The urge to capitalize on AR modularity, firepower, ergonomics and accuracy potential with cartridges other than a 5.56mm cartridge has constantly appealed to the shooting community. Rock River Arms (RRA) is a manufacturer that tapped into this sentiment early on. RRA models and configurations have grown significantly since 1996. Rock River Arms was founded in 1996 by brothers Mark and Chuck Larson. Their initial product focus consisted of custom 1911 pistols before turning their attention to AR-style rifles. The attention to detail associated with creating Match-grade 1911s was transferred over to AR production methods. RRA quality control was rewarded within only a few years of emerging on the AR scene, as RRA was quickly brought to the forefront by winning contracts to provide AR rifles to the DEA and FBI. This has been followed up with multiple other procurement deals with federal, state and local law enforcement entities.

Two recent RRA firearm introductions, the BT-3 Precision .308Win and BT-9 9mm, highlight Rock River’s adaptability. The 18-inch barreled BT-3 and 4.5-inch barreled BT-9 show the full gamut of Rock River Arms’ capabilities and configurations involving the AR; sort of a “long and short” of AR life.

RRA’s goal with the BT-3 is to wring the most out of Eugene Stoner’s design in terms of reliability and accuracy. These two objectives are often at odds with each other. The tight tolerances associated with accuracy can hinder reliability if not applied properly. By improving fit and finish, including the use of a billet lower receiver with the BT-3, RRA sets itself apart from the majority of AR manufacturers in existence today. The BT-3 Precision comes with a fluted 18-inch cryogenically treated barrel. The BT-3 Precision features an extended, free-floated 17-inch M-LOK forend rail system. The BT-3 Precision being direct impingement versus piston-driven assists in maintaining weapon balance. The accuracy potential of a quality AR-type weapon is often on par or superior to a bolt action.

The Rock River BT-9 braced pistols are the latest twist on what Colt started in the early 1980s with its Fourth Generation SMG Model 635 9mm. The Colt Model 635 was patterned off of the M16/AR platform. Other differences between a 9mm AR and a 5.56/.223 AR are related to the 9mm AR working via blowback. The bolt carrier on the 9mm AR needs to be much heavier due to this operating method. It is one piece as compared to the 5.56/.223Rem rotating bolt head. The bolt still recoils into the buffer tube located in the stock; thus, side folding stocks are not an option. The 9mm bolt face is integral to the bolt, and the bolt itself is totally different in configuration due to making room for an ejector that protrudes up from the magblock sliding along its length. Lastly, there are no rotating/locking lugs on the 9mm bolt face.

The Rock River BT-9 has eschewed using Colt or modified Uzi magazines to feed rounds from. The BT-9 is GLOCK-magazine compatible. While the original Colt was select fire, the RRA BT-9 braced pistol evaluated in this article is not. Full-auto is overrated unless you are the lucky individual to have a fun switch-equipped weapon. In all seriousness, the semiauto-only path is not that much of a compromise due to the weapon retaining the handling characteristics of the original design.

Rock River offers a full line of BT-9 pistols with 4.5- (featured herein) 7- and 10.5-inch barrels along with a BT-9 rifle featuring 16-inch barrel. The RRA BT-9 weighs just over 5 pounds with the 4.5-inch barrel surrounded by a free-floated, M-LOK-compatible quad rail and measures 23.5 inches with a 5-position adjustable SB Tactical® SBA3™ brace extended. A Smith Enterprise Vortex® flash hider is mounted with .5-inch-36 thread pattern. The 4.5-inch chrome moly barrel features 1:10 twist rate. This twist rate is well suited to take advantage of the full range of 9mm loads—115 grains to 147 grains. The 4.5-inch barrel gets the most out of the 9mm, while allowing for a suppressor to mount while staying below what a 16-inch barrel length and weight would be even with a suppressor mounted.

The Rock River BT-9 is an excellent example of a classification of weapons that can be no longer ignored or not taken seriously—the braced pistol. The number of pistol models stemming from what was typically associated with rifle-pattern weapons has exploded. Every major manufacturer is now compelled to offer a pistol version of rifle models. AR-type pistols dominate the brace pistol genre due to not only the overall popularity of the AR in the U.S. but also the way the AR buffer tube interacts with the user. Early AR pistols relied on the buffer tube only for user interface. People forget that the plethora of brace options were not present initially. The whole trend exploded with the arrival of braces pioneered by SB Tactical. The AR buffer tube proved an ideal, natural mounting point for braces.

For individuals who have no legal access to an NFA Class 3 Short Barrel Rifle (SBR), the brace-stabilized pistol may well be the closest they can get to achieving SMG-like firepower in such a compact package. Along these same lines, the expansion of states issuing concealed carry permits and other states honoring these permits are another reason why braced pistols are so popular currently. The ability to maintain handgun status with a semblance of SBR performance cannot be resisted. The legal classification as a handgun offers users who have a concealed carry license a certain amount of flexibility compared to a true rifle or NFA-SBR-classified weapon.

To exploit the Rock River BT-3’s versatility, a Nightforce® NX8™ 2.5-20×50 F1 optics was mounted. This scope has a low-power setting for quick target acquisition at close range, and a turn of the knob provides longer or precision shots as the mission dictates. The BT-3’s Picatinny flat-top receiver allows for one of the sturdiest and versatile scope-to-rifle connections available. Variable power magnification optics are becoming more the norm in military and law enforcement circles, especially as available power ranges expand.

A Word on Nightforce

Most have no idea what they are missing in terms of rifle optics offered by Nightforce. Nightforce produces some of the most diversified, high-performing scopes on the market. The low magnification setting with wide field of view, edge-to-edge clarity and illuminated reticle options allow for extremely fast, accurate target acquisition. This is an ideal scope for when fractions of seconds count, and a lethal shot placement is a must. The Nightforce NX8 2.5-20×50 F1 can handle close-quarter situations and much longer shots with a quick turn of the magnification dial.

Accuracy Tests

Various .308Win loadings from Remington, SIG SAUER and Federal provided the basis of accuracy tests. No ammunition, including full metal jacket ammunition, generated greater than 1.75 MOA accuracy levels. The direct-impingement BT-3 AR proved reliable throughout this evaluation with over 350 assorted rounds each sent downrange. The Rock River BT-3 initial group was fired with SIG SAUER Elite 168-grain BTHP. Three rounds nestled into a ¾-inch cluster at 100 yards.

Echo Valley Training Center has been hosting the Hesco® Zombie Invitational for the last 6 years. The Zombie Invitational is a precision rifle, pistol and shotgun match with a zombie theme. A participant is tasked with carrying all weapons, ammunition and supplies for the entire day of activities … no returning to vehicles or campsites to top off ammunition or resupply. We all know that a round to the brain is the best way to deal with a zombie; thus, precision is the key for all the timed stages encountered. The Rock River Arms BT-3 was evaluated using this format. There is no better way to get a feel for a weapon than humping it around all day and then being timed in front of your peers while engaging targets. As expected, the BT-3 was ideal for the longer range engagements where hitting a 4-inch round target at 300-plus yards is no easy task. The CQB stages, thought of as the realm of the AR-15, were handled without issue with the BT-3 as well.

Even though chambered in the 9mm pistol cartridge, the BT-9 braced pistol is a much more potent package than any handgun due to its increased accuracy, and therefore effective range, and ammunition capacity. The muzzle blast differential between a 9mm carbine versus an obnoxious rifle muzzle signature is further accentuated in confined spaces—such as inside a home if serving in a personal defense role. The old standard touting the advantage of having both a carbine and handgun chambered in the same caliber should not be casually dismissed, especially if one is not supported by an organized logistics chain. The Rock River BT-9 further accentuates this by accepting GLOCK-compatible magazines, including 33-rounders.

The RRA BT-9 benefits from proven M16/AR-15 ergonomics, operating controls, ease of accessorizing, sights and other modifications that have evolved over the years since the original Colt Model 635 was introduced; not to mention broad familiarity with the M16/AR-15 platform in the shooting culture. The BT-9 this author tested featured a free-floated quad rail and A4 flattop receiver, allowing for easy mounting of accessories. A conscious decision was made to minimize any weight added, and any accessory was scrutinized for its benefit added versus its weight added.

Drills quickly moved past stand-and-deliver drills to more dynamic drills involving movement, magazine reloads and firing from behind cover. A Trijicon® MRO® (Miniature Rifle Optic) HD was mounted. The MRO HD expands upon on the original MRO by offering both a 2MOA dot and segmented reticle more likely found in a laser holographic sight than a sealed reflex sight (SRS). For certain scenarios, a Trijicon 3x Magnifier was mounted behind the MRO HD. The MRO HD was designed to mate up with the Trijicon 3x Magnifier. The Trijicon Magnifier is on a tilt mount, allowing for it to be swung out of the way until a situation calls for its use. The MRO HD large tube provides a superior field of view compared to many competitor red dot sights. For the civilian, the Trijicon MRO HD and 3x Magnifier combination is worthy for consideration as it enhances performance via flexibility of offering pure red dot or magnification for longer ranges.

The author decided to concentrate on using the Rock River BT-9 in training scenarios involving team tactics and patrolling to contact through Echo Valley Training Center’s (EVTC) 360-degree MOUT Village and Jungle Walk ranges. A wide range of 9mm loads were tested consisting of multiple bullet profiles and weights. 115-, 124- and 147-grain JHP and FMJ loads from Black Hills, Federal®, Hornady®, Remington and Winchester® were tested. The RRA BT-9 SBR was sighted in at 1-inch high at 25 yards which gives a 50-yard zero and -9-inch low at a 100-yard trajectory. Range sessions consisted of nearly 500 rounds to gain confidence in the RRA BT-9’s reliability. The first evaluation was a function test consisting of dumping multiple magazines in quick succession. Nine millimeter ARs have a reputation for being finicky at best and cranky at worst. The RRA BT-9 exhibited neither of these characteristics.

The case can be made that the Rock River Arms’ BT-3 and BT-9 combine to satisfy any imaginable scenario encountered. All of the Rock River features are intended for maximizing effectiveness during a fight or realistic training on the range. The key component is reliability. No matter how accurate or powerful chambering is, if it does not work 100% of the time, it is a liability. Selection of a fighting weapon is as personal as it gets. The Rock River BT-3 and BT-9 are intended for serious practitioners who plan on using them for patrolling, training or defense.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Rock River Arms BT-3
CALIBER 7.62NATO
BARREL 18in cryo-treated
OA LENGTH 36.5in–39in
WEIGHT 8.5lb empty and no scope
ACTION Semiautomatic
CAPACITY Magpul® PMAG® 10-, 20- or 25-round detachable
PRICE $1,550

Rock River Arms BT-9
CALIBER 9mm
BARREL 4.5in
OA LENGTH 23.5in with SB Tactical SBA3 brace
WEIGHT 5.1lb empty and no scope
ACTION Semiautomatic
CAPACITY Detachable GLOCK-compatible magazines
PRICE $1,380

Rock River Arms
rockriverarms.com
Nightforce Optics
nightforceoptics.com
Trijicon
trijicon.com
Echo Valley Training Center
echovalleytraining.com

For the past 2 months, I have worn the Tactica Defense Fashion (Tactica) Belly Band Holster all day, every day. I have worn it each day with a fully loaded Taurus G2. I have worn it to work and play, on bare skin and over a tank-top, above stretch pants and belted pants. I’ve worn it so much that many times I forgot I had it on. That is what comfortable concealed carry should be—when you forget you’re wearing it, you know that’s the one for you.

Initially, I was a little skeptical of the belly band design, particularly since other designs literally suck the pistol against your stomach and into your ribs. But when I researched the history of belly band design, I realized that Tacticas’ design is indeed one of the most innovative, practical and comfortable methods available today for the female market.

The Historical Significance

There is nothing new about the belly band as women have practiced wrapping their abdomen or belly following pregnancy for thousands of years. In Latin America it is called “Faja,” and the Japanese call it “Sarashi.” These abdominal wrappings were meant to reduce the swelling of the belly from childbirth and tighten the overstretched muscles. The wrapping of the belly was done with a single layer of cotton many times around the torso, to ensure a complete 360-degree support. It was lost for centuries when this traditional method became impractical, cumbersome and time consuming.

The high fashion centers of Europe during the Victorian Era took the concept and material, designing corsets which both women and men wore to create a slimmer physique and illusion, or to rearrange body parts to a more appealing location. What had been designed in centuries past for the well-being and rapid healing of the female form was now used to accentuate features such as a robust bustline or a super “pencil-thin waist.”

In 1914, the ACE™ (all cotton elastic) bandage was invented by scientists to reduce swelling and inflammation in post-operative patients. This invention went on to replace the “bone stays” used in the earlier corsets, and the development of the elastic girdle which is still in use today. Weightlifters and construction workers perform their tasks with support belts of similar design and materials to stabilize their back, core and legs. Belly wraps are still used today for weight loss and cellulite detoxification and for medical treatment of belly button hernias and appendectomy recovery. The standard concealed carry belly band follows the same design.

The Practical Significance

Anytime a woman selects a holster, she needs to consider the method of carry, its placement on the body and her comfort. When looking at the size of the firearm she needs to coordinate her torso length with the carry method and the location. Many times, this will determine the type of clothing to be worn to comfortably carry and adequately conceal. If the method chosen is a belly band, she is limited in her choice. Many manufacturers produce them, but most are the same design with the holster sewn into the band. One gal modeling such a belly band on the internet could not have possibly sat down as the grips would have stuck into her ribs. I could tell by the location of her waist that the grips were right below the rib-cage. I was loaned one of these belly bands by a friend. I tried it and not only found it suffocating in its material and belly constriction, but the sweating and the itching that accompanied it was intolerable. I could not comfortably carry my pistol. In addition, attempting to draw my pistol from such a holster was extremely difficult and dangerous.

Tactica has thought outside the box and combined a padded neoprene backing in its belly band and a hard-shell holster which connects to it. The hard-shell holster is molded for the specific firearm, can be canted for a more natural draw and has a spring steel core for reinforcement. It protrudes from the belly band for the width of the firearm and locks the firearm in place with a discernible “click.” It’s an amazing combination of a different technology.

“Our concealed carry belly band holster uses a state-of-the-art design that allows safety and comfort to coexist. A breathable neoprene backing provides comfort, while our custom-molded polymer shell perfectly safeguards your trigger. The amazing hybrid design is reinforced with a spring steel core, so you know this holster is built to last. Our products simply can’t be matched because most belly band holsters feature neoprene or elastic holster pockets. These materials don’t give you the best trigger guard protection and can be uncomfortable.”

The belly band (in small, medium and large) and the holster (manufacturer, model and draw hand) are ordered together. Each order is made upon demand, so the wait time can be several weeks to several months, dependent upon demand. The holster base (which the holster attaches to) has a rectangular ring through which the strap end of the band is secured with a hook and loop fastener. The holster is then adjusted to the desired position and tightness on the waist. The draw angle of the holster can be changed as well as the retention by tightening the screws that attach the outer shell to the holster base. You can wear the holster high on the torso, below the belly or anywhere in between. The belly band can be rotated for cross-draw or appendix-draw.

I have written many articles about concealed carry methods for women. Prior to Tactica, I was telling my students not to consider a belly band. Now when I discuss concealed carry with my students, the Tactica Belly Band Holster is what I show them first. It is comfortable while standing and sitting even with my short torso. The seat belt of a vehicle does not interfere with the comfort, since the belly band can be rotated if necessary. Because of its great retention, the belly band is great for hikers, bikers, horse-back riders and for every day and every night basic concealed carry. The holster has superior retention in any position. And one of the best benefits of all is that you do not have to remove the belly band or your pistol when “Mother Nature” calls. This is refreshing!

The Dilemma and Solution

The bulk of a firearm in its holster on a person’s body is always a concern and more-so for women. How will it be concealed? Women’s clothing is generally tapered which means that tops, in particular, do not drape. They follow the contour of the shoulders, bust, waist and hips. To carry around the waist, a woman must wear non-tapered shirts so that the clothing does not print the design of the firearm in its holster. This would also apply to wearing IWB and OWB and shoulder holsters.

Tactica has a solution for the clothing as well. Their clothing line includes tops, sweaters and jackets. The one I ordered was a two-piece (tank top/outer drape) which successfully covered the belly band. Worn above a fashionable pair of jeans, my model Angie could easily disguise my Taurus G2. The drape of the top covers the slots sown into the tank top which Angie could place her hand through in order to grasp the Taurus grip and safely pull it from the holster. The sweaters and jackets also have the necessary entry points to draw from the belly band holster. Fashionable concealed carry can be successfully accomplished.

When considering clothing to wear with the Tactica Belly Band Holster, besides how it drapes in the front, consider the pattern on the material. Fashion and textile industries since the 1960s discovered that patterns on material create optical illusions to enhance a body’s proportion or reduce a body’s flaw. Clinging materials like spandex will accentuate the body and what is carried on it. As such, to divert attention away from an area of the body, consider patterns and styles that draw the eye elsewhere.

Horizontal patterns add weight to the body. People automatically look left to right as the pattern directs the eyes. Vertical patterns make the body look leaner and cause the eyes to look up and down, rather than straight on. Avoid light colored pants and skirts which draw attention to your midsection. A one-palette shade like black creates a lean, slimming line where there is no break in the color. Attention is not drawn to the waist where you are carrying. Shirts and blouses should be longer and hit below the true waist if worn outside the pants. Wear tops, shirts and dresses with boatneck, V-neck and square-neck to draw a viewer’s eye up toward the face and the upper body. Fabric detailing like lace, buttons, scarves, necklaces and wildly designed ties will also do the trick. When dressing for concealed carry, consider that you must camouflage that you’re carrying a pistol by creating an optical illusion.

It is obvious that what you choose for your concealed carry is determined by your body shape, clothing selection and the size of the firearm. And what you choose must be comfortable as well as accessible. The concept of the belly band is nothing new, but the design by Tactica is unique.

For all day and every day: Tactica Belly Band Holster is my choice. Make it yours! For more information, see Tactica Defense Fashion (a division of Alien Gear) at tacticafashion.com.

Shotguns are great. They are powerful, fast-handling and offer an instant beaten zone. Unfortunately for recoil-averse shooters like this author, 12-gauge shotguns come in two forms: “too heavy” and “kicks too much!” With a massive, box-fed, autoloading tactical shotgun, I can run reduced recoil loads all day long so long as I don’t have to walk far with it. With a sleek, lightweight field gun, I can venture far and then miss my intended, gave due to flinching at the thought of touching off a heavy hunting load. The Savage Renegauge was designed in response to this contradiction.

Painful felt recoil is comprised of two components: the actual strength and abruptness of the kick and poor fit. Savage endeavored to eliminate both culprits. The gun ships with an impressive array of parts designed to fit it to the individual shooter. Two taller cheekpieces are included to provide correct sight picture—no matter what sighting method is used. Sighting out-of-the-box is with a vent rib and a fiber optic bead. While the horizontal portion of the rib is textured against glare, the ramp at the back of the rib isn’t—it reflects bright sky above quite prominently. Replacing the red fiber optic light pipe with a brighter green one would help bring the front bead into proper prominence, but texturing of that ramp surface would help even more. For the fans of heads-up displays, Evolution Gun Works (EGW) just came out with a Picatinny optic mount compatible with all Renegauge models. So anything from a micro red dot to a holographic sight with a wide window may be employed.

Two longer recoil-absorbing buttpads with spaces are also in the box, providing correct length of pull and very effective recoil reduction. Going even further, Savage includes four cast adjustor plates—plastic spacers that help center the gun within the shooter’s natural stance. All these modification options make it possible to create a “bespoke but factory” firearm, a shotgun with perfect fit for a mass-produced price of a little over $1,000.

The second element of comfortable shooting is minimizing the actual recoil impulse. A long-stroke piston action spreads recoil over a longer time. I’ve seen reviews call it a short-stroke action, but the piston is rigidly laser-welded to the bolt carrier and recoils with it the entire length of the cycle. A patented DRIV (Dual Self-regulating Inline Valve) is a clever way to make the action smoother and less prone to beating the receiver and the shooter’s shoulder alike when heavy loads are fired. Instead of one gas port, the barrel has several to add gas to the piston tube gradually. With light loads, all of the gas is used to drive the piston, with subsequent venting out. With higher pressure ammunition, like 3-inch magnums, the gas pressure forces two valves in the front of the gas block open, venting the excessive pressure out of the front of the forend. This way, light and heavy loads can be mixed in the same tube without any manual regulation required. The system works great for all but the most wimpy promotional ammunition. The rotating bolt has two lugs, so it’s fairly tolerant of a fouled barrel extension.

The Renegauge is a gray 8-pound shotgun with slightly angular forms. It’s also available in three camo patterns and with barrels from 24 to 28 inches. My test gun is gray with a 26-inch tube. The entire design is industrial and purposeful rather than decorative: I don’t have to worry about it rusting from the outside humidity or fret over small scratches in fine walnut furniture. The receiver is aluminum, and all the steel parts feature a Melonite finish. Helpfully, the shotgun comes with sling swivels already installed. Less helpfully, the swivel openings are not the same, with the standard one on the underside of the stock and a smaller one on the front of the magazine tube cap.

The barrel is fluted, unusual for expedient for shotguns. Three Benelli-pattern chokes are supplied with the shotgun: Modified (installed), Improved Cylinder and Full. The key for swapping them is under the foam in the same case. Renegauge comes with an excellent trigger—smooth and around 4 pounds. The push-through safety is in the back of the trigger guard, which this author prefers: I’ve seen more than one accidental discharge from the index finger slipping off the safety placed on the front of the trigger guard.

The magazine holds four shells. A limiter rod is included with the shotgun but isn’t pre-installed. The limited rod is notched for easy trimming to provide various degrees of capacity reduction. At this time, no tube extension is available. Once extended tubes are offered, the smooth-shooting Renegauge would do well in a three-gun competition.

With the Improved Cylinder choke, the Renegauge shot accurately with slugs, easily keeping them on a silhouette at 60 yards. Past that distance, I would need something more than a bead sight, like a HI VIZ adjustable rear sight or a micro red dot. One-ounce Federal Top Gun #7.5 sporting clay shells cycled reliably, and Rio 1 ¼ ounce high-velocity Texas Game loads shot without hurting my shoulder.

Made in America, the Renegauge benefits from better support and likely longer parts availability. Turkish-made shotguns often have problems with parts availability due to undocumented dimensional and design drift over time. All of the controls operate smoothly; all the surfaces are nicely radiused. Overall, the shotgun comes across as well-conceived and an equally well-executed product.

What comes to mind if J.P. Sauer & Sohn (Sauer) bolt action is mentioned? Old World craftsmanship and a commensurate price tag are two immediate thoughts. After all, Sauer has the distinction of being the oldest active firearm manufacturer in Germany. While you would be right, as Sauer certainly offers high-end refined weapons, Sauer corporate leadership also has decided to offer a more economical bolt action. U.S. hunters would be advised to consider the Sauer 100 as it benefits greatly from Sauer’s experience with higher end rifle offerings.

In designing the Sauer 100 lineup, the company wanted to build the best bolt-action hunting rifles in what many label the “affordable class.” As many features as possible were incorporated by Sauer, believing hunters would appreciate and choose accordingly. Multiple Sauer 100 models exist with the Sauer Classic XT tested for this submission.

The 100 Classic XT features a synthetic stock. The 100 Classic XT uses an ERGO MAX stock with a similar design of the pricier SAUER 101 and 404 rifles, complete with the distinctive Schnabel forend. The slight palm swell is textured along with the forend. A spring-loaded detachable magazine fits flush with the bottom of the stock. The MOA guarantee is also sure to garner attention. The SAUER 100 Classic XT is an “entry level/affordable” rifle that is by no means basic.

That J.P. Sauer intended the 100 model series for the U.S. market is evident by the barrel attachment method used. Most European rifle manufacturers heat the receiver and press-fit the barrel in place versus the American barrel attachment method of being screwed and torqued in place. U.S. consumers prefer having the ability to re-barrel—even if most do not ever take advantage of this ability. However, J.P. Sauer still could not resist a little European design flare when it comes to bolt lock up in the receiver. The Sauer 100 Classic XT receiver doesn’t have the lug abutments cut into the receiver like almost every American bolt-action design. Sauer cuts a recess in the receiver and then puts a breech ring in place. The bolt lugs sit against this breech ring when the action is closed; the front of the breech ring acts as an index point for the barrel. The barrel can just be screwed into the receiver until it touches the breech ring, and headspace will be correct. The front of the breech ring gives the barrel a known stopping point in relation to the lug abutments to ensure headspace is the same every time. No hand-fitting is necessary. The consumer and manufacturer benefit from this procedure. The consumer is rewarded with tight tolerances; the manufacturer with a system that does not require specially trained personnel to implement proper headspacing. Welcome to the age of CNC-based methods.

The 100 Classic XT is comprised of Sauer’s building blocks for accuracy and reliability. The Sauer receiver houses a one-piece, three-lug profile bolt. This bolt pattern is often associated with entry-level bolt actions. However, the secret is out … this configuration can be conducive to accuracy. We can debate as to why. My theory is that by being more practical for manufacture in our CNC age, quality exceeds expectations compared to more traditional bolt-action designs where skilled craftsman must hone/finish the process of fitting properly. Remember the barrel ring detail from above? Frankly, skilled craftsmen are in short supply no matter the efforts to get employees trained up.

One advantage of the three-lug bolt is short handle throw, 60 degrees with the 100 Classic XT, allowing for easier scope mounting and less rotation/friction to unlock bolts from the chamber during manipulation. A three-position safety is mounted on the right side of the action behind the bolt handle. The bolt can be cycled with the safety engaged, which is always in terms of safety. The three-lug bolt geometry enables rounds to be “scooped” up out of the double-stack detachable magazine with a capacity of 5+1 for the .270Win.

Sauer’s attention to detail is present in the bolt head via dual ejectors and extractor location. The 100 has dual plunger ejectors that sit opposite a blade extractor sitting low in the ejection port during bolt travel. This arrangement yields optimal extraction and ejection. Dual ejectors mean the ejection process is very controlled, and the angle at which the fired case leaves the action is shallow. This prevents issues with empty cases striking scope windage turrets sitting low over the receiver where they need to be for proper cheek weld.

The J.P. Sauer cold-hammer-forged barrel, adjustable trigger and Sauer EVER REST bedding system round out the details for the 100 Classic XT. Sauer hammer forged barrels are renowned for their accuracy. The Sauer 100 Classic XT benefits greatly from a barrel quality upgrade well above its commensurate price tag. The Sauer 100 Classic XT’s barrel comes off the same hammer forge machines as higher end Sauer rifles. Blaser and Mauser rifle barrels are also made on these machines. The adjustable trigger can be set from 2.2 to 4.2 pounds. The action bedding system of the Sauer 100 Classic XT is refined European with nothing equivalent in the U.S. market. There is no recoil lug as we know it on the action. A groove is machined in the action behind the forward action screw that mates up with a corresponding aluminum block in the stock when receiver and stock are mated together.

100 Classic XT Chambered in .270Win

The overall length of the SAUER 100 Classic XT is 42 inches with the free-floated, slim-profile, 22-inch barrel. Its weight is 6.85 pounds. A 100 Classic XT chambered in .270 Winchester (.270 Win) was evaluated for this article. Multiple other calibers are available ranging from .223 Rem up to .300 Win Mag with many stops in between.

The .270 Win was the darling of performance way back in the 1920s! The .270 Win has been around since 1925 and has generated a dedicated following. What is not to love about a 130-grain bullet traveling at 3,100+ feet per second (fps)? Very few chamberings equal the soon-to-be, 100-year-old .270 Win. as a pure hunting cartridge. The difference lies in case dimensions allowing for higher velocities to be obtained with .270 Win 130- or 140-grain bullets. Simply put, few rounds can equal the velocity or downrange energy yields of the .270 Win at typical game engagement distances.

Scope

The scope selection was agonized over as this author did not want to put an anchor on the lightweight Sauer 100 Classic XT; yet he still wanted magnification range in order to take advantage of the accurate/potent .270 Win chambering. We are talking about true multipurpose roles: stalking game while maintaining long-range punch across a clearing. An important part of the accuracy equation is a quality optic to go along with a cartridge and rifle. Meopta’s Optika6 2.5-15x44mm was mated to the 100 Classic XT with 30mm Talley rings. Talley rings are machined from solid 7075 T6 alloy and are a Match Grade in terms of tolerances. The Sauer 100 series rifles are compatible with Remington 700 LA scope accessories.

Meopta designed the Optika6 lineup to give hunters and shooters the quality features they desire in an affordable package. Most European optic manufacturers are not known for this. For example, MeoBright and MeoShield offer lens coatings to eliminate glare and reflections to deliver 91% daylight light transmission while protecting from scratching or abrasion, an illuminated etched RD reticle system, DichroTech reticle, 30mm tube construction, zero reset turrets, waterproof, fogproof and shockproof, and a lifetime warranty.

Bench Testing

A rifle that shoots well off the bench instills confidence when field practice starts or more importantly in the woods when stalking game. Testing was conducted with Black Hills Gold 130-grain TSX, SIG Sauer Elite 140-grain Controlled Expansion Tip and Hornady Superformance 130-grain SST and GMX loads. The Sauer 100 Classic XT trigger was a superb single-stage affair. Bench testing was done off a Caldwell tripod front rest and rear sandbag. The accuracy figures are based on firing three five-round groups and averaging group sizes. The Black Hills, SIG Sauer and Hornady loads produced groups no larger than 1.25-inches with most in the ¾-inch range.

Jungle Walk

After bench testing, the fun started with the Sauer 100 Classic XT in the form of various T&E scenarios. The 100 Classic XT with its portability is intended for stalk or still hunting forays. This translates into fluid off-hand shots at game. The Echo Valley Training Center’s (EVTC) Jungle Walk Range was used to get a sense of handling. Targets were set up randomly along the meandering trail. A shooter moves down the path until his partner points out a target for engagement albeit paper, clay pigeon or steel. The ability to move through varied terrain and engage randomly placed targets suits the Sauer 100 Classic XT perfectly. If lucky, the hunter will be able to adopt a kneeling or sitting position in lieu of pure off-hand. Even better is gaining advantage of support from a tripod or shooting sticks. BOG Great Divide and Death Grip tripods were brought along for this part of testing. Each proved their worth many times over, especially as engagement distances increased.

Easy to Handle; Easy on the Budget

The 6.85-pound, 22-inch barrel Sauer 100 Classic XT proved easy to handle with no searching for targets required when the rifle was brought up to the shoulder. Accuracy exceeded expectations during bench testing and in the field. The Sauer 100 Classic XT is not a compromise candidate in terms of performance. A user will benefit from purchasing it by having funds left in the budget for optics, ammunition and other gear. The Sauer 100 Classic XT equipped with a Meopta optic proves you do not need a multi-thousand-dollar rig to have a potent set up.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

J.P. Sauer & Sohn: jpsauer-usa.com
SIG Sauer: sigsauer.com
Hornady Manufacturing: hornady.com
Meopta Optics: meoptasportsoptics.com
Echo Valley Training Center: echovalleytraining.com
Black Hills Ammunition: black-hills.com
Bog: boghunt.com

The Martini-Henry Rifle Collector’s Bible

The legendary Martini-Henry (M-H) rifle served Great Britain and the British Commonwealth in the late 1800s, during some of the bloodiest battles the British Army faced. You may recall it being featured in the classic 1964 movie “Zulu.”

The name refers to the design features it incorporated. It was a combination of the Martini action and a unique rifling pattern invented by Alexander Henry. Introduced in 1871, it was the primary rifle until the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield arms were adopted in 1888. Production ended in 1889, yet it continued to serve in reserve units until the end of WWI in 1918.

The Foreword is written by International Military Antiques, Inc. owner Christian Cranmer. (His son Alex often appears on “Pawn Stars” as an expert on old guns.) Christian describes bringing many tons of surplus guns and equipment from Nepal to the UK and United States in 2003. Soon after, a hardcore M-H collector named Neil Aspinshaw came calling. Aspinshaw, the author of this book, is also the creator and owner of www.martinihenry.org.

Following that is the Prologue: Wednesday, 22^nd January 1879: The last moments of a Redcoat. This is an account of the disastrous Battle of Isandlwana, in modern day Republic of South Africa where the British Army lost over 1,300 men in one afternoon. It is told through the eyes of Private 883 John Kempster. Naturally it is a somewhat fictitious account, as 883 perished along with most of his unit, the 1^st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot. Private Kempster was a real soldier, and author Aspinshaw is proud to be the custodian of his campaign medal. The book is also dedicated to him.

This book features many color photographs of complete rifles, interior close-up photos and old B&W period photos. It also has many old patent and engineering drawings and sketches, as well as several battle scene depiction paintings. This offers a great mix of images. Almost every picture is accompanied with a caption. Going beyond the images, the main body of text covers the M-H’s early development, the rifle trials, weaknesses and improvements and changes throughout its service life.

Besides the technical aspects, the author also describes the M-H in battle. He also tackles the thorny issue of reliability. Due to the bloody defeat at the hands of the Zulu warriors at Isandlwana, the rifle came under close scrutiny. Aspinshaw is of the opinion that the rifle was fine; although early batches of ammunition were problematic.

The author did not simply recycle old war stories in regards to this issue. He spent countless hours studying reports from the era, mainly housed at the British National Archives at Kew Gardens and the Royal Armouries at Leeds. Quoting heavily from these reports, Aspinshaw suggests that the problem lay with the ammo, specifically the “rolled case” 577/450 Mk III Boxer design. The rolled case method of fabricating cases from thin sheets of brass foil created a cartridge with a very unique appearance. Wrinkled best describes it. The brass foil is wrapped around a mandrel, along with other parts for the base. The parts were then soldered together to create a case somewhat like a paper shotgun shell. Incidentally, I did notice one minor error here. The brass foil is 0.003-inch thick, not 0.0003 inch as stated. Three thousandths of an inch thick is flexible but not flimsy. Three ten-thousandths of an inch would be like tissue paper. These rolled cases worked well as long as they were not dented or bent. Unfortunately, this often occurred in combat. Chapter 17, Ammunition for the Martini-Henry: The Boxer Cartridge, and Chapter 18, Boxer Ammunition and the Great Jamming Debate, go into detail regarding this. Aspinshaw feels that six factors affected the jamming issue. These are:

1) Case shape. It was not tapered; instead it was parallel-sided.
2) The case would expand tightly against the chamber wall upon firing.
3) Any sand or dust in the chamber or on the cartridge increased the friction.
4) Denting or damage to the fragile case would make it difficult to load into the chamber.
5) If the paper of the paper-patched bullet became “rucked up” or folded back over itself, it became difficult to load.
6) The internal lacquering of the cases could gum up the chamber.

These issues disappeared with the adoption of modern drawn brass cases.

Other related models of the basic Martini action were tested and used by the British military. These are covered in detail as well. Chapter 12 studies the short-lived Enfield-Martini (E-M). (Notice that in this case the Martini name is second.) This was meant to be an updated model, chambered in a new .402-inch cartridge. However, as cartridge design was progressing at a rapid pace worldwide, Britain did not want to commit to a new caliber only to replace it with a newer smaller diameter round soon after. So, after spending 6 years (from 1881 to 1887) toying with the idea of replacing the M-H with the E-M, the E-M project was cancelled. Amazingly, the E-M rifles already made were converted back to M-H rifles! These are the M-H Mk IV “long-lever” pattern guns, in the original 577/450 round. The .402 barrels were removed from the action, re-bored to .450 inch, then refitted to the action and re-proofed. These will have two sets of proof marks stamped into the underside of the barrel. Chapter 13 covers this nicely.

Chapter 14 looks at the Martini-Metford, while chapter 15 covers the Martini-Enfield. Both of these are chambered in .303 British. The names Metford and Enfield refer to the type of rifling used. Metford rifling worked well with black powder but quickly burned out with early smokeless powder. Enfield-style rifling, so named as it was developed at the Enfield arsenal, lasted much longer with Cordite propellant. Notice the order of the names, the M-E being a .303, and the ill-fated E-M being .402.

Chapters on gun manufacture (neat old factory photos!), ammo (as mentioned above), bayonets and scabbards and care and repair round out the topics. An Appendices section that covers Service and Armoury Marks, Unit Markings and a section on Identification: Gun by Gun help to sort out all the many variations. Oddly enough, it does not have a detailed Index at the end, only a basic chapter list at the front. Not a big deal, but it is nice to have an index.

This book does a splendid job of describing all the numerous variants of rifles and carbines that derived from the original Martini-Henry design. This author highly recommends this book.

The Martini-Henry: For Queen and Empire
Full title: The Martini-Henry: For Queen and Empire—The British Military Martini-Henry, Martini-Metford and Martini-Enfield Rifles and Carbines; the Definitive History of Their Development and Service, 1869–1904
Author: Neil Aspinshaw
ISBN: 978-0-9960731-2-7
Copyright: 2019
Binding: Hardcover color
Size: 8.75x 11.25in
Pages: 256; Colour/B&W photos: Many color and B&W (sepia tone) photos, plus patent drawings, factory drawings and battle scene artworks, etc.
Publisher: Tharston Press, an imprint of International Military Antiques, Inc. (IMA)

Fix It Sticks offers a bewildering array of maintenance and support equipment for both shooting and cycling applications. Brilliantly conceived and ruggedly executed, these adorable little tool kits are designed to be used in the field and on the go. Once you paw over these things it becomes obvious that this stuff was contrived by folks who like to shoot.

I’m not the only guy in the world to feel this way. Fix It Sticks is the official tool kit provider for Uncle Sam’s M110A1 Squad Designated Marksman Rifle. The M110A1 is a militarized version of the 7.62x51mm Heckler and Koch G28/HK417 autoloading rifle. Topped with the superlative SIG Sauer TANGO6 variable-power optic, the M110A1 addresses the 300- to 600-meter gap that our warfighters discovered during combat in the arid wastes of Afghanistan. Fix It Sticks, despite its quirky name, is obviously hearty enough to venture downrange.

While Fix It Sticks offers an extensive catalog of gun gear, I was most taken by the All-in-One Torque Driver and the radically simple Scope Jack. The Torque Driver takes all the guesswork out of properly mounting up your optical sights. The Scope Jack mechanically eliminates cant to true the optic to the top of the weapon. Both tools are designed to provide decades of reliable service.

Philosophy

After more than half a century on this planet, I have found that most human pursuits can be done well or they can be done poorly. Modern life demands a certain degree of precision perhaps not found in generations past. In few other human endeavors is this axiom made more profoundly manifest than in the shooting sports.

A great example is mounting optics on a firearm. If you ever bother to read the documentation that comes with your sparkly new toys (most Real Men don’t, by the way), you will find that the manufacturer often stipulates copious dicta concerning just how things should be executed. Mounting screws are to be torqued to a certain standard, and things should be both squared up and true.

This is where the real world typically intervenes. Money spent on dedicated scope mounting tools is cash that isn’t buying ammo. Like a dog after a squirrel, I most often just embraced the distraction and landed that extra case of Russian steel-cased blasting bullets. I then proceeded to mount up my combat glass using “the Force” (an oblique “Star Wars” reference). That means grabbing a screwdriver or similar ape-tool and tightening everything up “until it feels right.” However, trust me when I tell you, that approach is not without risk.

War Story

My farm and my wife are the only two good investments I have ever made (the two transferable machine guns I bought in 1987 on my 21^st birthday would also qualify, should I ever consider selling them, which I won’t). When we finally finished medical training and moved out into the sticks, I used the last of my savings to construct an earthen dam across a modest creek. Three months and a few decent rains later our backyard was now several acres of sparkling fresh farm pond.

That modest body of water helped raise our children. As a homeschool family, it served as our swimming pool, science lab, and recreational space through the next 10 joyous years as we raised our kids. It was also my shooting range.

I know, I know. Never, ever shoot into the water. I understand, I get it, and I agree. However, this particular lake is also surrounded by a 65-foot ridgeline that curves around the back like an amphitheater. It is indeed one of the few safe, wet targets to be found in the continental U.S.

You do something long enough, and mischief invariably ensues. My new optic was brand new and calling my name when it arrived during a busy Friday at the clinic. I couldn’t wait to get home, mount that puppy up and start channeling my inner John Wick. However, in haste there be chaos.

I slapped everything in place and gave the mounting screws an imprecise twist all around. The next morning I dragged out my spanking new range machine along with ample cheap Russian ammo and went to town. Maybe half an hour later tragedy struck.

Mid-burst, I noticed something was amiss just in time to see my new optical sight shake loose, take a hard, unfortunate bounce and drop ignominiously into the lake. The water in this spot is maybe 12 feet deep. I had gotten less than an hour out of my nifty new trinket before irrevocably donating it to Old Hob. I have a big honking magnet, but these newfangled sights are non-ferrous. My cool new toy was gone forever.

I wish I could say this tale has a happy ending. It doesn’t. This same approximate spot also claimed the drum from a PPSh-41 submachine gun (which I did eventually recover with the magnet) and, I’m embarrassed to admit, a sound suppressor. (The flash hider mount failed. The can remains entombed on the bottom of the lake as I type these very words.)

So what’s the moral of this sordid tale? Drop a C-note on the right tools from Fix It Sticks, and you become a better, more precise shooter. You also never again run the risk of donating an expensive tactical gun sight to Davy Jones.

Pertinent Particulars

Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. Synonyms include turning effect, moment, rotational force, and moment of force. The legendary ancient Greek savant Archimedes first explored the concept through the study of levers. Smarter folk than I use pseudovectors and cross products of position and force vectors to define such stuff.

To mount up your optics properly, you should use a torque wrench. These nifty mechanical trinkets come in a bewildering array of sizes and disparate capabilities. Auto mechanics use them all the time. These tools apply precise amounts of rotational force to a variety of fasteners. The All-in-One Torque Driver from Fix It Sticks is purpose-designed for gun applications. It makes short work of your optical mounting chores.

This nifty rig comes complete in a padded zipper pouch not much bigger than your smartphone. It contains a T-handle wrench along with 15 different bits, a ½-inch socket and a ¼-inch bit holder. The beating heart of the thing, however, is the All-in-One Torque Driver itself.

This compact beastie is a spring-loaded cylinder that interfaces between the T-handle and the screw or bolt to be driven. Calibrated from 15- to 65-inch-pounds, the All-in-One Torque Driver really couldn’t be simpler. Assemble the thing, tighten your mounting screws to the torque specified in your operator’s manual, and the sight remains in place until the sun burns out. If you are smart enough to wield a screwdriver, you can successfully use the All-in-One Torque Driver.

The whole shebang is small enough to lose in your range bag and weighs about nothing. As a result you can keep it with you wherever you shoot. There’s really no excuse for not doing those simple mounting chores up right with one of these puppies handy.

Maintaining the Right Balance

One of the more common rookie mistakes when it comes to tactical shooting is mounting up your optic at a cant to the host weapon. I have for four decades typically just eyeballed these things. Sometimes I use a small level, but it is always nonetheless fairly imprecise. Perhaps that’s the reason I still kind of suck at long-distance precision shooting. At least that’s the excuse I’m using. With the Fix It Sticks Scope Jack, however, annoying scope cant is a thing of the past.

The Scope Jack is brilliantly, lyrically elegant. Pick a flat spot underneath your optic and slip the Scope Jack in place, tightening it down on the underlying Picatinny rail. You’ll need a minimum of ¼-inch clearance underneath the optic to get the Scope Jack positioned. If things are tight you can remove the mounting clamp and thumb screw from the jack and reassemble it from the other side once it is in place. You’ll also obviously need to have a spare bit of rail underneath the scope.

Now loosen the scope mounting screws just enough to let the scope tube rotate freely in the rings. Once everything is nicely situated, you affix a standard ¼-inch driver to the Scope Jack and apply a little pressure. This raises the flat side of the jack against the flat part of the scope and mechanically squares everything to the rail. Once the Scope Jack gets everything in place, you tighten the mounting screws with your All-in-One Torque Driver and then remove the jack. Now the job is done perfectly. The downside is that you no longer have that handy excuse for poor performance on the range.

Practical Tactical

For starters I addressed my primary counter-zombie rifle. This is a superlative piston-driven SIG Sauer MCX in 5.56mm nicely accessorized with both a SIG sound suppressor and a SIG TANGO6 combat optic. I slipped the Scope Jack in place, loosened the mounting screws slightly and proceeded to square the glass up perfectly.

The whole project took maybe two minutes. It also turned out that the thing had been very slightly out of true for as long as I have been using it. Snugging everything down with the All-in-One Torque Driver completed the upgrade. And, adding a scant drop of blue, medium-strength thread locking compound means not having to say you’re sorry … ever. As an aside, understand that once thread locking compound is cured, you shouldn’t ever confirm the torque of a fastener by re-torquing it with a torque driver. Think of the compound as, essentially, glue. With this in mind, realize that re-torquing the fastener can snap that glue, freeing the fastener to turn. Instead, if you want to be sure your fasteners haven’t moved, use witness marks.

What followed was a veritable typhoon of unfettered optical gunsight maintenance. I dragged out everything in the collection that mounted tactical glass so I could torque the mounting screws to spec. In each case, I squared the scope and properly snugged the mounts in less than five minutes per gun. Shockingly, about a third of the mounting screws I investigated were loose to varying degrees. Before you could say, “Where have you been all my life?” the job was done. Not really, but it seriously doesn’t take very long.

Final Thoughts

If the scope of your shooting endeavors is dragging out grandad’s old .22 once a year and ventilating a few disused beverage containers then you likely don’t need a whole lot of dedicated shooting support equipment. If you shoot half a dozen rounds per annum out of your deer rifle then just take the gun to a gunsmith and have him mount your scope up right.

However, if you shoot a lot and take your range performance seriously, then dropping a hundred bucks or so on some dedicated support gear might not be particularly intimidating. Should that indeed be the case, then Fix It Sticks has a bunch of cool tools to make good shooting even better. Cleaning gear, optics mounting equipment and sundry nifty widgets liberally populate their website. Surf on over and check it out.

In the troubled 1930s, a boy named Gotthard Glas fled from the German Reich to Israel. There, he later developed a submachine gun whose name is still known around the globe: the UZI. And even his former home country Germany introduced it as standard armament in the German Bundeswehr after World War II.

Gotthard Glas was born on December 15, 1923, in Weimar, Thuringia. His father was the well-known Jewish graphic artist and painter Erich Glas. The first years of little Gotthard’s life were carefree, but Hitler’s seizure of power did not bode well—especially not for Jews. In 1933 Gotthard Glas emigrated to Palestine via Great Britain. With his arrival in the Holy Land, living conditions changed drastically, and new names were necessary. From now on he called himself Uziel Gal. Already during his school days in Yagut, Uziel attracted attention because of his interest in weapons and at the age of 18, he joined the underground group “Palmach.”

When Israel was suddenly at war with all its neighbors after the founding of the state on May 14, 1948, its own Armed Forces had to be equipped as quickly as possible. At that time, the armament consisted mainly of old World War II weapons supplemented by homemade weapons from hitherto illegal underground workshops. However, a modern submachine gun was also needed for the fight. And so Uziel Gal began developing such a weapon at Israel Military Industries (IMI Systems). During the British occupation, the company was a supplier of weapons and ammunition to the Jewish underground movement in Haganah and was now under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

According to the specifications, the new weapon should be as compact as possible, insensitive to dirt and the ever-present desert sand, and, of course, its production should be cheap, easy, and quick. After extensive testing in 1951, Gal’s design won the race. After some improvements, the final series production started in 1955. The UZI saw its first action during the Sinai War from October 1956 onwards.

Around the same time, West Germany founded its new Federal Army called Bundeswehr. The units still used equipment, weapons, and vehicles from wartime U.S. stocks, but now an entirely new and modern submachine gun was demanded. Therefore, in the years 1955 to 1959, extensive tests and comparisons of old and new submachine guns were held at the proving ground of the Bundeswehr in Meppen. The competitors were international, and in the final stage only five weapons were still in the race: the Carl Gustaf m/45, the Walther, Erma, the Anschütz-DUX and the UZI. But the decision-making process at the end of the trials was strongly influenced by politics.

In March 1959, the German Minister of Defense, Franz Josef Strauß, declared that the new submachine gun would be the Danish Carl Gustaf. Only two weeks later, after a meeting with IMI Systems representatives, the decision was changed in favor of the UZI. As early as 1955, the Israeli Director-General of the Ministry of Defense, Shimon Peres, had established initial contacts with Strauß on the subject of arms procurement. Uziel Gal was personally present at that time when Strauß was shown the UZI during a secret visit to Israel. Germany ordered a first delivery of 35,000 pieces in March 1959 and another 15,000 pieces the following year. However, the year 1964 was for a long time the official year of adoption, as Germany did not officially establish diplomatic relations with Israel until 1965.

The version with a fixed stock was designated “MP2,” and the version with a folding stock “MP2 A1.” The production and delivery took place under time constraints. IMI used receivers that were already stamped with Israeli markings and grip pieces made by the Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN) in Belgium. When the first batch arrived in Germany in June 1959, the weapons not only bore various markings, but the grip pieces were missing the semi-automatic mode. In April 1960 the correct grip pieces with the proper “D E S” markings were delivered and retrofitted to all weapons. “D” means “Dauerfeuer (full-auto),” “E” means “Einzelfeuer (semiautomatic),” and “S” means “Sicher (safe).” Due to the agreement with IMI, Germany was not allowed to purchase any UZIs or spare parts from FN, which was manufacturing the UZI under license. In March 1961 an additional order for 27,500 weapons was placed, followed by another one in October. According to a German report from May 1967, the Bundeswehr had at that time a total of 116,000 UZIs in inventory.

The UZI remained in service for about 40 years, when the Bundeswehr adopted the Heckler & Koch (HK) MP7 in 4.6x30mm caliber. This light and handy PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) gradually replaced the aged UZI.

The AR-15 rifle is one of the most versatile devices ever contrived by man. Customizing this basic chassis lets you create everything from a souped up handgun to a long-distance counter-moose tool. With this basic raw material American mechanical artisans have conjured some of the most fascinating stuff.

Mankind’s history has been defined by a relentless drive to push the boundaries. This indomitable engine has brought us everything from toilet paper on rolls to robots on Mars. While most revolutionary discoveries have led to transformational improvements in fields like communication, transportation and food production, sometimes the outcome is a bit murkier.

What the Heck …

On December 2, 1942, a team of anxious physicists gathered underneath the bleachers at the University of Chicago football stadium and stared intently at a massive stack of 45,000 ultra-pure graphite blocks. Enrico Fermi, the leader of this merry band, later described the contraption as “a crude pile of black bricks and wooden timbers.” Oriented within this giant cube were some 50 short tons of marginally-refined uranium. They had christened this monstrosity CP-1, short for “Chicago Pile-1.” These guys stood poised to light up the world’s first nuclear reactor.

Never before in the history of the planet had there been a self-sustaining fission reaction. They hoped that by raising and lowering control rods that absorbed excess neutrons they could meter the reactor’s power output. However, all the math was theoretical. Their contingency plan was a scientist named Samuel Allison positioned high above the machine. He planned to dump a big bucket of concentrated cadmium nitrate on top and run should things get out of hand.

At 3:25 in the afternoon CP-1 came to life. The reactor ran for 4.5 minutes and produced half a watt of power. The scientists celebrated with a bottle of Chianti drunk from paper cups.

Fermi had purportedly calculated there to be a 15% chance that once the reaction was begun it would self-propagate and consume the reactor, Stagg Field, Chicago, North America and the entire planet before transforming the Earth into a miniature sun. Firm in this knowledge, they tried it anyway. Science marches on.

This no-frills AR pistol was a home workshop project. My Ghost Gunner finished out the receiver. The parts kit was just dirt cheap. Some of the most striking innovations in the black rifle market orbit around the unprecedented availability of these low-cost parts.

The Vietnam-era XM177E2 was the transitional form between yesterday’s M16 and today’s M4 Carbine.

Evolutionary Changes

Contrary to the whimpering screed of gun control advocates, advances in black rifle technology never quite threatened to obliterate all life on earth. However, they did turn these remarkable space-age rifles into something their designers might never have imagined. Visionaries like Reed Knight, Randy Luth and Alex Bosco drove the evolution. The veritable cornucopia of black rifle options we enjoy today all blossomed from some common progenitors.

Something clicked in the 1990s, and American civilian shooters developed an insatiable appetite for these rifles. Today there are three times as many firearms in the hands of American civilians than are possessed by all the world’s militaries combined. ‘Murica!

While left-wing gun control fanatics might look at those numbers and swoon, more durable folk saw an untapped market. Capitalism is the impetus that best drives human endeavor. Once folks realized there was money in it, the market for new and innovative ditzels for Gene Stoner’s archetypal black rifle simply exploded.

This outlandish AR-15 was a homeschool project I built with my kids. They finished the gun out using bake-on engine block paint from the local auto parts store to make it resemble something from their video games.

Worst Year Ever

You might have noticed that 2020 was a bit different from most of its previous counterparts. A global pandemic synergistically melded with Protesters Behaving Badly to drive the American gun market to unprecedented heights. In about 3 months the United States gained some two million new first-time gun owners. Wow.

Throughout the summer of 2020 gun shops were as a result fairly picked over. Gun companies that would typically launch new and innovative products instead poured all of their energies into production. In many cases the particular black rifle you got was whatever you were lucky enough to find. Regardless, the state of the art as we wind up 2020 is still pretty fascinating.

The EOTech Holosight was the first truly successful holographic gunsight. The angry end of a Holosight was the last thing Osama bin Laden saw before queuing up for his 72 dark-eyed virgins.

Nowadays, you can’t eat at the cool kids’ table at the local range if you don’t have rails sprouting all over your favorite black rifle. There are countless options at countless price points.

Two hundred dollars isn’t the impediment today that it was in 1934. As a result, sound suppressors clutter up American gun ranges these days but in a good way.

Sparkly Stuff

Advances in microelectronics have fundamentally changed most everything about life on earth. Nowadays I can retrieve a device the size of a pack of cigarettes from my pocket and have a pleasant conversation with somebody in Norway. (Smoking kills 478,000 Americans per year. Never, ever smoke. It is the stupidest thing human beings have literally ever done.) That same technology brings myriad targeting devices to a railed upper receiver near you.

The EOTech® Holosight introduced the American shooter to the same holographic technology used in the Heads-Up Displays of modern fighter planes (eotechinc.com). The Meprolight™ Foresight takes this same basic tech and adds a digital datalink to your smartphone (meprolight.com). The end result includes a heads-up digital compass, the capacity to use one sight on up to 10 different weapons and a pending shot counter.

Streamlight® makes flashlights the size of my thumb that mount onto a forearm rail and are massively more capable than those portly D-cell Maglights® of generations past (streamlight.com). Their TLR™ RM 2 is about the size of a roll of LifeSavers yet produces a full 1,000 lumens of blistering white light. Built-in laser designators like the TLR-8® G keep you on target in hard dark.

The Game Changer

The biggest innovation in the gun world in a generation was Alex Bosco’s Pistol Stabilizing Brace (PSB). Ever since 1934 any barrel less than 16 inches had to either be mounted on a gun without a stock or required an onerous tax stamp. The PSB changed all that.

The PSB was originally intended to assist disabled shooters in running an AR-style rifle one-handed. After a great deal of legal gymnastics the ATF ruled that the addition of a PSB to a short-barreled firearm did not change its pistol classification. A further ruling allowed said weapon to be legally fired from the shoulder. Our little world would never be the same.

Nowadays tidy little rifle-caliber handguns like the Springfield Armory SAINT® Edge PDW pack unprecedented capabilities yet still transfer as Title 1 firearms (springfield-armory.com). PSBs come in dozens of different configurations. Many models fit standard M4 buffer tubes and are reasonably priced.

DIY Firepower

Be patient and you can still find the parts to make an AR at home at a reasonable cost. Down here in the Deep South if you haven’t built a tricked-out AR with your daughter by the time she leaves for college it can be considered child neglect. If you’re smart enough to run a screwdriver, you can pull it off. Should you get frustrated, there is always the miracle of YouTube.

The term Ghost Gun strikes fear in the hearts of the less durable among us, but building your own AR at home is actually the world’s purest expression of freedom. Parts are cheaper than completed rifles, and finishing out an 80% receiver at home is great fun. According to federal law, so long as you build the gun for personal use and not for resale you don’t even have to mark it with a serial number.

The Ghost Gunner from Defense Distributed is a home CNC milling machine about the size of a fish tank that attaches to your computer and finishes out 80% receivers (ghostgunner.net). The newest version makes AR-10s, AR-15s, 1911s, AKs and GLOCK clones. You can do something similar to an AR lower with a drill press, a jig and a router, but it’s not nearly so professional or half as cool.

Denouement

I’m typing these words some 6 weeks before the presidential election. For gun owners the outcome of this contest will determine the trajectory of American gun rights for the rest of time. By the time you read this it should all be settled. Lord help us.

Today civilian black rifle innovations drive advances in both military and law enforcement applications and vice versa. What the future holds is a bit cloudy at this point. I can say, however, that Gene Stoner’s 1950s-era black rifle has blazed an unprecedented trail of tactical innovation that shows no sign of slowing down.

The Ghost Gunner 3 from Defense Distributed is a desktop, home CNC milling machine that will finish out scads of different 80% firearms.

DEFENSE DISTRIBUTED

The universally respected M1 Garand service rifle was designed and developed at the U.S. Springfield Armory. During World War II, the rifle was manufactured by both the Armory and Winchester. During the 1950–1953 Korean War, the M1 was placed back into production, this time by the Springfield Armory, Harrington & Richardson and International Harvester. Along with M1 rifles, World War II M1 and M2 carbines were issued to U.S. soldiers and Marines.

During the last year of World War II, the U.S. Ordnance Department set out to develop a select-fire version of the M1 rifle. The effort resulted in a long line of T-prefix (Test) rifles that ran from the T20 in 1945 to the final T44E4 rifle in 1957. During the Cold War period, the U.S. and NATO Allies anticipated that the next conflict would take place in Eastern Europe. After a long and very expensive development period, it came down to two rifles: the Belgian-designed T48 (FN FAL) and the T44E4 designed and developed at the Springfield Armory. Both weapons were chambered for the 7.62 NATO cartridge. The U.S.-designed T44E4 was chosen and adopted as the U.S. M14 rifle in May 1957; although no M14s were issued until 1959. Most of the NATO Allies chose the Belgian-designed FN FAL in various guises.

The Vietnam War

Although U.S. military advisors and Special Forces personnel were in Vietnam since the early 1960s, the first U.S. combat troops didn’t arrive in Vietnam until 1965; they were armed with M14 rifles. Early in the conflict, the enemy, primarily the Viet Cong guerillas, were armed with an assortment of World War II weapons, along with weapons abandoned by the French forces when they withdrew from Vietnam in 1954. As the war progressed, communist allies of North Vietnam, primarily China, began to equip the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong with modern weapons, which included Chinese-made SKS semiautomatic rifles and select-fire, Type 56 (aka AK-47) rifles.

Soon U.S. troops discovered that the M14 was not well-suited for jungle warfare, particularly when pitted against enemy troops armed with AK rifles. Due to its powerful 7.62mm cartridge, the M14 was difficult to control during full-automatic operation; as a result, most M14s were issued with selector locks, limiting their operation to semi-automatic only. Another disadvantage of the M14 rifle was the size and weight of the 7.62x51mm round, limiting the ammunition load that could be carried. The enemy’s AK rifles had full-automatic capability, a 30-round magazine, and due to its smaller mid-range 7.62x39mm cartridge, a larger ammunition load could be carried. The enemy’s AK put the U.S. troops armed with M14 rifles at a lethal disadvantage in firefights.

As the M14 was entering into series production, ArmaLite®, a division of Fairchild Aircraft located in Southern California, was busy developing a small-caliber, select-fire rifle designated as the AR-15. ArmaLite had previously developed the AR-10 rifle chambered for the 7.62 NATO cartridge. The AR-10 was tested and rejected by the Ordnance Corps. ArmaLite had invested a lot of money and effort to market its AR-10 and AR-15 rifles but became discouraged after the U.S. adoption of the M14; the company was ready to cut its losses. On February 19, 1959, Colt® purchased the rights to the AR-10 and the AR-15 rifles; a few months later in August 1959, the first M14 rifles were delivered to the Army at Fort Benning.

The M16 had a lot of human engineering that made it user friendly. In addition to its lightweight, the fire control lever could be manipulated from safe to semi or auto with the shooter’s right thumb while keeping his hand on the pistol grip. The mag release button could be depressed by the trigger finger and the mag dropped out; a fresh magazine could be inserted straight into the magazine well without rocking, resulting in a fast magazine change. Upon emptying the magazine, the bolt catch held the bolt carrier to the rear. After inserting a new magazine, the shooter simply hit the top of the catch with his palm to release the bolt and chamber a live round. The weapon’s stock in line with the barrel reduced muzzle climb.

During 1961–1962, outside normal channels, a small number of AR-15 rifles were shipped to Vietnam for issue to Special Forces advisors and the South Vietnamese allies. Initial reports from the field were very favorable. Emphasis was placed on the lightweight of the weapon, controllability during full-automatic fire and its lethality. The early AR-15s shipped to Vietnam were fitted with 1:14-inch twist barrels. The 55-grain bullets were barely stabilized as they traveled to the target effecting accuracy, but upon striking the enemy, the bullets would yaw, tumble and fragment resulting in some devastating wounds.

The U.S. Air Force’s primary shoulder-fired weapons were the M1 and M2 carbines, dating back to World War II. However, the Air Force was not interested in adopting the M14 rifle. Air Force General Curtis LeMay had been introduced to the AR-15 by representatives from the Colt factory. The General felt that the lightweight AR-15 would be a suitable replacement for the old carbines. Initial Air Force requests to adopt the AR-15 were rejected, but LeMay was persistent, and finally, in May 1962 the purchase of 8,500 AR-15 rifles was approved; the price without the forward assist feature that the Air Force deemed unnecessary was $112.00 each. In addition to the Air Force, 20,000 AR-15s were procured for the Navy SEAL teams, U.S. military advisors assigned to Vietnam and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) soldiers.

During 1963, the U.S. ended procurement of the M14 rifle and purchased 85,000 Colt XM16E1 rifles. By 1966, an additional 400,000 XM16E1 rifles were ordered, making it the most prolific rifle issued to U.S. and South Vietnamese forces in Vietnam during that period.

Trouble in the Jungle

As early as 1965, there were reports coming in from the field of major problems with the M16 rifle; there were several contributing factors to create a perfect storm. Many troops were trained on the M14 and had not seen an M16 until they were issued one on arrival in-country and reportedly received little or no training. Troops were basically told that the M16 rifle did not require any maintenance, and as a result, no cleaning equipment was issued. A major contributing factor was the design of the rifle and the humid climate of Vietnam. One of the most common problems was failure to extract a spent cartridge case. The cause was found out to be a combination of problems: corrosion in the barrel and chamber, lack of preventative maintenance and a change in the gun powder used to load the M193 5.56mm cartridges, which increased the cyclic rate to a dangerous level.

The problems were discovered and solved by a new buffer, chromium plating the chambers and later the bores and chambers, a stainless-steel gas tube, issue of cleaning kits and training. After the fixes were in place, the M16 became a reliable weapon. During February 1967, Colt’s XM16E1 became the “U.S. Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1,” officially replacing the M14 as the “Standard A” infantry rifle.

Colt manufactured AR-15-M16 rifles in a large number of different configurations, far beyond the scope of this article. Most of the models presented are those used–issued to U.S. military personnel. Many of the rifles described were transitional models, and many had a mixture of updated and older features.

Model 601, 1959–1963

The  Model 01 rifles were the first issued by the U.S. military in limited numbers with 8,500 going to the Air Force and 1,000 for evaluation in project AGILE, a study to how best support South Vietnam. The weapons had no forward assist feature but had the triangle-type charging handle, “slab side” receiver, a chromed bolt carrier and bolt, a 1:14 twist barrel, a three-prong “duckbill” flash hider, green triangle forearms and a fixed buttstock, rubber buttplate without a trapdoor. The 20-round magazines were the early steel “waffle” pattern. The receivers were marked with both the ArmaLite and Colt names. The caliber was marked .223. Some of the early models were sold overseas; two of the first customers were Malaysia and India.

Model 602, 1963–1964

The Model 02 rifle incorporated the first changes that included the second design, three-prong open flash hider and improved charging handle. Receivers were roll marked “AR-15,” some with “Property of U.S. Govt.” markings—no forward assist feature, chrome bolt carrier and bolt. The receiver had a longitudinal rib (often referred to as a partial fence) primarily used to house a spring and plunger to retain the new captive front take-down pin and a redesigned ejection port door. The barrel was updated with a 1:12 twist to increase accuracy. It had a black fixed stock with rubber buttplate, no trapdoor and triangle forearm. Approximately 19,000 of these models were procured by the U.S. military.

Model 603, 1964 / 1967 / 1983

The Model 603 rifle was the commonly issued XM16E1 of 1964, with many transitional features evolving into the final M16A1 model during 1967 that solved most of the issues with the M14. The first production model was fitted with the forward assist feature and originally configured with the second design, prong-type flash hider, and later adopted the closed-end “bird cage” type. The rubber buttplate was later replaced by a buttstock and trap door to house a cleaning kit, the rear sling swivel was now fixed in place. A new buffer was designed and implemented. Early rifles had the partial “fence” on the right side of the magazine housing; newer models had the full “fence” to prevent accidental ejection of the magazine. Barrel chambers were chromium-plated to resist corrosion; later both the chambers and bores were chromium-plated. The internal surfaces of the bolt carrier and carrier key were also chromium-plated; outside surfaces of bolt and bolt carrier were parkerized. The firing pin was redesigned to prevent slam-fires. Magazine housings were “AR-15 / M16 Property of U.S. Govt.” marked. A 30-round magazine was introduced during 1969. To keep up with the demand for M16A1 rifles, in 1968 the initial second and third source contracts were awarded to the Hydramatic Division of General Motors and Harrington and Richardson Arms Inc. The M16A1 remained in service with the U.S. until gradually being phased out by the M16A2 rifle, adopted by the U.S. Marines in 1983 and the Army during 1986.

U.S. Air Force Colt Model 604 “Property of U.S. Govt. AR-15/M16” marked. The Air Force model did not have the forward assist feature.

The XM16E1 was first procured in 1964; there were a number of changes implemented in the design to improve its reliability before evolving into the final M16A1 rifle in 1967.

Model 604

This rifle was the primary model adopted by the U.S. Air Force without the forward assist feature. Early models had chrome-plated bolt carriers and bolts without the serrations used for forward-assist-equipped rifles. To simplify the supply system later, Air Force rifles had bolt carriers with the serrations and three-prong flash hiders; later models had the “bird cage” type. “AR-15 / M16 Property of U.S. Govt.” marked.

Model 609

Model 609 was the short-barrel version of the M16 rifle designated as the XM177 with a 10-inch barrel and a moderator approximately 4 inches in length to reduce noise and muzzle flash from the short barrel—no bayonet lug, no forward assist, aluminum telescoping two-position buttstock. The XM177E1 was similar with the forward assist feature. The XM177E2 was the same as the E1 model but had a longer 11.5-inch barrel.

Model 613

The Model 613 was the commercial export and police model of the M16A1 with the forward assist feature. Receivers were marked “M16A1.”

Model 614

Model 614 was the commercial export and police model of the M16A1 without the forward assist feature. Receivers were marked “AR-15.”

Model 619

Commercial export and police model of the XM177E1 Commando with a 10-inch barrel with a moderator, telescoping buttstock and forward assist.

Model 639

Commercial export and police model of the XM177E2 Commando with an 11.5-inch barrel, moderator, telescoping buttstock and forward assist.

The adoption of the AR-15 rifle and its small caliber cartridge met with strong opposition from the United States’ entrenched Ordnance organization, which did not want to accept a weapon designed by private industry. Other objections by military traditionalists were raised because of the AR-15’s unconventional appearance and construction of aluminum and plastic, which in their opinion did not look like a military weapon. Last was the .223/5.56mm cartridge, considered a step down from the tried and true .30-caliber standard.

After an uncertain start, the AR-15/M16 has had the longest service life of any other U.S. infantry rifle. It is still the same basic weapon issued today as the U.S. M4 carbine. The war in Vietnam saved the AR-15/M16 rifle, and possibly Colt, from extinction. If the United States had not gotten involved in the Vietnam War, the U.S. M14 rifle would have probably remained in production and the Standard “A” infantry rifle for many years; the AR-15 rifle would been forgotten and become simply a footnote in ordnance history. Today, the basic AR-15 design not only continues in service with the military of the U.S. and many foreign nations, it has arguably become the most popular civilian rifle, albeit in semi-automatic-only form, in the U.S. The AR-15-type rifles are now available from a very large number of manufacturers in a seemingly endless number of configurations and calibers, many hardly recognizable from the original rifle first introduced over 60 years ago.

[Link to Part II]

Recommended Reading

The Black Rifle, Volume I by Christopher R. Bartocci, R. Blake Stevens and Edward C. Ezell

The U.S. M14 Rifle: The Last Steel Warrior, Second Edition by Frank Iannamico

The year is 1971. San Francisco is a city living in fear. A deadly killer roams the area, killing random people and scaring innocent people for years to come. The killer sent letters to police, taunting them and boasting that he killed over 30 people, though only five have been confirmed to be his victims. To this day, the Zodiac Killer has never been caught or identified, making his murders some of the most notorious in history.

The Zodiac Killer was the inspiration for the main villain in the movie, “Dirty Harry.” Scorpio, a reference to the constellation of Scorpius, is a crazy sniper who threatens to kill innocent people if the city of San Francisco does not pay him money. This is different from the real Zodiac Killer who never asked for a ransom. Scorpio is played by Andrew Robinson, who is best known for playing Elim Garak on the show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Robinson does a good job playing the sick and twisted Scorpio, who will not hesitate to kill even children.

At one point of the movie, Scorpio gets his hands on a Walther P38 and takes a bus full of children hostage until SFPD Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) comes in and saves the day. The Walther P38 came into service in 1939 in order to replace the Luger P08 and is considered one of the greatest handguns ever made. It saw service throughout World War II and many conflicts afterward, with over a million guns being made. The gun is still in service today in some places and is popular with collectors.

The Walther P38 shoots 9x19mm Parabellum from an eight-round magazine. It weighs about 2 pounds and is less than 9 inches in length, the barrel being about 5 inches. It is easy to load and unload, with the switch sticking out in the bottom called a “hill.” An interesting feature of the gun is the loaded chamber indicator, where, when there is a round in the chamber, a pin will stick out above the firing pin so the operator can manually feel there is a round in the chamber. The safety is on the left side of the gun, just in front of the hammer.

The production of the P38 came to an end after World War II, but started again in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, a new variant of the gun, the P1, went into production. The biggest difference between the old and new variants is the frame of the gun. The old ones had steel frames while the P1s have aluminum frames.

Other guns in the movie include a Colt Detective Special pistol used by Callahan’s partner, Inspector Chico Gonzalez (Reni Santoni), a Winchester Model 12 shotgun used by a bank robber and a Winchester Model 70 rifle used by Callahan during his hunt for Scorpio. Scorpio himself uses a Sporterized Arisaka Type 2 Paratrooper Takedown rifle to shoot random people. He also uses an MP40 submachine gun twice in the movie, once on a rooftop in a shootout with Callahan and again in a shootout in a park with Gonzalez. But the most famous gun in the movie is Callahan’s Smith & Wesson® Model 29, a cannon of a handgun that has become as iconic as Dirty Harry himself.

“Dirty Harry” is an outstanding movie. It was an instant hit at the box office and well received by critics and movie goers alike. Client Eastwood is great as Harry Callahan, and Reni Santoni does a good job as Inspector Gonzalez. The movie helped start a series of films starring Eastwood as Harry Callahan. Eastwood was already a big star with the number of westerns he had done, but he became a legend thanks to “Dirty Harry.” This is a classic for action movie lovers and a great movie for all.