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Stag Arms Review: Left Handed AR-15

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Stag Arms Review: 15L Tactical

I have what you could call a “passing familiarity” with the M16/AR15 platform. Having been introduced to the weapon at the ripe old age of 17, courtesy of the United States government. I somehow managed to qualify Expert with the M16A2 Service Rifle before I was even old enough to legally purchase its civilian counterpart, the AR-15.

21 years of service complete with numerous deployments carrying the M16A2, M16A4, and the M4 have made me a little jaded when it comes to the AR platform.

I have owned and still own several different makes and models of AR rifles and pistols, from 9mm to 7.62 NATO, direct impingement and gas piston guns from the likes of Adams Arms, Anderson Manufacturing, Bushmaster, Colt, CMMG, New Frontier, and LMT. I love the AR platform, but at this point I find it hard to get excited by another AR-15.

Don’t get me wrong, a lot of companies are putting out some really nice rifles with outstanding features and price points. But there is nothing really earth-shattering going on in the world of Eugene Stoner’s baby.

 

At SHOT 2018 I got the opportunity to attend Media Day at the Range and was given the chance to take a Stag Arms, Stag 15L for a short test drive.

Stag Arms was founded in 2003 and until I got to meet them and check out their rifles, I always thought of Stag Arms as a pretty standard manufacturer of entry-level to mid-range carbines and rifles. Several years ago, I picked up a Stag 15 complete lower for $115.00 and mated it to a Del-Ton complete upper that I purchased online for $249.00.

The idea being to put together a budget rifle for those without the mechanical know how to assemble one from parts, just find the cheapest upper available and mate it with the cheapest lower and see what she will do.

So, for around $365 before tax and shipping I had a flat-top carbine with an M4 profile barrel. 7 years and 2,000 rounds later I still have that rifle, so I am aware that Stag Arms makes a quality product.

 

One other thing that makes Stag Arms stand out is that they are also known for being the first company to manufacture a left-handed AR. Yes, you read that right and they don’t just attach an ambi-safety or southpaw friendly controls and call it a lefty.

They are building an AR-15 that is truly left-handed, with a mirror image Bolt Carrier Group, left side ejection port, and a selector switch on the right side. The first thing that went through my brain housing group after firing the Stag 15L at SHOT was “So cool, is this what it feels like to be right-handed?”

So, when the boss reached out to me several months later to ask if I would like to do a Stag Arms Review on the 15L Tactical, my answer went something like, “Does a bear defecate in the woods?”

The manager at my local gun shop was grinning almost as big as me when we unboxed this beauty for an inspection before I took possession of the rifle. Left-handed rifles are somewhat scarce in the part of North Carolina that I live, every one that I own had to be special ordered.

They just aren’t something you see in most dealer’s stock, because let’s face it, south-paws make up a very small portion of the customer base. A left-handed AR-15 is even more of a rarity, right up there with hens’ teeth and four-leaf clovers.

The Stag 15L Tactical uses a standard lower receiver that is nearly indistinguishable from the Stag Arms lower that I purchased back in 2012, but that is where any similarities to a standard AR end.

For an MSRP of $1019.00 the Stag 15L comes equipped with a Magpul MOE pistol grip, Magpul CTR buttstock, and the Stag 15 M-LOK 13.5-inch free-floating handguard with a QD point at each end to allow for use of a 2-point sling.

It also has a single point sling attachment, an enhanced trigger guard for use with gloved fingers, and comes equipped with a 16-inch chrome lined, government profile barrel with a 1/7 twist rate and a mil-spec single stage trigger.

The first thing I did after an initial cleaning was to mount a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 BDC scope with a Vortex cantilever mount, which while not what I would consider a “precision shooting” scope due to the AR – BDC reticle, is definitely one of my favorite all around scopes.

It has very crisp and clear glass and the BDC reticle is easy to pick up quickly when doing quick reaction shooting. I much prefer it to the ACOG that was issued to me on my last trip downrange due to its variable magnification and illuminated reticle that can be turned off when not needed.

Next it was off to the range … sort of. Unfortunately for me, Hurricane Florence decided to grace the Carolinas with her presence and all things had to be put on hold for a bit while cleanup and restoration took place. Finally, I was able to put together a couple of days where it wasn’t raining to get out to the range and see what this rifle was capable of.

I loaded up six magazines full of surplus Lake City 55gr M193 ball ammo that I purchased several years ago to get the Stag dialed in.

It took about 15 rounds at 25yds to BZO the rifle, mainly because I suck at math, which is why I was a diesel mechanic in the Marine Corps and not a sniper. However, once I got it zeroed in it was easy to shoot the center out of the target.

Of course, with a scoped rifle, everyone is a rock-star at 25 yards so I took it down to the 100 yd line to see what I could do. The math at 100yds was a lot easier with ½ MOA clicks and it only took a couple of adjustments for me to find the center of the target and once it was there it stayed there as long as I did my part.

Now everything I have read about 1/7 twist is that it tends to work better with heavier bullets, and since I was shooting some old 55gr surplus ammo I didn’t really have any expectations of pin-point accuracy.

That said my best group of the day was a 3 shot group at 100 yards that I could cover with a quarter and I still have no idea how I managed to do it other than to say the rifle shoots better than I do. It should go without saying that those groups were shot from a sandbag rest.

I finished the day shooting from the offhand at 25, 50, and 100 yards. I fired long strings of controlled pairs at all ranges and had no problems keeping my shots inside the lines of my 12-inch Birchwood Casey targets.

I really can’t overstate how well this rifle can shoot, especially when you consider the fact that it comes from the factory with a mil-spec trigger which is a little heavy for precision shooting but has a very crisp break that is also very consistent.

The M16A2 that I qualified with years ago had a very inconsistent trigger, I was told that was due to the 3 round burst feature. There are no such issues with the trigger on the Stag 15, 10 pulls with my old Wheeler trigger measure averaged out at 7.5 lbs., which seemed a lot heavier than it actually feels on the finger.

Deer season crept up on me this year without so much as a by-your-leave and towards the end, after freezing my butt of in a tree stand watching an empty field for nearly 2 months, it suddenly dawned on me that the deer weren’t walking through open fields during shooting hours.

I also figured that if I was to stalk deer through heavy brush where my longest shot would be around 60 yards that maybe my .308 Winchester rifle wasn’t the best medicine and I figured that if 5.56 was good enough to use on Al Qaeda then it is good enough for an eastern North Carolina whitetail, the deer in ENC being significantly smaller and not as well armed as your average terrorist.

It took a couple of rounds of Federal Gold Medal Match 77gr to adjust the zero on the Strike Eagle, but when I was done the top crosshair was dead on at 50 yards and I figured that if I was able to stumble upon a hearing-impaired deer while wandering around in the brush that the rifle would be capable of easily turning off his switch.

Now, I never did manage to put myself in the same grid square as a deer, but I can tell you that after a few 6-8 hour days of humping the Stag 15 around in the bush that it would serve well as a patrol rifle. It was light enough that it was not at all fatiguing and while slung with a single point sling it was easy to navigate through some of the swampy areas that are found in this part of the country.

As far as reliability goes, I currently have over 400 rounds through the rifle at this point and the only issues I have had were due to my own laziness.

I keep my brass for reloading, but I don’t like chasing brass, so I attached a brass catcher while shooting to minimize the work of recovering it. Unfortunately, the brass catcher is designed for a traditional AR-15 and had to be installed upside down on the left side of the upper receiver. This caused it to not properly eject brass and you know what happens when the weapon can’t eject spent brass. After 3 FTEs I removed that brass catcher and viola … problem solved.

As of this writing, I have shot 77gr Federal Gold Medal Match, 62gr Lake City green tip, 55gr Lake City, and even some 55gr Wolf, all without a cleaning. At this point all I have done is apply a little lube at the beginning of my range day as I am trying to push the Stag 15 as far as I can to see what it will do. This rifle keeps eating everything I feed it like Rosie O’Donnell at a free all-you-can-eat buffet, and I couldn’t be happier.

For this Stag Arms Review, I have shot this rifle from the sandbag and from the offhand, I have fired long sustained strings of fire, fired controlled pairs, engaged double targets, and performed magazine change drills and I can honestly say that it is far nicer to shoot than any rifle I fired while on active duty.

Of course, that may have something to do with the fact that I am no longer getting a face full of gas and lubricant in my face and I no longer have to worry about errant brass occasionally finding its way down my collar. For us left-handed AR shooters the struggle is real.

left handed ar-15

Stag Arms definitely has a hit on their hands with the Stag 15 Tactical, a rifle that would be equally suited to daily duty in a patrol car, as a hunting rifle, in a 3-Gun match, or on patrol in Afghanistan. The Stag 15 Tactical is a well-balanced, accurate, and reliable rifle available in right-hand and left-hand models.

It’s well-equipped from the factory and ready to run out of the box–just add the optic or back-up irons of your choice. With an MSRP of just over $1,000 and a real retail (based on research of 3 of my local gun shop’s websites) that averages around $800, you can pay more for a rifle of this caliber, but why would you?

FN DMR II AR-15 Review

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fn dmr II

Everybody’s got an AR-15. They’re a dime a dozen, and if you don’t own at least one you may want to question your enthusiasm for our industry as a whole. My latest assessment comes in the form of one of the finest AR-15s I’ve ever had the pleasure of toting to the range. And trust me when I say that I’ve got some time with this style firearm under my belt.

I’ve had almost 20 years of experience with this type of rifle and can say that the FN DMR II is a fine weapon.

In fact, one might say it’s FN awesome (HA! See what I did there?).

Where did I get that experience? Glad you asked. First and foremost, the first time I shot this type of firearm was in Marine basic training, and then several qualifications with it after that fact. I was a qualified expert with my M16A2 Service Rifle, meaning that I had to accurately put rounds on target at varying courses of fire from 200, 300, and 500 yards, with open sights.

And of course, I’ve been a gun nut since I got out of my beloved Corps, owning different ARs, writing about them, doing gun reviews, etc. All in all, it gives me about 18 years of experience handling this type of firearm.

Let’s move on, shall we?

First, this rifle is designated FN-15 DMR II. What is a DMR? A DMR basically stands for Designated Marksman Rifle. In the case of this rifle, it is the second generation of it (hence the II). This comes from the military’s term, designated marksman, who is a member of an infantry squad with more advanced rifle training. Not necessarily a sniper, but more advanced than the basic rifleman.

After sending a few hundred rounds downrange with different grain-weight ammo from various suppliers like Remington, PMC, Winchester, and some cheap bulk 223 ammo I was given for a test, I can say that I’ve had zero failures. The range I took it to went out to 300 yards, and I zeroed my beater scope at 100. It was accurate at all distances fired–a true testament to the quality of this chrome lined barrel.

My beater scope atop this purdy rifle.

I want to buy this rifle. Seriously, and I don’t really need another AR-15.

That’s one of the reasons why I’ve had it so long. But, don’t tell FN America that.

A quick word about my beater scope. It’s a cheap Bushnell with a cantilever mount. It’s my test rifle scope, and is one of the two dedicated to my test rifles. The other one is an ACOG style that goes on the closer range rifles with a 16″ barrel. This entire setup was less than $100 and it is not ideal for a rifle of this quality.

Let me go on the record right now and say that if this was my rifle, I’d stick a much nicer piece of glass on it than this. This scope is for testing purposes only, but because it is a cheap scope I won’t post pictures of targets.

Suffice it to say that I shoot 9″ paper plates all day long, and was able to hit them at all distances fired.

AR-15
Here it is pictured with the included Magpul PMAG.

The match grade 18 inch barrel is cold hammer-forged with a 1:7 twist. I can say that FN’s rifles have barrels that usually far exceed any of the competition and just as long as the shooter does his/her part, the rifle will consistently put lead on paper. A 1:7 twist rate will usually prefer heavier grain bullets, but I’d be lying if I told you that I had problems with 55 grain bulk ammo that was sent to me for a test. The DMR II handled them all, without exception and in accurate fashion, even with my WalMart scope.

FN barrel with Surefire Pro Comp

FN is, at least in my humble (but usually accurate opinion), one of the best AR-15 manufacturers in existence. Again, just my opinion. But I’ve never had an issue that I can recall shooting one, and I’ve fired several. There are other great manufacturers out there, and I urge you to read my list of the top AR-15 manufacturers if you want to know who I think are tops.

Moving on.

The FN-15 DMR II has an MSRP of just under $2,000, which is, admittedly, a little steep. But, you get stuff. Lots of stuff. And when I say “stuff” I mean upgrades. This beauty is as far from stock as you can get in a rifle you get from the factory.

Magpul STR Stock

The slim M-Lok rail adds versatility to add accessories to your heart’s desire while looking sexier than stock. I personally like the look of M-LOK handguards over any other rail out there, to include Keymod (my opinion) so this one is perfect for me.

The anodized finish on this rifle is fantastic, and it has held up well for the time I’ve had it. The just over 7 pound rifle is fitted with all Magpul goodies, to include an MOE Grip, STR adjustable stock, and trigger guard. These are all things that you’d expect to see on a top tier AR-15 manufacturer. What really sets the stage for this rifle, though, was that trigger.

A lot of triggers these days are hit or miss. Heck, one of my rifles with a stock LPK (Lower Parts Kit) randomly fires on the pull and release of the trigger.

Pop the rear pin out to pull the top from the lower, and you rest your eyes upon a Timney 3.5 pound drop in match trigger that helps set the mood for accurate shots in both slow and rapid fire. The trigger breaks clean, feels great, and has an audible reset to help with follow up shots. That, trigger, coupled with the Surfire Pro Comp helps you get on, and stay on, target.

Speaking of the muzzle brake, it takes the already minimal recoil of the 5.56 NATO cartridge and negates it down even further, to almost zero. Here’s a picture of the rifle’s barrel with the top of the pro comp, technically a compensator and a muzzle brake. What’s the difference between a muzzle brake and a compensator? (Hint, I go way into depth in that article)

FNH, Hammer Forged, Mag particle inspected/Proof tested, 5.56 NATO, 1:7 Twist rate

The FN DMR II is a solid performer with varying bullet weights out to distances likely further than I’m willing to take it. I utterly destroyed my target at all rates of fire and, while not the cheapest rifle on the market, I’m a firm believer that you get what you pay for in life. As someone who has built an AR-15 rifle in the past from the ground up I’m more of a person who’d rather someone else do it who actually knows what they’re doing.

This rifle isn’t for everyone. Some folks are builders. If that’s you, then you could likely build a cheaper rifle that does the same thing. Me? I’m not a builder. Hell, I don’t even like to clean my guns. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat. So I’ll stick with high quality builds from the factory, just like this. They can be found for about $100 cheaper than MSRP, maybe even more if you look harder. What do you think about FN’s rifles? Let us know in the comments below. Visit their website for more info.

The ammo I used for this review:

Need a lefty AR-15?

My Custom Tac 14 – Improving a Firearm

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custom tac 14

I’ve owned my totally not a shotgun, pump action, 12 gauge Tac 14 for a year now, and in that short period of time, it’s become a favorite of mine. Being built on a Remington 870 means I have tons of choices for upgrading and modernizing the platform. One golden rule about customizing this gun is simple, and the result must be over 26 inches overall. My custom Tac 14 is well over 26 inches OAL and is now easier to shoot faster, straighter, and over long distances. It also looks much cooler.

Brace Adapter – Ergo 870 Adapter

The first thing you likely notice is that this custom Tac 14 is now wearing a brace instead of a bird’s head grip. The bird’s head grip is excellent, but it does have its own set of limitations. The addition of a brace makes the gun much easier to handle. To start this custom gun I needed an AR buffer tube adapter, and Ergo’s 870 adapters came to the rescue. This simple piece replaced my Raptor grip and provided me a point of contact for both a AR-15 grip and buffer tube thread.

Brace – Gear Head Works Tailhook Mod 2

My brace of choice is the Tailhook Mod 2 from Gear Head Works. This brace is made from hard polymer and makes handling the hard recoiling Tac 14 much more comfortable. It grants the user a third point of contact and helps balance the gun for rapid follow up shots. It’s much easier to aim and take more precise shots with the Tail Hook Mod 2 brace. This model was originally on my 80 percent lower build, but I felt the design was much better for a heavier recoiling gun. 

Th best part about this brace is the fact it has four different positions of adjustment. It’s like a carbine stock in that regard, but does use a proprietary tube that a stock cannot attach to. This keeps any ideas of constructive possession from being tied to the design.

Pistol Grip – Ergo Sure Grip (flat top)

The Ergo Sure Grip was chosen because of its somewhat soft design that helps dampen the effects of recoil on your hand. I like the Suregrip, and the flat top designs allow it to attach to the adapter effortlessly. It has some finger humps which is something I usually dislike, but they didn’t bother me here. The grip is comfortable and fills the hand. My hand didn’t get tired or start to feel cramped in any way.

Pump – Surefire DSF 870

A home defense weapon needs a white light, right? My Custom Tac 14 is my home defense weapon, and I knew I needed a view of some kind. While researching the idea, the Surefire Model quickly became the only choice I saw worthy. It’s rugged, reliable, and made by a company I’d trust with my life. The DSF 870 gives me a high 600 lumens, and low 200 lumens beam as an option for momentary on and off. The controls are ambidextrous and very easy to reach. This is by far the best light option for any shotgun.

Shell Carrier – Archangel 7 Round Sidesaddle

Extra ammo is always a must-have for shotgun use, and the Archangel side saddle gives me an impressive seven additional rounds. That allows me to keep the gun in the fight for an extended period of time. Of all the side saddle choices, the Archangel drew me in due to the ability to tighten the carriers individual slots. The ability to increase and decrease tension for each shell could be valuable if you decided to run slugs or an alternative load upside down. This was the first touch for my custom Tac 14, and it seems to be working very well.

My Ammo Of Choice – Federal Flight Control

The long name for this ammo is Federal Flight Control Law Enforcement ammo is a reduced recoil brand that gives shooters a very tight pattern over extended distances. This ammo also recoils lightly and is quite affordable.

So there we have it, my Custom Tac 14 is totally not a shotgun firearm. It’s a short, lightweight, but powerful weapon for home defense, or just for fun. It defies expectations, as well as the NFA. What was once a niche weapon and a range toy is now a handy close quarter fighting weapon. All with a little help from my friends.

Savage 10 BA Stealth Evolution Puts Long Range in Easy Reach

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savage 10 BA Stealth Evolution
At 11 pounds and sporting a 24-inch barrel plus compensator, this is one heavy hitter.

In 2018, Savage Arms released a re-interpretation of its excellent 10 BA Stealth rifle, already a long range standout. The new horse in the stable is called the Savage 10 BA Stealth Evolution, a long winded, but fitting name for a rifle that can easily transform a casual shooter into a long range performer.

Thanks to its size, the Evolution is more at home on the bench or in a predictable sniper’s hide than afield. At 11 pounds and 48.25 inches long with the stock fully extended, this is one heavy rifle—which makes shooting that much sweeter, as its sheer heft serves as a recoil minimizer. In addition, the threaded barrel comes standard with a three-slot compensator that further dissipates rearward momentum.

Compared
Compared to the original 10 BA Stealth (top), the Evolution is ready to stand up to the big calibers available.

They kept the fluted, floated barrel design of the original, but the Savage 10 BA Stealth Evolution’s 24-inch carbon steel barrel has an 8 5R twist in the 6.5 Creedmoor chambering which I was provided for testing. The updated twist is specialized for greater bullet stability over long distances, by putting less bite into the projectile. That didn’t make intuitive sense until I learned that solid brass bullets are becoming commonplace in the long range competition and recreation arena.

In a redux of their approach to the Stealth, but with a very different appearance, Savage chose some out-of-house components combined with trusted in-house ones. Drake Associates makes the Evolution’s receiver and handguard, as with the original Stealth. However, this one’s finished in brilliant bronze. A combination of M1913 rail and M-Lok along the handguard offers ample room for attachments. A sling swivel stud still appears up front, serving me as an attachment point for a bipod, a near-necessity on this rifle.

Drake Associates
The Drake Associates receiver and handguard are finished in bronze cerakote and contribute great rigidity.

Borrowing again from industry leaders, Magpul’s PRS Gen 3 stock brings up the rear. This big, beefy stock provides plenty of adjustable support for shoulder and cheek. I could do without the audible click-click-click of the adjustment dials but am thankful that my relatively small frame can get correctly positioned behind this big gun thanks to the stock.

Savage chose a Hogue pistol grip for this rifle, in a continued demonstration of using the industry’s best components. And likewise, the Evolution sports a Savage bolt action system, three-position tang safety, and the proven Savage AccuTrigger. For those not in the know, this single-stage trigger is user adjustable and features a safety block lever similar to those on a Glock pistol. Out of the box, the Evolution trigger was set light—2.13 pounds according to my Lyman trigger gauge. It’s perfect for bench shooting at this setting, along with the AccuTrigger’s clean and easy break.

savage 10 ba stealth evolution
The Magpul stock and Hogue handguard are good choices for a custom, grippy shooter interface.

The Savage 10 BA Stealth Evolution requires a great scope to realize its potential. Bushnell provided their excellent Elite Tactical LRTSi 3-12x. This scope, like the AccuTrigger, has proven itself on the long range, playing a big role in helping make some cherished memories of the long range. The scope mounts easily on the generous length of M1913 rail atop the Evolution, an extraordinarily stable design that had me ringing steel at 575 yards within a couple minutes of establishing zero.

Bushnell LRTSi
Bushnell’s Elite Tactical LRTSi 3-12x scope is a proven choice for long range and good match for the Evolution.

This is a sub-MOA shooter, capable of half-inch groups at 100 yards. Ammunition does count, and our testing showed American Eagle Open Tip Match 140 grain, which unfortunately has been discontinued, and Federal Gold Medal Berger 130 grain performed with the greatest precision. The headspace control system used by Savage, in which individual barrels are fitted by hand to their own action and bolt. In this way, Savage achieves a custom touch and commensurate accuracy and consistency from their rifles.

on target fast
Shooting the Evolution, topped with a good scope, is a real joy. It put me on target fast!

Having tested the original 10 BA Stealth in the same 6.5 Creedmoor caliber, I expected the Evolution to be super-accurate. What I didn’t expect was how fast it would take me from zeroing to 575 yards, easily and with superb accuracy. This rifle truly puts custom, match-grade performance in a factory package, at a price that’s within reach for more shooters than a custom package. Look for the Evolution in 6.5 Creedmoor to be priced around $1,450 at local outlets. The rifle is also available in .223 Remington, 6mm Creedmoor, .300 Winchester Magnum, and .338 Lapua, with some features differing from those described here.

Savage Evo
Handsome, isn’t it? It backs up the looks with high precision.

FAB Defense KPOS Scout stretches Glock power

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KPOS and 17
The FAB Defense KPOS Scout under a Glock 17–truly a compact package!

Anyone who’s been around Glock fans for a while is likely familiar with some version of the refrain, “I wish Glock would build a rifle.” Thanks to a couple manufacturers, including FAB Defense of Israel, Glock owners won’t have to wait a lifetime—or even more than a couple weeks.

FAB Defense designed the KPOS Scout, an aluminum and polymer shroud that slips over and around the slide and frame of most Glock pistols to create a short-barreled rifle (SBR). Ported models aren’t excluded from use with the Scout. The sample shown in this review fits the Glock 17 and 19.

You’re likely thinking “fine, but an SBR is NFA-regulated, and the waiting period for registration is a heckuva lot longer than two weeks!” And you’d be correct, of course. Add a 16-inch barrel to this kit, though, and you’ve got yourself a Glock rifle that’ll add some accuracy, and a lot of fun, to your plain ol’ Glock.

With the 16-inch barrel by IGB inserted in the Glock 17, assembly looked straightforward enough—but the included instructions and all but one of the very few online tutorials lacked a vital piece of information about moving a non-obvious tab at the rear of the receiver portion of the stock out of the way. Knowing that, installation was quick, easy, and free of fiddling with tiny parts that are easily lost, putting the Scout a notch above at least some of its competition in this department

Glock 17 with IGB barrel
Glock 17 with a 16-inch IGB barrel

The KPOS Scout upper is formed of 6061 aluminum. Bridging the ejection port is a 1913 Picatinny rail. Up front, a fat flash hider of sorts extends a couple inches (exact length depends on which model Glock is inserted) beyond the real muzzle, making its mean look just a little more so. The false muzzle device also inspires a serious warning in the product manual to not place the hand closer to the end than the foregrip.

Speaking of the pistol grip-style foregrip, it’s part of what makes this setup cool. It folds rearward, flat against the upper, for storage or transport. When folded, it also acts as an effective trigger protector. It flips down and is ready for action with just a flick of the wrist. The foregrip is well textured and, while it’s quite unnecessary for recoil management, it provides an important and tactile index point for a device that may well be used in dark conditions. FAB Defense outsourced here; the foregrip is by FGGI.

SCOUT
A folding foregrip/trigger protector, light rail, and aggressive-looking flash hider are good features of the Scout.

An AR-style charging handle, sans a lever, performs the task of racking. The Glock’s grip and fold-down foregrip offer two points of manual contact. Shoulder contact is via what Fab Defense calls the lower, or folding stock.

Charging handle
There’s no lever on the charging handle, which functions in lieu of a hand on the slide.

This skeletonized stock folds nice and flat against the upper, making the package very compact and easy to transport. A pushbutton release allows to unfold and lock into place in full extension. A stylized butt and hiking boot sole-like pad round out the tactical appearance. The hard rubber butt pad makes for a solid point of contact and looks great. It’s a little surprising there’s not a molded polymer butt, which would make the Scout even lighter than its already light 1.44 pounds, without a firearm installed.

Buttstock
A padded buttstock borders on overkill, but gets an “A” for being compact and cool. The sling swivel is handy.

Other useful features are a sling swivel and loop on the upper where it meets the stock. FAB Defense kindly provides a bungee-construction single point sling with the Scout. On each side of the forend is just enough rail to attach a light or other device. These small rails are placed well forward so as not to impede handling, as well as minimizing the shadow cast by the false muzzle device if the kit is used with a light.

All the features of this device come in a very compact package. The Scout is just 6.70 inches tall, 12.84 inches long, and 2.87 inches wide. With the stock deployed, the length increases to 21.34 inches, shoulder to flash hider. The width decreases to 2.36 inches with the stock open. Keep in mind, these are maximum dimensions for the largest parts of the device. It’s truly compact in comparison to most carbines and even mot SBRs.

Folding grip
KPOS Scout with stock deployed. With the G17 in place, it’s easy to see why there’s a warning about keeping mitts off the forend in front of the folding grip.

The KPOS Scout isn’t the first Glock carbine conversion on the market, in fact DownRangeDaily covered this kit by CAA in December 2017. The KPOS Scout is a variation on this theme, but has its own unique look. Unlike the CAA Micro Roni, the Scout comes in a choice of four colors to contrast or match black: gray, olive drab, desert tan, and of course all black.

Accuracy shouldn’t be affected by firing the Scout with a standard Glock barrel, though the addition of a stock can certainly help operator stability, and thus enhance accuracy at distance. As a baseline, our best five-shot group with Speer Gold Dot 147 grain ammunition at 25 yards, from a bagged rest and seated shooter position, was 2.1 inches—an impressive result for a “naked” Glock, but the way it was obtained is unrealistic for any practical purpose.

With the 16-inch IGB barrel on board, the accuracy test was repeated in the same manner, first with Federal 115 grain aluminum-cased ammo—this inexpensive option was supposed to be a baseline for zeroing the Aimpoint Micro red dot, but turned out the best group. Here are the results:

Load Five-shot group size

Federal aluminum FMJ 115 grain 1.5 inches

Sig Sauer Elite Match 147 grain 3.4 inches

Precision Delta PDP Pro 124 grain 4.0 inches

It’s possible that heat, both ambient and shooting-related, played a role in this test. The rounds were fired in order of grain weight, from lightest to heaviest, on a 100-degree day.

push button
KPOS Scout and G17, right view. The stock stays folded unless released by a push button.

With an NFA permit and pistol in place, the KPOS Scout makes an extremely portable pistol that handles like a carbine. With the longer barrel, the NFA requirement is negated and the user can enjoy a true dual-purpose tool for target practice and home defense.

The FAB Defense KPOS Scout isn’t easy to find in the States, but is available by order from Israel. Currently ZFI, Inc. offers it for $299.95. ZFI knocks 10 percent off for customers who register on their website. American-based distributors are needed. Potential dealers should contact ZFI for information.

The Ruger 10/22 Review: An American Classic

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My Ruger 10/22

On my top 7 22 Rifles list, my number one choice was the humble Ruger 10/22. I listed a few reasons there, but let’s reevaluate why this rifle is so fantastic. The Ruger 10/22 is on equal grounds with guns like the AR-15 and the Glock series of handguns.

It’s the definitive gun of it’s of its type. The Ruger 10/22 is infinitely customizable and one could easily even build their own Ruger with barely any Ruger parts. There are even 80% lowers for this gun. Why is it so popular? Because it works! It works extremely well. It’s accurate, easy to shoot, and most of all reliable.

The Break Down on the Ruger 10/22

The Ruger 10/22 is a semi-automatic 22 LR rifle that comes in several different configurations. This rifle uses a rotary magazine, which makes feeding rimmed rounds easy and its one of the most reliable designs on the market. My particular model is the shorter and lighter carbine variant. The Ruger 10/22 carbine has an 18.5-inch barrel and my particular model has the basic wooden stock. It wears open sights and comes drilled and tapped for a Dovetail scope mount.

The Ruger 10/22 comes in over a dozen configurations, including takedown models, distributors exclusives, tactical variants and more I’m probably forgetting. There is a Ruger 10/22 out there for everyone.

The Ruger 10/22 is designed for a variety of tasks. It’s a great small game hunting rifle, it can be built into a precision rifle or just a fun plinking rifle. That’s what’s mine does in most situations.

When I just want to pull triggers and save money I break out the Ruger 10/22. When it comes to new shooters, the Ruger is a perfect rifle, especially for kids. I firmly believe the key to getting new shooters started is to let them have fun first and then teach them the fundamentals of marksmanship. What more fun than a rifle that fires as fast as you pull the trigger with such little recoil?

Ergonomics

Let’s get the bad out of the way first. The magazine release is a real hassle, at least on my model. The new Rugers have a much better magazine release, but mine is the old school awkward push button design. The right side charging handle is so untactical that I love it. The stock is a little short for my gorilla arms, but because the rifle doesn’t recoil much it’s easy for me to manage it.

The sights are simple open irons, but they work for rimfire needs. They aren’t special, and replacing them with something like Tech sights are a drastic improvement. I keep an old and cheap red dot mounted on mine, and it works well. Everything is simple about the Ruger 10/22 and that’s part of the appeal. It’s just as easy for an 8-year-old to use as it is for a 28-year-old.

On the Range

I’ve had this Ruger for over 10 years and it still remains a constant at the range. I’ve never had any serious malfunctions beyond the occasional failure to fire. These are rare enough that I can’t remember the last actual malfunction. The factory magazines are the key to the reliability with this rifle, and Ruger now produces the BX 15 and BX 25 magazines on top of the standard 10 rounders and they work like magic.

The Ruger 10/22 is a straight shooter and its a perfect companion for any new or experienced shooter. The trigger is outstanding for a cheap little 22 LR rifle and the only complaint I have is the trigger reset. It’s a bit lacking in the audible and tactile feedback realm. But let’s face it, this isn’t a big deal on a rifle made to shoot soda cans.

Long-Term Love

This is one of those guns that’ll never leave the collection. It’s such a fun little gun and I’ve used it to train dozens of young and new shooters in the basic art of rifle shooting. It’s still a gun I break out when stress is high and I need to just put lead downrange. The Ruger 10/22 is a fun little gun, and easily one of the best rimfire rifles ever created. The Ruger 10/22 is an amazing rifle, and a must have for any gun collection.

The KPOS Scout and G2- Whats the Difference?

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Some time ago I reviewed the KPOS G2 for Down Range Daily. To me, it was a fun, well made and impressive way to turn a Glock into a modern tactical carbine. I’ve handled some carbine conversion kits and found the KPOS G2 to be my favorite overall. In 2018, FAB Defense decided to tweak the KPOS design and showed us the KPOS Scout. The Scout was an exciting development and showed FAB Defense wanted to modernize the KPOS design and make it a little more appealing to a western audience. My friends at ZFI-Inc were kind enough to send me one to compare with my KPOS G2. So let’s take a look at the two and dissect some differences

What the KPOS Scout and G2 Have in Common

Both of these systems are compatible with the Glock series of medium frame pistols like the 17, 19, 22, 23, etc. They turn your handgun into a rifle, which could be an SBR. An SBR is a short barreled rifle that’s a heavily regulated title 2 firearm.

The good news is both systems are compatible with Glocks using the IGB 16 inch rifle barrel. The presence of a 16-inch barrel turns the entire system into a standard, non-NFA, rifle. This makes life a little more hassle-free for anyone looking to turn their Glock into a rifle.

Both systems feature full-length scope rails, side Picatinny rails, and folding stocks.

Material Difference

The material difference is the first and most obvious difference. The KPOS G2 is made almost entirely from 6061 T6 billed hard anodized aluminum. It is comparable to a standard submachine gun and gives it a hefty, but manageable weight.

The KPOS Scout is made from a hybrid of polymer and aluminum. The upper portion of the Scout is made from a 6061 T6 hard anodized aluminum, and the lower section and stock are made from polymer. The aluminum upper ensures it can withstand the heat from long sessions of fire, and use with ported Glocks.

Dimensional Differences

The use of polymer in the Scout’s design cuts about 10 ounces of weight from the entire system. This is a substantial little weight saving. That’s almost half the weight of the Glock 17 I’m installing into both systems. The Scout weighs 25.39 ounces, and the G2 weighs 25.80 ounces.

The Scout is also slightly shorter with a length of 21.3 inches with the stock deployed. The G2 has a length of 23.2 inches with the stock deployed. The G2 is half an inch thinner, and a little less than an inch shorter when it comes to overall height.

The two differences in overall length and weight are the most important to note. The Scout is lightweight, and therefore easier to carry. If you go the NFA route and register your Glock as an SBR you then have a shorter, more comfortable to carry package. That 2 or so inches make it easier to squeeze the gun into a bag for discrete carry.

Modularity Differences

Another difference of note is the fact the KPOS Scout features shorter rails than the KPOS G2. This isn’t likely to be a big deal since it has enough rail space to accommodate the majority of pistol sized accessories.

The G2 also has a removable stock that allows you to add different stocks from FAB Defense, or even a Pathfinder tube and pistol brace. The Scout lacks the modularity to swap stocks.

Use Differences

One thing I love on the Scout that I noted is lacking from the KPOS G2 is an extended charging handle. The G2 features a standard size AR 15 charging handle, and the Scout uses an ambidextrous extended charging handle. It is much easier to reach and rack than the G2’s. The Scout also has an excellent QD sling point for easy use and install.

I will say installing the Glock when it’s equipped with the IGB barrel is easier with the G2. It just slides right in, and there is plenty of room due to the rear latching plate. With the Scout, you have the remove the Glock slide with the barrel, install that and then reinstall the grip.

Using a SIRT Glock look alike it is easier to install a standard Glock into the KPOS Scout. Both systems are intuitive, but the Scout’s one button assembly design you can do it very quickly versus the KPOS G2’s hinging back and front system.

 

On the range, both systems perform admirably. The wide ejection port ensures brass flies well away from the system and doesn’t jam anything up.

Price Differences

Price is a significant factor for a lot of people when choosing one of these kits. The Scout is about half the price of the G2. The G2’s all metal body undoubtedly contributes to a good bit of that price difference. The KPOS Scout goes for around 300 bucks, and the KPOS G2 retails for about 600.

Both systems very well made, and this isn’t something I’d call overpriced when quality is factored in. It’s not for everyone but rarely is anything. Both systems perform admirably, and the Scout is a bit more functional for the everyday civilian. The KPOS G2 is a little more rigid and would better in the hands of armed security and LEOs. Regardless of which way you go, make sure you check out our friends at ZFI for these kits, and the tons of accessories, optics, and slings they offer for these systems.

Charter Arms Review: 38 Special Revolver

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Charter Arms Off Duty
My travel gun. Charter Arms Off Duty, .38 SPL.

To travel without having the ability to defend yourself against an attack is not a smart idea. No matter where I go, I try to pack a firearm with me, just in case I’m ever presented with the need for self-protection.

I have a firearm dedicated to travel, and I thought it would be prudent to do a follow up to Todd’s article on how to fly with a gun, to just go over what I looked for in my dedicated travel gun. This article is part Charter Arms Off Duty Gun Review, and part information on what you may want to look for in your dedicated travel gun.

Full body shot of the gun, on top of my Sticky Holster

My Travel Gun from Charter Arms:

My travel gun is nothing more than a 5-shot, snub nose .38 Special revolver. To be more precise, it’s a Charter Arms Off-Duty. It’s perfect for what I need it for, but I do also carry it around town, from time to time, and even in my house whenever I need an lightweight handgun.

Charter Arms .38
This older photo shows it needing a good cleaning.

It’s main purpose right now, however, is as my travel gun. I’ve been traveling for work a lot lately, and it serves this purpose well. There are a few reasons why it’s a good gun for me to travel with. First, it was a cheap handgun. If I remember correctly, I walked out of my FFL, gun in hand after taxes and transfer, for $325. For a brand new, fully functioning self-defense weapon, that ain’t bad.

This is important because, while the last thing I could ever want to happen is to have my gun stolen by TSA, having a $300 gun stolen won’t hurt as much as having a $700 gun stolen. Seems like a no-brainer to me, and the Charter Arms Off Duty fits the bill well, for this “cheap gun” requirement.

Sight view of the Charter Arms Off Duty. Snag Free.

However, I do want to say here, that it’s always important to do as much to prevent theft, as possible, by using a high quality case and following the directions of your airline.

Second, it’s a small and easily concealable pocket revolver, with a long double action only trigger. I have a Sticky Holster that allows me to drop it right in my pocket, tucked out of the way. This is perfect for those states that allow me to conceal a firearm, but not carry one out in the open, or even have brandishing laws.

Please note that my revolver is filthy in all of the photos, because pocket carry is dirty. You may not realize it, but your pockets are filled with lint, and it tends to stick to guns. Clean your pocket pistol or revolver often, to make sure it functions properly if and when you need it to save your life.

Sticky Holster revolver

I’d like to point out that proper training to make sure you can draw from the pocket holster with your gun, is all important. If you don’t train with it, drawing it from the holster, don’t carry that way. Why? Because drawing from a pocket holster is a different kind of animal and takes a lot of practice to become proficient.

charter arms cylinder
Cylinder Release

Third, the Charter Arms snub has a capacity of just 5 shots. While this is less than ideal in many situations, it keeps me from breaking the law in any of the less gun-friendly states I’m traveling through, if I’m driving, or my destination is a state that doesn’t allow higher capacity weapons.

Charter Arms 5 shot snub
Loaded cylinder

For example, I live in Pennsylvania, and we are surrounded by the blue sea. Literally, we are surrounded by NJ, MD, DE, NY, and if I want to go anywhere, the only gun-friendly state is Ohio. I rarely go that way. Therefore, to make sure I don’t go to jail, I want to make sure I’ve got as much on my side as possible, to include a small capacity firearm, like the Charter Arms 38 in all these photos.

hollow point in gun
Business side of the loaded cylinder.

At the Range:

To say that the Charter Arms Off Duty is a handful is less than an understatement. At only 12 oz, this aluminum framed revolver doesn’t do a lot to mitigate felt recoil. And, when +P cartridges are involved, it gets to be even more fun to hang onto.

This is me trying to show you how small the gun is, and that this setup doesn’t have room for my pinky finger

Still, for what the Charter Arms Off Duty is, a pocket revolver or backup gun, it’s a fantastic option as my go to travel self-defense weapon. I am combat accurate with it up to 10 yards, the maximum distance I’d ever consider shooting with a firearm with a two inch barrel.

Snubby Barrel

Please note that mine is configured with the short grip, and there is an option to put an extended grip on this 38 revolver, so you can get your pinky finger on it to tame it more. Of course, if I were to do this, I’d lose some concealability, and may not be able to pocket it anymore. As with all things in the self-defense lifestyle we live, there are gives and takes.

Other side of the snub

Downsides:

The main downside to this self-defense gun, are also some of it’s positives. It’s small and sleek. When I say sleek, I mean that the trigger guard is small, and tends to beat the snot out of my trigger finger whenever I shoot it. In fact, on numerous occasions my finger pops off the trigger and smacks the guard. After numerous shots it chews my knuckle up.

I do want to point out that this isn’t the only revolver I have a problem with, and is one of the reasons I’m looking forward to Colt’s new Cobra. The trigger guard is nice and big, which is perfect for my fat fingers.

charter arms trigger
Here is the small trigger guard that my finger has a hard time getting into.

After training with it on several different occasions, I have been able to modify my shooting so it doesn’t happen as much. My fingers are quite a bit bigger than the average shooter, and that, coupled with the overall small size of the trigger guard are a recipe for chewed up fingers.

Carrying Charter Arms Off-Duty:

She may not be the sexiest, but she still gets the job done!

The overall small stature of the Charter Arms Off Duty pocket revolver makes it an excellent choice for concealed carry or even as a backup gun. As an added benefit, the internal hammer helps prevent any snags on the draw. Which is perfect for me, because I tend to pocket carry this revolver whenever I wear it.

Grip

Conclusion:

The Charter Arms Off-Duty is an excellent choice for concealed carry, and I tend to use mine as my travel gun because it’s small, affordable, and easily concealed on my person. It goes bang every time, and fits the bill for exactly what I need. It’s not all puppies and rainbows because my finger snaps off the trigger when I shoot causing it to bleed, but I’d much rather have the a bleeding finger than be in a ditch somewhere, dead.

Do you own any of these no frills revolvers? Let me know in the comments below.

Rock Island 22 TCM Pistol Review (Convertible 9mm 1911)

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9mm 1911 22 tcm

Rock Island 22 TCM / 9mm 1911 Pistol

I’m not what you’d call a 1911 super-fan. Nor am I what you’d call a Glock fan. If I had to put a finger on where I stand, it’d be somewhere in the middle. Though, I admittedly don’t own a Glock at the moment. There’s no special reason that is, and a G26 is on my buy list once the funds come into play.

I do own a few 1911s, though, so there is that. When the opportunity came about to do a Rock Island Armory 1911 review on the 22 TCM and 9mm combo, I said yes, please.

In all actuality, I’ve never shot one before, even though I’ve seen them at SHOT Show.

I’m obviously not new to guns, nor the 1911/2011 platform. What was new to me, however, is the fantastic muzzle blast that accompanied the .22 Tuason Craig Micro-magnum. It’ll forever be burned into my brain housing group. After all, this was the day I brought my nine year old girl to the range for the first time, as well.

Rock Island 22 TCM
Left side

It was a sunny day, and my little girl had just finished up shooting her little .22 Henry Repeater for the very first time. She did great, and built up some great confidence with her ability to hit her target and the not-so-loud .22 long rifle cartridges she easily cycled.

Sadly, that all went away once I stepped up to the bench with the 22 TCM Rock Island 1911. From the corner of my eye I saw her nearly hit the ceiling of the overhead roof on the first press of the trigger.

The blast and associated fireball was way more than she was expecting from such a little gun (in her mind as she compared it to her “much bigger” lever action rifle). Because of this, I pulled her rifle back out and sat her back down at the bench, to re-build that confidence I had nearly shattered.

About The .22 TCM Cartridge, AKA Tuason Craig Magnum

.22 TCM

There is quite a bit of obscurity regarding the .22 TCM cartridge, when it came out, what you can use it for, what are the ballistics of an Armscor .22 TCM, etc. It is a relatively new cartridge being only a few years old and is Armscor’s answer to FN’s 5.7X28. About one month ago, I was sent a Rock Island Armory 1911 combo, capable of shooting both .22 TCM and 9mm with nothing more than the swap of a barrel and spring.

.22 TCM’s lineage:

This quick little 22 handgun cartridge is essentially a shortened down .223 case. How short? Well, it’s about as tall as a .45 ACP with similar casing dimensions as a 9mm parabellum. Those similar casing dimensions allow for the .22 TCM cartridge and the 9mm Luger to use the same magazines when feeding your hungry 1911.

I do want to say here, that while they both use the same mags, the barrel and spring are totally different, for hopefully obvious reasons. You don’t want to confuse the two.

Many folks falsely assume that this cartridge is a necked down 9X19. While the dimensions are similar, it’s actually a shortened, necked down .223 Remington cartridge. As you can see from a below photo, the 9mm and the .22 TCM are about the same height with the 22 cal ammo edging it out just slightly.

What does TCM mean?

Glad you asked. So this guy named Fred Craig (the “C” in TCM) decided that he wanted to design a new pistol cartridge. So, he put his brain to work and came up with this shortened, necked down .22 cal ammo that’s similar in case-size to many handgun rounds. Armscor got wind of what he was doing, wanted in, and that’s where the “T” comes from: The Armscor company president, Mr. Tuason.

That just leaves us with the “M” in the name. This should be obvious, but in case it isn’t, it stands for micro-magnum. This little sucker is cruising at speeds in the neighborhood of 2,000 FPS at the muzzle. For reference, the average 9mm parabellum travels between 1,100 and 1,200 FPS at the muzzle.

22 tcm

How does it shoot:

This was the surprising part for me the first time I shot one, because I wasn’t expecting the result. While felt recoil was minimal, the muzzle blast was effing atrocious for a 22 handgun. To say it was loud is an understatement. But as far as having a range toy is concerned, having the ability to shoot balls of flame from your 22 cal pistol just makes things more interesting from my own point of view.

That being said, if you can get used to the muzzle blast, and I assume you’re here because this stuff excites you, it is quite pleasant to shoot, considering the felt-recoil is minimal allowing for quick target re-acquisition. Overall, besides the Coonan Classic chambered in .357 Magnum, this is some of the most fun I’ve had in a 1911 style gun.

And I have to admit that I am a 1911 fan. I can’t wait to bring this .22 handgun back to the range again, and plan on smiling with it the whole time.

What is the .22 TCM good for?

This is potentially the most interesting part of this article because I’m sure I’m about to confuse some of you. For certain people, the Rock Island .22 TCM guns will be a decent self-defense tool. Before you lose it on me for suggesting a 22 handgun for SD, hear me out.

There is a relatively large population of folks who are unable to pull the slide back on guns with a stouter recoil spring. Because the Second Amendment also applies to them, they, too, have the right to self-defense.

Once these poor people learn that they cannot pull a slide properly to the rear, they scour the WEB or the local gun-store for advice. What are they told? To get a revolver with a long, heavy DAO trigger that gets rid of the slide, altogether. Is that the best advice for someone who has hands that are so weak that they can’t pull back the slide on a semi-auto?

Is it likely that their hands are also weak enough that they cannot correctly (and accurately) pull a long, heavy double action only trigger? I’d say the chances are good that they cannot. Especially when you consider that many of these revolvers kick like a mule with their small frame.

Now, I would personally not use 22 cal pistols in self-defense, but if I had weaker hands that were unable to pull back the slide on a semi-automatic pistol or if I was tremendously recoil resistant, I would feel comfortable enough using a gun chambered in .22 TCM (or 22 magnum) for self-defense. Being that the .22 TCM doesn’t recoil that hard, its spring is lighter and easier to manipulate.

On that Rock Island .22 TCM 1911, I can pull back the slide with one finger. That’s how easy it is. Of course, I can only do it with one finger when the hammer is cocked, but that still shows how light of a spring that 22 TCM pistol uses.

Therefore, because it’s so light, I call this a great self-defense option for some people. After all, the gun you’ve got on you is better than the one you’ve got in your sock drawer.

Would it be my first choice since I am quite capable of handling recoil and can certainly pull back a slide with the man-mitts I call hands? No, not likely. However, this cartridge moves at 2,000 feet per second out of the Rock Island Armory 1911 and transfers about 350 lb.ft of energy to your target.

I don’t have any testing data on it, but this lady does a great job showing off some 22 TCM ballistics gel testing, and the first half of the wound channel is fearsome:

If you’ve got a Rock Island Armory 1911 or one of those rifles in .22 TCM, I want to hear what you think about it. What are your ammo woes? Can you find any where you live or do you need to special order from these guys? Let me know in the comments below.

Now on to the 22 TCM 1911 Pistol Review …

22 tcm
Fiber optic front sight

The skelotonized trigger on this Rock Island 1911 is exactly what I’ve come to expect from modern day interpretations of John Moses Browning’s timeless (and dare I say brilliant?) design. It is light and crisp with a short break and reset. The gun handles well, the finish and fit are flawless, and the controls are exactly what you’d expect on this gun. No surprises there.

Here is the right side of the Rock Island Armory .22 TCM 1911

This is one of my favorite guns to shoot right now. Reason being, it has minimal felt recoil when set up to shoot .22 TCM. This is one of, if not the, lowest recoiling 1911s I’ve ever fired. There are, of course, a few different reasons for this. First, it’s a heavy gun. Physics dictates (though I’m far from a professor) that a heavier (something/anything) will absorb more impact than a lighter thing will of the same size.

In the world of guns this means that a heavier gun will reduce the amount of recoil that is actually felt.

This, coupled with the fact that you’re basically shooting a light projectile and a few other things I’m not going to cover, equals a much lighter perceived recoil. Overall, this gun is a blast to shoot and is great for plinking, target practice, and all around just having fun at the range.

The controls were exactly where they were supposed to be, and I’m sure the ambi safety will come in handy for you southpaws. Take down is as easy as any other 1911 on the market, and barrel swaps to make it a 9mm 1911 are a breeze.

22 TCM Ammo Options:

From left to right: 9mm, .22 TCM, .223 Rem

.22 TCM Ammo options are pretty much limited to what you can get from Armscor, the parent of Rock Island Armory. There isn’t even much support for re-loaders, as far as my research has brought me to conclude. I’m admittedly not a re-loader yet though, due to space limitations in my abode. Therefore, don’t take my word on this one, and if you have any recommendations on re-loading .22 TCM ammo, I’m all ears.

Anyway, one of the great things about this particular gun, is that it comes standard from Rock Island with two barrels and two recoil springs. One for .22 TCM and one for 9mm. This helps make this nasty little bugger more than just a novelty, as you can run as much 9X19 through this 1911 as your little heart desires.

Here’s the 9mm barrel, making this gun a great addition to any collection

Another thing to keep in mind, is that the .22 TCM ammo isn’t exactly an abundantly found round. What I mean, is that most gun stores don’t stock it because most people have never even heard of it. Therefore, it can be expensive to shoot. I can say, however, that as expensive as it is, it’s also really fun to shoot.

I am able to find it at my local Cabela’s (about 45 minutes away) and there are plenty of online ammo suppliers who carry it, as well as buying from a link on their website.

My target on a cold February Day at 10 yards. I zoomed in on it, below.

Self-Defense:

Yes you read that right, I do feel as though this gun can be used for self-defense. Besides the fact that there are plenty of people out there who use 9mm Parabellum for self-defense on a regular basis, I also believe that there are some folks who could benefit from the .22 TCM cartridge for self-defense applications, too.

Rock Island 22 tcm

Think about it like this, this little sucker is moving at just under 2,000 FPS at the muzzle, delivering over 300 pounds of energy. Granted, it’s a much smaller projectile than you’d like, but the gun is also easier to rack than many others are, and recoil is very light. Is it better to have a gun that a person can handle and manipulate or one that has a bigger projectile where he/she cannot?

In the world where this saying: carry the biggest gun in the biggest caliber you can, is decent advice, the .22 TCM is good enough to plug a bad guy full of lead. And, being that you can carry 17+ one in the pipe, in 9mm or 22 TCM, I’d say it’s more than sufficient for self-defense in either caliber.

Double stack in 9mm or .22 tcm

Complaint:

Nothing is perfect. No gun is ever perfect. This gun is not mine, it is a loaner from Rock Island that I sadly had to send back when finished with my review. If I could afford it, I’d buy it.

The finish on the gun, while flawless when taken out of the box, has not held up quite as well as I’d hoped it would. The finish outside the ejection port is showing much more wear than I thought possible after only having 600 rounds of ammo through it. Not the biggest thing, and certainly not a deal breaker by any means.

And, who knows, maybe with the proper cleaning solvent the marring would wipe away. But, with what I’ve been using, it won’t come clean.

Had I the proper funds, I’d buy this pistol from RIA in an instant.

Zoomed in on my 10 yard targets, I’d say that’s a pretty dead paper plate

And, I feel as though this is a good spot to mention the overall cost of the ammo and it’s limited availability for shooters. .22 TCM ammo, until it catches on, will remain a novelty item, even if it is a fun novelty. But remember, this is also a 9mm 1911 (2011), so there’s also that. If you’re looking for a double stack, 17 round handgun, this may fit the bill.

Stats:

  • Caliber – 22 TCM / 9mm
  • Length – 8 inch
  • Height – 5.5 inch
  • Capacity – 17 + 1 Rounds
  • Front Sight – Fixed Mounted on Dovetail Cut
  • Rear Sight – LPA MPS1-Type Adjustable Rear Sight
  • Unloaded Weight – 2.5 lbs
  • Grips – G10
  • Finish – Parkerized
  • Barrel Length – 4.25 inch
  • Trigger Pul – l4 – 6 lbs / 181
  • MSRP As Tested – $960

Conclusion:

This is a great gun that, in my opinion, should be added to anyone’s collection who is serious about 1911/2011 ownership. Rock Island Armory makes a great gun, and the .22 TCM is some of the most fun you can have at the range. Team that up with a double stack 9mm barrel and recoil spring, and you’ve got a recipe for self-defense that is also a head turner on the range. Do I recommend this gun for fun and self-defense?

I do.

Check out this Rock Island 22 TCM 1911 pistol on their website, here. These guys also have several models in stock for pretty good prices.

Savage 10 BA Stealth 6.5 Creedmoor Review

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Savage 10 BA Stealth 6.5 Creedmoor Review — An affordable 1,000 yard rifle.

Hornady Cartridge Company first introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor centerfire rifle cartridge in 2007. It has taken a few years to catch on but it has taken off in popularity and by all appearances won’t be slowing down anytime soon. While talking with the folks at Savage Arms in the last couple of years, it’s obvious just how popular 6.5 Creedmoor has become.

This cartridge has finally come into its own, they say, and Savage has at least two dozen different rifle offerings chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Many other major gun manufacturers including Ruger, Kimber, Browning, and Howa, to mention a few, offer the 6.5 as well.

6.5 Creedmoor
Just a few of the many ammo offerings in 6.5 Creedmoor. 

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had the great privilege of being able to test one of Savage Arms’ rifle offerings in 6.5 Creedmoor, the Model 10 BA Stealth (the newest model for 2018 is the 10/100 BA Stealth Evolution). While hitting a mark at 1,000 yards and beyond was once mostly a sought-after benchmark for rifle shooters, today it has become almost commonplace.

I will have to admit however, the 6.5 Creedmoor has made that distance and beyond seem almost too easy. Don’t get me wrong, you have to do your part, especially if you have those nasty crosswinds. With relatively high sectional density and ballistic coefficient, 6.5 mm (0.264-inch) bullets, in general, are known for their success in rifle competitions.

For some loads, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is capable of duplicating the muzzle velocity or trajectory of the 300 Winchester Magnum with only minimal felt recoil. Along with its success as a competition and target cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor is exploding in popularity in the hunting and tactical markets.

bolt action
Features include a Picatinny rail and Savage’s AccuTrigger with an extra-wide trigger guard. A ten-round magazine is included.

The primary features of the Savage 10 BA Stealth 6.5 Creedmoor are: factory blued and printed Savage Action, monolithic aluminum chassis machined from solid billet, M-LOK forend, a one-piece EGW scope rail, Fab Defense GLR-SHOCK six-position buttstock with adjustable cheek piece, a 5/8×24 threaded muzzle with protector, detachable 10-round box magazine, and a Savage AccuTrigger.

Savage also offers more traditional style rifles that are chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor along with at least two semi auto models.

The adjustable FAB Defense GLR stock on the 10 BA Stealth is truly functional.

The first day I had the Savage 10 BA Stealth on a long distance range, I was hitting steel out to 1,000 yards. Admittedly I had the use of good ammo, American Eagle 140gr OTM (open tip match), a great optic—a Bushnell Elite Tactical LRS 6-24x first focal plane scope, and I made use of a good ballistics table.

There seems to be quite the discussion on the gun blogs of the effective range of this cartridge, from as little as 400 yards and out to 1,200-plus yards. Suffice it to say with the right ammo, 400 yards is child’s play with the 6.5 Creedmoor, and in the hands of a good rifleman 1,000 yards-plus is attainable for many.

There is a wide selection of good, factory ammo and volumes of data for reloaders. Muzzle velocities for the 6.5 are in the 2700 to 3200 fps range depending on bullet weight and load.

Some of the more recent ammo offerings for the 6.5 Creedmoor from Federal.

Recently with the aforementioned Savage Stealth in 6.5 Creedmoor (Savage offers the Stealth in 308 Winchester also), I harvested a mule deer buck in New Mexico during the fall rifle deer season. Using Federal Fusion 140 grain soft point, I made a 330-yard uphill, one-shot kill and the deer never moved, a very minor feat for the Stealth Creedmoor. I say this while holding the greatest respect to the animal and only to point out that the 6.5 Creedmoor is in fact a very suitable cartridge for the hunting environment.

Mule Deer harvested in NM with the Savage Stealth in 6.5 Creedmoor

If you’re considering a rifle in a newer cartridge that is ultra-flat shooting with mild recoil and want to challenge yourself at the 1,000-plus yard mark, the Savage BA10 Stealth 6.5 Creedmoor is worthy of consideration. And, I’m still enjoying the venison steak and jerky in case anyone is wondering!

savage 10 ba stealth 6.5 creedmoor
The 10 BA Stealth is Light enough for the field and very capable for long range work. Bipod not included.

(note: Federal Premium Ammunition provided ammo for this rifle test).  Do you have any time spent with the Savage 10 BA Stealth? Let us know in the comments below.