Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2021 i Tactical Life

The outlook for rifle ammo in 2021 is a mixed bag. On one hand, you have a rise in crime rates and some far-reaching gun control proposals, both of which are driving up sales, availability and prices of guns, reloading supplies and ammo. On the other, a new flat-shooting 6.8mm cartridge has been jointly introduced by Winchester and Browning, and there are also new loads being introduced for other popular cartridges that upgrade their performance. For the time being, these new products are likely to be in short supply as manufacturers replace depleted inventories of their established products that are in high demand. Hopefully, however, both new and established products will increase in availability in the upcoming months and prices will begin to gravitate downward toward their pre-panic levels. BROWNING…

To say that the AR platform is the most popular semi-automatic rifle in America is a no-brainer. So many people, like me, cut our teeth on it in military training or law enforcement, and the number of upright citizens out there who prefer the MSR (modern sporting rifle) for field use, defense and competition is a very high number, indeed. Consequently, it’s not a big leap to presume that other types of firearms based on this platform should be popular. With many of the same controls, method of function and loading, familiarity of operation in a gun is a huge plus. With this premise, Rock Island Armory (RIA) has produced a new semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun that not only resembles the AR outwardly, but has its controls—safety, bolt catch and magazine…

If that Umarex hand pump is too much for you, the company does have a very simple solution with the new Umarex ReadyAir Compressor. This ground-breaking new, oil-less, portable air compressor is perfect to fill your high-pressure air guns at home, the range or in the field. The lightweight yet very well-built Umarex ReadyAir brings a whole new level of electronically smart control, convenience and ease to filling your PCP air guns. The ReadyAir utilizes a patented oil-less piston compression technology to effortlessly fill PCP reservoirs up to an astounding 4,500 psi. The system is extremely simple and requires little to no maintenance, allowing you to spend more time shooting and less time maintaining the compressor. It is the only smart air gun compressor in its class engineered to be…

Since before I can even remember, I wanted a Desert Eagle (Deagle). I mean, who would not want one of the largest handguns in the world? It is the gun everyone wants to shoot, but very few ever get the opportunity to do so. I was no different. I always wanted to shoot one and never really thought I would get to do so. That was, until I did a write up on one of the Ballistic magazine Custom Challenges (see ballisticmag.com for more) between Outlaw Ordnance and Dark Alliance Customs. It was a custom Deagle challenge. Two of the absolute nicest Deagles anyone had ever laid eyes on were sitting in front of me in my own home. My job was to tell the story of these two guns…

BRAVO COMPANY RECCE 11 KMR-A Caliber: 5.56mm Barrel: 11” Weight: 5.1 pounds Grip: BCM Gunfighter Sights: None Features: Semi-auto Finish: Matte black Capacity: 30+1 MSRP: $1,399 BRAVO COMPANY RECCE 9/12 KMR-A Caliber: 300 BLK Barrel: 9”, 12” Weight: 4.9-5.2 pounds Grip: BCM Gunfighter Sights: None Features: Semi-auto Finish: Matte black Capacity: 30+1 MSRP: $1,399-$1,499 CENTURY ARMS C39V2 Caliber: 7.62x39mm Barrel: 10.6” Weight: 6.55 pounds Grip: Magpul MOE Sights: Adjustable Features: Semi-auto Finish: Nitride Capacity: 30+1 MSRP: $880 CENTURY ARMS C39V2 BLADE Caliber: 7.62x39mm Barrel: 10.6” Weight: 7.6 pounds Grip: Magpul MOE Sights: Adjustable Features: Semi-auto Finish: Nitride Capacity: 30+1 MSRP: $950 CENTURY ARMS DRACO Caliber: 7.62x39mm Barrel: 10.5” Weight: 6.3 pounds Grip: Polymer Sights: Adjustable Features: Semi-auto Finish: Nitride Capacity: 30+1 MSRP: $725 CENTURY ARMS DRACO BLADE Caliber: 7.62x39mm Barrel:…

BARRETT 95 Caliber: .50 BMG Barrel: 29” Weight: 23.55 pounds Stock: Synthetic Sights: None Features: Bolt action Finish: Parkerized Capacity: 5+1 MSRP: $6,671 BARRETT 99 Caliber: .416 Barrett, .50 BMG Barrel: 29”, 32” Weight: 23-25 pounds Stock: Synthetic Sights: None Features: Bolt action Finish: Several options available Capacity: 1 MSRP: $3,967-$4,222 BARRETT MRAD Caliber: .300 PRC, .300 NM, .300 WM, .338 LM, .338 NM, .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor Barrel: 17”, 20”, 22”, 24”, 26” Weight: 12.83-14.43 pounds Stock: Adjustable, folding Sights: None Features: Bolt action Finish: Cerakote Capacity: 10+1 MSRP: $4,995-$6,154 BENELLI LUPO Caliber: .243 Win, .270 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30-06, .308 Win, .300 WM Barrel: 22”, 24” Weight: 6.9-7.1 pounds Stock: Synthetic Sights: None Features: Bolt action Finish: Black Capacity: 5+1 MSRP: $1,699 CHRISTENSEN MODERN PRECISION RIFLE Caliber: 8…

Approximately 20 million Americans now have concealed carry permits, and millions more keep handguns for home and business protection. In addition, a handgun is the basic firearm of almost every law enforcement agency in the United States. Given this large and competitive market, it’s easy to understand why ammunition companies, both here and abroad, frequently develop new and improved handgun ammunition to stay ahead of the competition. However, 2021 is a rather unusual year. Concern that the pandemic could cause social unrest, the existence of political violence in some large American cities and the possibility of more restrictive gun control legislation have combined to cause a run on ammunition in most parts of the country. The result is that most ammunition companies are back-ordered from six to 18 months, and…

DURING WORLD WAR II, the United States military came up with a unique class of battlefield equipment formally known as the tank destroyer. Famous designs like the M10 “Wolverine” and the M18 Hellcat were highly maneuverable through a weight-reductive design and thus were able to get ahead of the enemy and post up for an ambush. While these TDs were stripped of weight anywhere and everywhere imaginable, there was one aspect that was left as beefy as possible—the gun. After all, what’s the point of getting there first if you can’t deliver substantial firepower? Surprisingly, hunting big game is very much like hunting German armor. You want to be able to get into position as quickly as possible, and once you are there you need to be sure that your…

AUTO-ORDNANCE 1911 Caliber: .45 ACP Barrel: 5” Weight: 39 ounces Grips: Polymer, wood Sights: Blade front, drift-adjustable rear Features: SA Finish: Black oxide Capacity: 7+1 MSRP: $637-$662 BERETTA 92X CENTURION Caliber: 9mm Barrel: 4.3” Weight: 33.3 ounces Grips: Flat and wraparound polymer Sights: Orange front, black rear Features: DA/SA Finish: Bruniton Capacity: 10+1/17+1 MSRP: $699 BERETTA 92X COMPACT Caliber: 9mm Barrel: 4.3” Weight: 27.2 ounces Grips: Polymer Sights: Orange front, black rear Features: DA/SA Finish: Bruniton Capacity: 10+1/13+1 MSRP: $699 BERETTA 92X FULL SIZE Caliber: 9mm Barrel: 4.7” Weight: 33.3 ounces Grips: Polymer Sights: Orange front, black rear Features: DA/SA Finish: Bruniton Capacity: 10+1/17+1 MSRP: $699 BERETTA 92X PERFORMANCE Caliber: 9mm Barrel: 4.9” Weight: 47.7 ounces Grips: Polymer Sights: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear Features: DA/SA Finish: Nistan Capacity: 10+1/15+1 MSRP:…

GLOCK 19X Caliber: .177 Barrel: 4.25” Weight: 24 ounces Grips: Synthetic Sights: Fixed Features: CO2, 360 fps Finish: Coyote Capacity: 18 MSRP: $100 (From Uramex USA) LEGENDS ACE IN THE HOLE Caliber: .177 Barrel: 3.5” Weight: 31.2 ounces Grips: Synthetic Sights: Fixed Features: CO2, 340 fps Finish: Weathered Capacity: 6 MSRP: $130 (From Uramex USA) SIG SAUER 1911 Caliber: .177 Barrel: 5” Weight: 41.6 ounces Grips: Alloy Sights: Fixed Features: CO2, up to 410 fps Finish: Two-tone, PVD Capacity: 16 MSRP: $111 SIG SAUER P226 Caliber: .177 Barrel: 5” Weight: 37.9 ounces Grips: Polymer Sights: Fixed Features: CO2, up to 480 fps Finish: Black, FDE Capacity: 16 MSRP: $111 SIG SAUER P320 ASP Caliber: .177 Barrel: 5” Weight: 27.2 ounces Grips: Polymer Sights: Fixed Features: CO2, up to 450 fps…

Central Missouri Machine Gun (CMMG) of Boonville, Missouri, is well-known for its AR-pattern firearms. It also makes suppressors, complete uppers, and other custom parts and accessories. Altogether CMMG offers guns in 27 different chamberings. Among the newest are several 6.5 Grendel models in its Resolute Series of AR carbines. CMMG has a reputation for building top-of-the-line custom guns, so we requested a 300 Series Resolute MKW-15 to find out just how well the Grendel performs in a well-built MSR. WHY 6.5 GRENDEL? The 6.5 Grendel cartridge was designed by Arme Brennan, Bill Alexander and Janne Pohjoispaa in 2003 to address concerns that existed about the effectiveness of 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge at medium and longer distances. Long shots were the exception during the jungle fighting of the Vietnam War, but they…

The ammo shortage has impacted the introduction of new loads for shotguns as much as it has for rifles and handguns. I had expected that fewer new slug and buckshot loads would be introduced, as ammo manufacturers concentrated their efforts on keeping up with the increased demand for existing personal and home defense loads. However, I was surprised to find that new small game and target loads for shotguns would be equally scarce. Evidently shooters are so concerned about the increase in crime in American cities and the political push for new, highly restrictive gun control laws that new versions of all types of shotgun ammo are disappearing from dealers’ shelves. Fortunately, despite this high level of demand for existing products, some ammo manufacturers are moving forward and introducing new…

As a kid I always loved messing around with BB and pellet guns. Shooting cans and little green army men off logs in the backyard was a favorite pastime. I honestly never knew that pastime would turn into my career and passion when I grew up. Some that know me would easily argue that I still have not really grown up, and that makes sense since I was so excited to get my hands on the new Umarex Origin .22 air rifle. I first got to play with the Origin .22 at the Athlon Outdoor Rendezvous media event and immediately fell in love with it and felt like a kid again. I must admit, at first I was a bit skeptical because of the $350 MSRP, which is a smoking…

I remember when the Ruger SP101 came out. I saw one in a police supply store in Long Beach, California. I’d just started work for U.S. Customs the year before and was considering replacing the off-duty handgun I’d been carrying. I liked the sturdy-looking frame of the SP101 and figured it would easily handle the government issue .38 Special +P+ ammo I was issued. But there were a couple of things that put me off. One, I thought the Ruger was just a bit too heavy for a “five-shooter,” and I wasn’t a big fan of the black rubber grips with the plastic insert side-panels. I’m sure they would really help to reduce recoil and muzzle flip, but they just weren’t up to my tradition-bound revolver mindset. I handed the…

BIG FRAME REVOLVER Caliber: Over 12 calibers from .44 Mag to .500 Mag Barrel: 5”, 5.25”, 7.5”, 10” Weight: 57.6-84.8 ounces Grips: Rubber Sights: Fixed front, adjustable rear Features: SA Finish: Brushed stainless steel (many custom options available) Capacity: 5 MSRP: $1,184 (from Magnum Research) CIMARRON 1862 POCKET NAVY CONVERSION Caliber: .380 ACP Barrel: 6” Weight: N/A Grips: Walnut Sights: Bead front, notch rear Features: SA Finish: Blued, brass, casehardened Capacity: 5 MSRP: $589 CIMARRON MODEL NO. 3 1ST MODEL AMERICAN Caliber: .45 Colt, .44 Russian, .44 Special, .44 WCF Barrel: 5”, 8” Weight: N/A Grips: Walnut Sights: Fixed Features: SA Finish: Blued Capacity: 6 MSRP: $1,225 CIMARRON PISTOLERO Caliber: .357 Mag/.38 Special, .45 Colt Barrel: 4.75” Weight: 40 ounces Grips: Walnut Sights: Fixed Features: SA Finish: Blued, casehardened, nickel…