Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2021 i Tactical Life

“THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MEN’S SOULS.” Thomas Paine’s words seem as relevant today as they did back in 1775. As gun owners and general Constitution-respecting Americans, we seem to be under attack in nearly every aspect of our lives. To compound that, we are now suffering though political turmoil, complete with a new anti-gun administration sure to push its gun-control schemes for the next four years. It can be overwhelming to even the strongest among us. But faith still exists. We will undoubtedly still face challenges, but we are strong enough—both as individual gun owners and Americans—to weather them. We know that the anti-gun crowd is far from done with their attempts to diminish our rights, yet we still fight them at every turn. This applies to challenges…

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the first open-house event for one of the largest privately-owned tactical training facilities in the Southeast United States, FORCE Center. The FORCE (Forward Operational Readiness Center) comprises the former 1,200-acre Hendry Correctional complex located in Immokalee, Florida, which at one time housed just over 1,000 inmates. In June 2011 it was purchased by a group of investors and converted into a state-of-the-art tactical training facility. Early 2019 is when FORCE was created, and a new team of investors and defense industry professionals came together to put this place on the map and re-invest into the infrastructure that this facility deserves. The open-house event held, in late August, was just that, designed to show off all of the improvements, infrastructure advancements and to meet…

ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY ONGOING BATTLES IN THE FIREARMS WORLD IS THE GREAT CALIBER DEBATE. For the most part, it has been a slugfest between team 9mm and the .45 ACP squad. While the arguments can get heated, it always ends up boiling down to preference as opposed to science. While I prefer to stand on the sidelines and eat popcorn while all this rolls on, there are times when I throw a kink into their discussion. THE 10MM KINK To be more specific, it is a 10mm kink. The truth is, most handgun calibers and the term “stopping power” should not be mentioned in the same sentence. One of the few exceptions to that is the 10mm round. This beefy pistol round has been around since 1983 but…

Flashback to 1966, and President Johnson declares that the United States will remain in South Vietnam until the Communist aggression is gone. Recognizing a need, World War II Marine Corps veteran Peter Lagana begins production on the VTAC (Vietnam Tactical Tomahawk) and manufactures 4,000 tomahawks for soldiers going into harm’s way. So begins the American Tomahawk Company. After folding in the 1970s, the American Tomahawk Company lay dormant for many years, until it experienced a resurgence in 2001, when two professional tomahawk throwers received the approval to license the design and restart the firm. Although the VTAC has seen some minor design and material changes, as well as a couple of collaborations, the classic design has remained true to form and popularity among military and civilians alike. Fast forward to…

In my younger days I developed an appreciation for long-range rifles by hunting in the wide-open spaces of the West and competing in local silhouette matches. Given this, I was very pleased when my editors sent me to the Bergara Experience event held in my home state of Florida. From the moment I arrived it was clear that a good day was in the offing. Under the firing line canopy there were six benches with Zeiss Conquest V4 scopes mounted on Bergara rifles. In addition, there were cases of Hornady 140-grain ELD Match 6.5mm Creedmoor ammunition, and freshly painted steel targets were set out at 200, 400 and 630 yards. But it wasn’t just the shooting that made the afternoon enjoyable. A sizable number of company representatives were on site…

IT all began as a relatively modest enterprise. It Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation was, as the name implies, a large aerospace consortium in the 1950s. The company built military aircraft during and after World War II and ultimately brought us the A10 Warthog, the manliest combat airplane of all time. In 1956, Armalite was a tiny little subsidiary of Fairchild headed up by George Sullivan. He met a guy named Gene Stoner at a California shooting range, hired him on as chief engineer and the rest, as they say, is history. The 7.62x51mm AR-10 started it all, but the subsequent small-caliber AR-15 really had the bigger impact. It took decades, but eventually every major military in the world adopted a small-caliber, high-velocity infantry combat round. That original M16 was…

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 11 years since Walther launched their popular PPQ pistol. I am dating myself, but I remember working with it just before release and thought it was a pretty darn solid shooter. A decade and change later, Walther has taken all their customer feedback, mixed it with their engineering prowess and created the Walther PDP (Performance Duty Pistol) 9mm. Using the PPQ as a base, Walther has launched three versions of the new gun—4-, 4.5- and the one I am most interested in, the 5-inch-barrelled model. I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new PDP full size during the recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Driggs, Idaho. Walther brought a variety of guns to peruse, but I only had…

In today’s diverse firearms market, it is not unusual for a company to spread its wings a bit and expand into other areas besides simply guns. In most cases it is received without much fanfare by the gun community, but occasionally a company makes a big splash. Recently I was forced to do a double-take when I learned that Springfield Armory was entering the optics market—more specifically the red-dot market. Springfield’s new line is called HEX Optics. These are versatile reflex sights suited for pistol, rifle and shotgun applications. Right now, they have two offerings in this line: the HEX Wasp and the HEX Dragonfly. I worked with Springfield, and they quickly shipped out an XD-M Elite Tactical OSP with a Dragonfly optic already mounted for me. ON THE DRAGONFLY…

Who would have thought that a simple, casual conversation between a competitive shooter and a ballistician would give birth to the most popular long-range round in the country? When Hornady released the 6.5mm Creedmoor in 2007 it had a bit of a slow start. But as time went on, it grabbed hold of the market and most would agree has even surpassed the venerable .308 Winchester. Once a chambering gets this popular, dozens of new loads start to become available, and with selection comes investigation. In this edition of “Ammo Match,” I turned my attention to eight different match-grade Creedmoor rounds to see which perform best through a high-end chassis gun. DELTA 5 FOR ALL 8 The gun in question is none other than the Daniel Defense Delta 5 Pro.…

In Latin, Aptus means such things as fit, suitable, proper and ready, the latter describing it best. It is an AR platform like no other—really. The latest development from DRD Tactical, the Aptus, is, in a nutshell, the long awaited little brother of the company’s (AR-10 size) .308 caliber Paratus, which in Latin means prepared, as in the U.S. Coast Guard’s motto, Semper Paratus, or Always Prepared. Both rifles share the same features, which make them unique. DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS Getting right to the point, the three main features of the Aptus are its left-side cocking handle, its folding stock and its quick-change barrel. Other than the Paratus, no other AR-type rifle has all three of these features. Let’s get closer. Much like the renowned FN-FAL, the Aptus’ cocking handle…

Firearm suppressors have been around since Hiram Percy Maxim developed his prototype in 1902, with the first 100 years seeing a very slow progression in quality and capability. In the last two decades, we have seen an increase in the utilization of suppressors in both the military and law enforcement community as a result of ever-changing operating environments and requirements. Mission-oriented needs, coupled with a greater understanding of the ownership process and acceptance by the civilian market, have paved the way for new companies and innovations within the suppressor industry. The number of suppressor manufacturers these days is staggering, which raises the question: How could someone new venture into this industry and make a difference? And yet in Montana, a 5-year-old company is doing just that. MEET REX SILENTIUM Rex…

What started off as a simple mission to change tires on a 2015 GMC 1500 soon got complicated. Instead of replacing tires in kind with stock offering, my naïve gesture to allow my youngest son to choose new rubber to better reflect his taking over the ride led to a rabbit trail of additional items required. A quick review of websites made it obvious a subject matter expert was required to make sure each accessory was coordinated properly to maintain integrity of solid performance generated to date with the 2015 GMC 1500 Sierra. Memories of my youth when my brother shackled up a Jeep Wrangler and threw 35-inch tires under it without forethought raised a cautionary flag. The problems he encountered related to alignment, tires rubbing, negative ride characteristics all…

Since WWI, organized crime, anarchism, terrorism, wars and other forms of violence have presented ever more complex and difficult challenges for personal security in a world that has become increasingly overpopulated and urbanized. Sadly, great grandpa’s .38 revolver just doesn’t have the deterrent value or firepower to deal with many of these threats. To confront these challenges, firearms manufacturers have developed smaller-size enhanced personal firearms (EPFs) to meet the need for greater effectiveness in close-range engagements. EPFs are high-capacity pistols and carbines chambered for pistol cartridges. They offer a higher ammunition capacity and greater effective range than most sidearms. Early EPFs like the German MP18 submachine gun were used to clear trenches late in WWI. A generation later, EPFs like the MP40, the Sten Gun, the PPS 43 and the…

What might it feel like to be the best in the world at something? I likely annoy my wife better than anybody else on the planet. However, as it concerns stuff that is cool, desirable or unique, I doubt I’m really the best at anything. Nineteen-year-old Chris Barrett, however, is indeed the best in the world at something awesome. As regards the U.S. Practical Shooting Association Steel Challenge, Chris is the fastest gun alive. How exactly does one claim that title? In Barrett’s case, he broke a world shooting record. Chris was the first guy on the planet to successfully shoot a U.S. Practical Shooting Association Steel Challenge in less than 60 seconds. This guy can run a gun. PRACTICAL PARTICULARS The Steel Challenge is designed to balance shooting speed against…

Perhaps your grandfather taught you to shoot at a young age, or maybe you did a stint in the military where you learned the basics of rifle marksmanship. So, what good is attending a shooting school if you’re just a hunter? For most, the essence of the hunting experience lies only partially in the taking of game. To some, it’s the least enjoyable aspect when compared to time in nature, camaraderie with fellow hunters and providing food for freezer and family. So, is there really a reason to focus on shooting? First, each time you enter the field to harvest an animal, you carry the moral responsibility to make an ethical decision on the range within which you can make an effective shot. In practice, knowing one’s limits within the…

“THE MCX VIRTUS PCP WAS ACTUALLY INTRODUCED AT THE 2019 SHOT SHOW AS THE FLAGSHIP FIRST OFFERING IN THEIR NEW PCP LINE.” For airgun companies, the 2020 pandemic, riots and election fallout was not as severe due to folks being stuck at home and oftentimes bored, and many indulged in hobbies or leisure pastimes. This included all things airgun because they can be shot cheaply, some without having to leave the basement or the backyard. Naturally, this activity led to increased sales. Manufacturers I spoke with indicated backlogs extended out months; mostly due to demand, but also from supply-chain problems courtesy of the pandemic. Sig Sauer’s Air division was no less impacted than any other manufacturer. The MCX Virtus PCP was actually introduced at the 2019 SHOT Show as the…

Based in New Berlin, Wisconsin, American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) has quietly been building exceptional rifles and developing a dedicated following. The company makes a variety of AR components, along with well-made AR rifles. It is the AR side of the house that recently caught my eye. In a released notice, the company stated it had established a partnership with 88 Tactical Training Organization of Omaha, Nebraska. American Defense has partnered with 88 Tactical to be the exclusive firearm and mounting solution for its Mobile Training Team (MTT). The MTT offers a cost-saving solution for many organizations seeking to stretch their training budgets. Law enforcement and government clients can tailor the training to meet their specific requirements, working with environment or budgetary restrictions. 88 Tactical provides training at its state-of-the-art facility,…