Innehållsförteckning för March 2020 från Tactical Life

THE FIREARMS SPACE IS CROWDED. So crowded, in fact, that I would hate to be a first-time gun buyer and have to make a solid decision on what products to buy, regardless of the category. I’m on the inside, so to speak, yet I still find the myriad options dizzying at best. Just like many of you, I consult certain individuals before I buy. Product development forges forward at an alarming pace in relation to bolt-action rifles, and now a new contender has stepped into the ring. “We didn’t want to do anything that wasn’t authentic to our brand,” said Michael Marotte, manager of media relations for Sig Sauer, regarding the company’s new Cross. This special offering is Sig’s first new bolt action in many years, and it serves as…

IF someone asked me what type of gun I most enjoy shooting right now, I wouldn’t even have to think about it. It has to be 9mm ARs. I love them. They barely recoil. They’re super easy to aim. They’re cheap to shoot. They’re easily accessorized. They can run sound suppressors and optics. In essence, they’re all fun, all the time. I’ve also noticed that I am clearly not the only one who feels this way. The market has exploded over the last few years with 9mm ARs for competition, home defense and simply fun on the range. I have been building and shooting different models for duty and entertainment for more than 20 years, and I can’t remember ever shooting a reliable 9mm AR and not walking away giggling…

In 2019, Remington introduced the 700 Chassis Pistol (CP) version of its legendary Model 700 bolt-action rifle. Bolted into an aluminum chassis, the action uses a detachable magazine and is chambered for 5.56mm/.223 Remington, 300 Blackout and .308 Winchester cartridges. But for 2020, Remington has decided to offer the 700 CP in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. Big Green has also made the 700 CP available with an SB Tactical arm brace, which makes the pistol even easier to shoot. OFF TO IDAHO I first laid eyes on the new gun at the 2019 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Driggs, Idaho, where dozens of gun manufacturers, including Remington, brought along a number of products that had not yet been introduced to the public. Among them was the 700 CP in 6.5 Creedmoor…

KelTec first unveiled its KSG bullpup shotgun in 2011. This pump-action design features twin magazine tubes beneath the barrel that each hold seven 2¾-inch shells for a total capacity of 14+1 rounds. It also accepts 3-inch shells, which reduces the capacity by one shell in each magazine. The user can manually switch between the two magazine tubes as well. The KSG really took off after some bugs were worked out in a second-generation model, and special operations units in the United States, Great Britain, France and South Korea took notice. The gun is still quite popular today, but more recently, KelTec introduced a new version designated the KS7 that’s worth a look. KS7 SPECS The biggest difference between these two shotguns is the magazines. To reduce weight and make the…

Thankfully, the end of the Cold War didn’t mark the demise of spy thrillers. Secret City combines a spy thriller with a political thriller—think Homeland with an Aussie accent. Unlike traditional spy dramas that rely on the British MI5/MI6 or CIA versus the KGB or its current incarnation, the FSB, Secret City takes a different tact. The series portrays the clandestine conflict between the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) and the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)—equivalents of the CIA, FBI and NSA, respectively—versus China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). The CIA shows up peripherally, as do the NSA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). For spy fans, tradecraft is also sprinkled throughout, such as characters putting electronic devices in microwaves or refrigerators while discussing sensitive topics.…

For years, I used whatever cheap range bags I could find at my local big box store. Range bags are likely items you don’t really give much thought to—I know I definitely didn’t. But as I grow older and wiser, I look for areas of my hobby that can be improved to make the experience better. Attending the most recent SHOT Show gave me a glimpse of just how many options are on the market. Seeing the bags in person opened my eyes to features I had never considered. The thoughtfulness in the design became apparent. Here are eight of the best models I found that you should consider. 1. 5.11 TACTICAL RANGE MASTER QUALIFIER SET The $130 Range Master Qualifier Set from 5.11 Tactical includes a bag, a single…

ACLIM8 COMBAR PRO The Combar Pro from Aclim8 includes five outdoor essentials in one handy, portable kit. You’ll get a hammer, folding axe, saw, spade and knife as well as a magazine insert, yet the whole package only weighs 3.5 pounds. Developed to military standards, the tools are made from titanium, stainless steel, aircraft-grade aluminum and glass-reinforced nylon to stand up to hard use. (aclim8.com) AMERICAN TACTICAL S60 POLYMER MAGAZINES Need more rounds on tap? American Tactical has partnered with German arms manufacturer Schmeisser to bring the S60 stateside. This is the first polymer stick magazine to hold 60 rounds of 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington ammunition for an AR-15. It uses a unique follower system that allows for double the capacity of a typical AR-15 design without being too bulky or…

The .223 Remington is a staple of American shooters. This round has served competitors, hunters and homeowners equally well, and the hotter 5.56mm NATO has been defending our country for more than 50 years. While the latter wasn’t accepted in its infancy, today you’d be hard pressed to find a gun safe that doesn’t have at least one rifle chambered for it. Because of its popularity, nearly every manufacturer makes at least one .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO load that uses 55-grain FMJ projectiles. This configuration is important for manufacturers to produce, as it mimics the military’s M193 load. From time to time, Uncle Sam seeks out a new company to run his Lake City plant, so perfecting this round might mean beaucoup money. With the widespread availability of such 55-grain ammo,…

My wife tells me that I am simple and predictable. My passions may wax and wane, but my interests remain boringly constant. Apparently, I am not alone. I recently learned that there is an 80-percent crossover between gearheads and firearms enthusiasts. Odds are, if you like anything bearing an internal-combustion engine, you probably like things that send small pieces of lead downrange at hundreds or thousands of feet per second with pinpoint accuracy. Which brings us to the sixth annual Motoschützen. When my editor told me to go to Cody, Wyoming, to cover it, I told him I wasn’t familiar with it. He laughed and explained that I would be responsible for exposing the week of motors, machine guns and mayhem to the world. (I still can’t believe I get…

“TO HELP RUN THE COURSE, REMINGTON BROUGHT ALONG ITS WORLD CHAMPION SHOOTER, TRAVIS TOMASIE.” While the debate rages on over the 9mm versus the .45 ACP, the forever-reliable shotgun sits in the corner just laughing to itself. The shotgun is a versatile and powerful utilitarian part of any self-respecting gun owner’s collection. From bird guns to advanced tactical models, the shotgun seems to be able to fill the needs of just about any shooter. But in my opinion, the gun really shines in the tactical and self-defense world. While it’s true that you could use a gun dedicated to goose hunting, for example, there are better options available for personal protection. Many companies make guns in this space, but few have the decades-long reputation that Remington has earned. From the…

Battle optics are fixed low-power sights with reticles that combine CQB aiming points with holdover hash marks for shooting at distances beyond 300 yards. The reticle can be either fully or partially illuminated, and its upper portion usually has a semi-circle that can be used to frame the target’s torso when shooting fast at close range, especially in low light. Consequently, battle optics combine the close-up performance of a red-dot sight with the longer-range capabilities of a scope. Battle optics aren’t exactly new. The first commercially successful model was Trijicon’s Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), which was introduced back in 1987 and has consistently proven itself in battle ever since. More recently, a number of competitive battle optics have become available, establishing a significant presence on the market. For this…

Unless you’ve sworn off reading gun magazines entirely, you might have noticed that more and more handgun manufacturers are offering pistols that allow you to install miniature reflex sights. Some even come with adapter plates for mounting a number of different red-dot sights. At one time, such reflex sights were restricted to pistols designed for competitive shooting. They were large, bulky units that required the host pistol to be modified for the mount needed for installation. The thinking at the time was that red dots were too large for use on service and defensive pistols, and many feared that the sight’s battery might run out at a truly inconvenient moment. The latter reason was uppermost in the minds of law enforcement and defensive shooters since most electronic sights, and their…

Traveling to Antarctica like I did in January of 2019 is a dream come true for any adventurer, and the continent is one of the last isolated locations in the world where a change of weather can get you in real trouble in no time—even during summer. In Antarctica, getting wet from rain or your own sweat can mean death if the temperature drops rapidly. To avoid this, you have two options: heavy, super-insulated down jackets that aren’t fully waterproof but will work in ultra-low temperatures where only snow is possible, or much lighter outer shells with membranes like Gore-Tex that will protect you from rain when it’s above freezing and allow to still wear many layers underneath. I took both routes when packing for my expedition just to play…

What constitutes a varmint? The answer depends on your region. Any species that spreads disease or destroys crops or animals certainly qualifies. In some areas, this might mean a coyote, while in others, wild boar. In Oregon, it’s the sage rat, a type of ground squirrel that can consume a farmer’s alfalfa field while leaving burrows that catch livestock hooves, leading to broken legs. Thus, the sage rat qualifies as a varmint on two counts, not just one. Now that we’ve identified varmints, the next step is building a rifle capable of dealing with them. And contrary to what so many anti-gun politicians say, AR-platform guns are superb instruments for whacking critters. Some shooters prefer the .17-caliber magnums for their high velocity and low recoil, but in an AR world,…

Browse any firearm-related forum on the internet and you’ll quickly see someone asking which gun to purchase, followed by an inevitable response: “Buy a Glock 19 with ammo and training.” This type of response can also apply to long guns. All too often, people buy as much gear as they think they need but don’t really have the proper training to effectively use it. I have fallen victim to this in the past, buying a $5,000 custom-built long-range rifle without having a day of training under my belt on how to actually hit anything at long ranges. Previous to this purchase, I had only shot out to 500 yards, and that was mostly luck. If I could rewind time, I would have received the training before purchasing the rifle, which…

Launched in 2012, Faxon Firearms has quickly earned a reputation for producing premier and precise firearms components. In total, the company has machined more than 30 million parts and performed more than 125,000 hours of engineering services for customers. The end result of that time and effort? Faxon parts can now be found everywhere from the ocean floor to the Space Station, and even on Mars. That’s a pretty hefty accolade for a company that quietly makes great guns and parts. It’s because of this background that my interest was piqued when rumors started circulating about Faxon was producing a complete handgun. And when the curtain went up, we found that the company had not produced just one, but two pistols as part of its FX-19 series. “FROM FULL MAGAZINE…

From the very beginning, mankind has had an irresistible fascination with darkness, which drives us to some fascinating places. It shapes our books, television shows and movies. In every proper story, there are both good guys and bad. However, if we’re being completely honest, it’s nearly always the villain who holds us in most compelling sway. This same preoccupation pervades our enthusiasm for high-end vehicles. The Rams Group of Belarus has capitalized upon this innate human constant to produce the sort of high-end luxury survival vehicle suitable for the Prince of Darkness. In the Ramsmobile Protos RM-X2, we see the true power of evil. DARK MATTERS For starters, the vehicle is perfused with demonic imagery. Not only is the whole truck black both inside and out save for a few…

Travis Tomasie is one of the most recognized and successful professional shooters in the world. He’s the captain of Team Remington and, unlike some other pros, has years of teaching experience as well. With this perfect mix of skills, I felt it would be a great opportunity to learn more from him at the Gunsite event. Like everyone else, I was looking for some tips on how to get the most out of my gun and build my speed and accuracy. Tomasie was beyond generous and offered these three solid tips. Recoil Management: “With a shotgun, recoil management is very important. As always, rule number one is to focus on fundamentals, but you really need to work on your stance. Use your legs to build a really solid platform to…

Zeroing your infrared (IR) laser isn’t quite as simple as zeroing the red dot or backup iron sights on your carbine. Since IR light isn’t visible without the use of an image-intensifying night-observation device (NOD), and NODs aren’t usable in full daylight, we have to zero IR lasers with NODs in darkness. That’s simply not possible on some shooting ranges. Several IR illuminators/aiming devices, such as the PEQ-15 and DBAL-A3, have a co-aligned visible laser in the same housing as the IR laser. This helps somewhat, as an approximate zero at close to moderate ranges can be established during daylight hours. Nonetheless, we should always obtain a proper zero with the actual IR aiming laser. That means hitting a range at night with NODs. Here we’ll examine the two most…

Founded in 2001 by Marty Daniel, Daniel Defense’s slogan, “Lighter, Stronger, Better,” is more than just words. When Marty Daniel started the company, he had one product—a sling adapter. From there, the company expanded to produce other accessories, including a new handguard for the M4. The Rail Interface System, or RIS II, was designed to meet a specific request from the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Specifically, the RIS II allowed operators to mount an M203 grenade launcher while the barrel floated freely. After extensive testing, USSOCOM chose Daniel Defense as the sole source provider, and the MK18 carbine with the RIS II has become the standard for U.S. special operations personnel as well as other units around the world. Over the last 18 years, the company has grown,…