more expensive counterparts. They’re viewed by some as “a great option, if you can’t afford one from [insert preferred brand here].” We recently had the chance to evaluate Primary Arms’ newest LPVO, their PLx Compact 1-8x. In addition to the T&E performed for this article, Editor-In-Chief Iain Harrison took a second PLx 1-8x to the inaugural Proving Grounds match in South Carolina, where he placed second in his division with it. After giving this scope a thorough shakedown, we think Primary Arms has put its competition on notice…

When you hear word “Minuteman,” it typically conjures up images of the Revolutionary War — hard men running out of their houses with muskets, possibles bags, and the rest of their sparse kit. But what about the Modern Minuteman? Bill Rapier, of AMTAC Shooting, started teaching his Modern Minuteman course a few years ago, the concept presenting itself to him while competing in the Sniper Adventure Challenge with a good friend of his. Before we dive into the course, a note on Rapier is probably in order. Broad strokes, he retired out of the Navy, spending the lion’s share of his time in the Teams and most of that with DEVGRU. Through that time, he accrued an amazing amount of skill and knowledge. After retiring he started AMTAC Training, his…

This is the first of the RECOIL ICONIC Series. These shorts highlight, celebrate, and discuss guns, gear, and accessories that have stood the test of time and are emblematic of entire categories — those that represent a paradigm shift and influence all those that follow. This article is about magnified combat optics, specifically the Trijicon ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight). There isn’t a magnified optic in the history of the world that has seen more combat use, ever, than the ACOG. First launched in 1987 with the TA01 model, these tritium-illuminated prismatic sights eventually changed the face of modern warfare. Used in small numbers since their inception, their first major contract was with SOCOM in 1995 for the TA01NSN. TA01 models trickled down to regular joes, and the Marine Corps…

There are numerous advocacy groups for firearms manufacturers and gun owners in the United States. The nonprofit Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC) may not be making the headlines, but it has a unique mission. It holds the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF or BATFE), a government agency with little oversight, accountable for its “arbitrary and capricious” interpretation of current gun legislation. Where most 2A advocacy groups operate like government watchdogs, FRAC wants to address potential firearms regulations with members of Congress before they become issues on Capitol Hill. When it does become a bigger issue, FRAC looks to make sure the BATFE is consistent with policy and when it’s not, FRAC wants to ensure gun owners and industry have a means to challenge the BATFE on its…

When COVID-19 hit, it drastically affected the work environment for many Americans. Some began working remotely, while others were forced into reduced hours or lost their jobs entirely. Mark Pankey had been working as a first officer (copilot) for Southwest Airlines since 2016. Prior to that job, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, most of which was as a fighter pilot flying F-16s. After transitioning to civilian life, Pankey felt a lingering desire for independence and adventure in the great outdoors. Strangely, COVID presented the opportunity he had been waiting for — a sudden reduction in demand for flights caused Southwest to seek volunteers who were willing to take up to five years off with partial pay. Pankey accepted the offer and used this sabbatical to tackle…

The Republic of Slovenia is in central Europe, with Austria to the north, Croatia to the south, Italy to the west, and Hungary to the east. The majority of its population is of Slavic descent. After World War II, Slovenia was subsumed into Yugoslavia, until it broke away in 1991 as communism finally fell in Eastern Europe. Following its independence came economic growth and prosperity, and Slovenia eventually joined NATO and the European Union. While firearms are heavily regulated in Slovenia, we’ve seen some of their guns coming to the U.S, such as pistols from AREX Defense. The latest is from Tinck Arms, founded by Tomaz Razpet. Having established a hydro turbine engineering company, Razpet began developing firearms designs, as he’d always been fascinated by guns since childhood. As maligned…

From pistols, tactics, calibers, platforms, to even an entire branch of service, the last several years of the U.S. Military is filled to the brim with new and shiny, alongside some novel kinks to work out. Some may question the reasoning of revamping our armed forces seemingly from the ground up immediately following the official end of two decades of war, but frankly this is all happening at the best time possible. History is rife with valid complaints of those in the dirt being indistinguishable from harried lab rats when it comes to experimental testing (with war comes innovation), and if we can discover and amend our mistakes during high-intensity training before putting the lives of ours literally on the line, all the better. MARGIE In 2020, the Department of…

If someone is looking for their first can, we almost always steer them toward a .30 cal for maximum versatility. It seems the engineers at Abel are on the same page, as for the moment, that’s all they offer — which is a good thing. We got to spend some quality time with their Biscuit and Biscuit S models and can confirm they’re as good as anything out there, offering a lot of bang for the buck. Constructed of 17-4 precipitation-hardened stainless steel and featuring some of the nicest welds we’ve seen on any suppressor, they’re rated for use on 5.56 rifles down to 10.3 inches in barrel length and are claimed to withstand full-auto fire on shorties. At the other end of the spectrum, they’ll handle 300PRC from a…

Since the beginning of time, animals have used camouflage for survival. Animals conceal themselves from their predators as well as use camouflage to blindside their prey. Some animals, like the arctic fox, have evolved to change the color of their coat depending on the seasons to evade predators. Other animals, like the mimic octopus, can not only change their color to blend in with their environment, but also change their shape and texture to mimic the surrounding environment like rocks, sand, or plants on the ocean floor. Animals have also established a tactical way to move in their habitat to avoid predators and search for food. Movements like prowling, hopping, or crawling are essential to their survival. Early hunters learned from the animal kingdom and adopted these tactics to…

If you’ve wandered into the “gun side” of YouTube in the last few years, or any guncentric social media, chances are high that you’ve encountered the self-defense community there. From drills to improve your gun handling to discussions about mindset and gear, there are innumerable videos available online to address issues relating to armed self-defense. Despite most tech platforms’ seemingly constant attempts to surreptitiously squelch discussion of firearms, gun rights, or really anything surrounding weapons at all, the community continues to thrive, whether YouTube decides it can be monetized or not. Anyone who has been awake for more than 20 minutes so far this decade has an idea of what sorts of threats walk around outside their door, thanks to the endless media coverage of active shooting events, armed protests/riots…

01 VARGO SOBATA-815 MSRP: $125 URL: vargooutdoors.com “Titanium knives” are usually folding blades with titanium handles. For most companies, it’s just too time consuming (and, therefore, expensive) to grind and sharpen titanium into a razor-sharp blade. But Vargo said, “Hold my beer,” and produced the Sobata lineup of folding knives featuring sintered titanium alloy — a proprietary blend that combines the edge retention of ceramic with the strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance of titanium. The Sobata-815 features this wondrous material in a modified drop-point blade, an ideal shape for all sorts of duties — from hiking and hunting to everyday carry. It’s easy to open, whether using the flipper tab or the thumb slot, while the liner-lock provides a secure lockup. And the simple but ergonomic handle features textured G10…

An old-time self-defense tool has been making a strong comeback in recent years: brass knuckles. Also known as knucks, knuckle dusters, or even “paperweights,” these tools can make for an effective impact weapon for self-defense. There’s always an air of mystery or a reminiscence of a bygone era when you see a set of these. That wasn’t always the case — they were pretty common to find in local stores and in large mail-order catalogs until about the 1960s. Criminalization of brass knuckles began as early as the 1920s, as big cities tried to crack down on inexpensive or readily available weapons. They were fully swept into the class of blackjacks and switchblade knives by the 1960s in most major jurisdictions. Some would have you believe they were on the…

Primary Weapons Systems is best known for its line of piston-driven AR guns, jumping early into the arena of expanding the technological envelope of the mainstream AR platform. They’ve now turned their sights on the fast-growing suppressor market, releasing their first-ever silencer, the BDE Suppressor. PWS says the moniker stands for Bravo Delta Echo, but a quick Google search may provide an alternate yet even more appropriate meaning. The BDE is composed of titanium that’s 3D printed and CNC turned, allowing for precise and intricate designs, concentricity, and use of a strong and lightweight material. It’s anodized and Cerakoted, with exterior texturing designed to help dissipate heat mirage and look snazzy in the process. It’s modular, with four removable baffles to exactly configure the BDE to your desired length and…

There’s no shortage of tactical trainers or training facilities around the country. What there’s arguably a shortage of are facilities that are family friendly. While it may sound counterintuitive to put “family friendly” and “tactical training” in the same sentence, the truth is that self-defense really isn’t just for yourself once family is involved. Whether that includes live-in relatives, a spouse, and/or children, making sure everyone in your household is prepared to successfully confront danger is all but a moral imperative in today’s world. It’s so important, in fact, that one facility in Florida made family their middle name — literally. Where Our Families Train is the brainchild of Philip Toppino. We think it’s significant to note that Toppino isn’t any kind of ex-operator or former “cool guy.” But he…

Few in the mainstream media are interested in journalism — it’s bad for the bottom line. Instead, they’d much rather sit back and regurgitate propaganda, feeding you clickbait bullsh*t designed to either incite outrage or reinforce your world view. It makes no difference whether you’re on the left or right side of the political spectrum; the business model is the same. With the Russo-Ukraine war entering its third phase, and with it having so much influence on the direction of warfare and domestic policy, we decided to get some perspective from the guys on the ground, so packed our bags and hit the road. In order to do good, we enlisted the help of a tiny charity — or rather, they enlisted us. People Helping People Across Borders is a…

It’s somewhat ironic that the eight years since STI’s patent expired on their hi-cap 2011 design have been the company’s most profitable, due in no small part to their rebranding as Staccato and making a serious play for the LE market by marketing raceguns to cops. That business success has attracted others to the field, the latest being Spring-field Armory, which aims to bring their manufacturing and marketing horse-power to the platform. As one of the U.S.’s biggest 1911 vendors, Springfield’s decision to add a widebody option to the stable was an obvious one, but getting 2011s to run reliably seems for whatever reason to be more difficult than their single-stack brethren; this problem is exacerbated in calibers that don’t start with a .4. We got hands on with a…

Whether you’re shooting long-range centerfire or poking at steel from inside a few hundred yards in rimfire competition, upgrading your rifle with a chassis system is a great way to increase your fun factor while potentially decreasing your group sizes. The main benefit of a chassis over a standard rifle stock is its adaptability. A well-thought-out chassis system offers a host of ergonomic adjustments that make a rifle fit better and accessory attachment points that allow shooting more efficiently. While the OEM market is catching up on some of these points by offering semi-custom chassis features, an aftermarket chassis is the way to go for no-holds-barred performance. While there’s no shortage of excellent options from the established brands in the chassis market, two newcomers caught our attention with their…