Unit performed flawlessly and is a TGR recommended product.

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A quick compare of 3 different optics for up shooting close on the move
Not suprisingly, the T1 was the “easiest” to shoot fast
Followed by the TR24 red triangle
Then the Leupold Patrol 1.25-4

I really don’t like to say which was the fastest because that would require running the same drills back to back against a timer
I would rather rate in terms of “ease of use” because it is a bit more subjective to a given person’s experience

I personally didn’t perceive much noticeable difference between the TR24 and the T1 up close, at steel plates at 100 yards I need to go back and do some more A/B testing because part of me feels the T1 might actually be a little quicker to place the small dot on the plate (we were shooting 12″ w x 18″ t plates)

Once you step out to say 25 yards, the difference between the 1.25x and TR24′s true 1x becomes less noticeable
Between these two scopes, I would give the upper hand to the TR24 for shooting on the move and close in.
It does lack any holdover points but the view as a result is nice and clear, uncluttered.
Running a 50/200 yard zero puts you 3″ low at 250
with the 4MOA Triangle you could place the bottom of the triangle on the target at 350 and get hits
At 500 I would be dialing it in

I like the Patrol because it has holdover points, glass between the two is pretty much a tie and it has matching turrets with .1 mil increments.
It also has the holdover points built into the reticle that are mil, so having matching turret and reticle is ideal.

For defensive use it’s a no brainer to use the T1

For 3 gun use if most of your local matches are 100 yards and under with the occasional 250 yard steel I don’t think you would gain much if anything by using a 1-4 frankly. Hitting a 12-18″ plate at 250 is easy with the T1 and personally, I am not a big fan of adding a magnifier

Between the 2 scopes

If you need more precision at distance then I would opt for the Patrol, if sheer speed up close is more important then the TR24 is probably the better choice.
Both are very nice scopes that are reasonably priced.

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We got a few sessions on video

Running a few drills

Using a TR24 red triangle and a Wilson Combat 16″ midlength gas system
Working on driving the gun and controlling muzzle lift.
Shooting about as fast as I can accurately.
Shooting with a broken index finger and having to use my right middle finger slows me down a bit

I was running the Wilson Combat small vertical foregrip for the first time, I set it out near the end of the riflelength handguard and was using the thumb over method and pulling back to with the stock collapsed and tucked in tight beneath my chin.   I never liked VFGs just being held onto like a lollipop, but this method really does help drive the gun to different targets quickly and maintain sight alignment on target during rapid fire.

Note that steel is 50 yards left and right and 75 center, running frangible ammo

Aimpoint T1 vs Trijicon TR24 vs Leupold Patrol

A quick compare of 3 different optics for up shooting close on the move
Not suprisingly, the T1 was the “easiest” to shoot fast
Followed by the TR24 red triangle
Then the Leupold Patrol 1.25-4

I really don’t like to say which was the fastest because that would require running the same drills back to back against a timer
I would rather rate in terms of “ease of use” because it is a bit more subjective to a given person’s experience

I personally didn’t perceive much noticeable difference between the TR24 and the T1 up close, at steel plates at 100 yards I need to go back and do some more A/B testing because part of me feels the T1 might actually be a little quicker to place the small dot on the plate (we were shooting 12″ w x 18″ t plates)

Once you step out to say 25 yards, the difference between the 1.25x and TR24′s true 1x becomes less noticeable
Between these two scopes, I would give the upper hand to the TR24 for shooting on the move and close in.
It does lack any holdover points but the view as a result is nice and clear, uncluttered.
Running a 50/200 yard zero puts you 3″ low at 250
with the 4MOA Triangle you could place the bottom of the triangle on the target at 350 and get hits
At 500 I would be dialing it in

I like the Patrol because it has holdover points, glass between the two is pretty much a tie and it has matching turrets with .1 mil increments.
It also has the holdover points built into the reticle that are mil, so having matching turret and reticle is ideal.

For defensive use it’s a no brainer to use the T1

For 3 gun use if most of your local matches are 100 yards and under with the occasional 250 yard steel I don’t think you would gain much if anything by using a 1-4 frankly. Hitting a 12-18″ plate at 250 is easy with the T1 and personally, I am not a big fan of adding a magnifier

Between the 2 scopes

If you need more precision at distance then I would opt for the Patrol, if sheer speed up close is more important then the TR24 is probably the better choice.
Both are very nice scopes that are reasonably priced.

Adam running the Saiga 12 and Socom 16
Having a little fun on FBI qualifier targets

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This is a review of the standard PX4 Type F in 9mm.  The Type F is a traditional double action/single action incorporating a decocking feature built into the safety.

One really cool design feature of the PX4 is the rotary barrel.  The rotary barrel and low axis result in a weapon with light felt recoil and minimal muzzle flip.  Given that the gun just “feels right” in your hand it is very easy to shoot.  I recently ran 500 rounds through it during a three hour training class and was not fatigued (no doubt partial credit goes to the Uplula mag loader!).

I have run 1,000+ rounds through her with zero fails.

Trigger pull and accuracy are about what you would expect from Beretta.

It is really amazing what the designers are doing these days.  The PX4 can be custom-fitted to just about anyone and it would seem appealing to say, a left-handed person of slight build, or a lady shooter, or anyone else who isn’t comfortable with a stock gun.

I’ve been carrying it in a Crossbreed holster and that rigs works fairly well.

Personal preference might direct you towards another weapon but the PX4 hits a sweet spot of price, performance, and features.

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And, for the first time, the United States Navy has granted SIG SAUER® permission to sell the new contract pistol, designated the MK25, to the general public.

The commercially available MK25 is identical to the firearm SIG SAUER® delivers under contract to the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC). Built to the Navy’s demanding standards, the MK25 comes chambered in 9mm, with a phosphate finish applied to all internal components, providing corrosion resistance in even the harshest of saltwater environments.

The engraved gold anchor on the pistol’s slide hints at its military origin, while the UID code on the right side serves as a genuine badge of authenticity. The true mil-spec 1913 rail is machined into the hardcoat anodized alloy frame, providing a solid mounting point for lights, lasers and accessories.

A reliable double-action/single-action trigger and two-piece polymer grips are included in the NSWC-specification package. SIGLITE® night sights, three magazines, and a card certifying authenticity come standard in the case.

The only other way to obtain an authentic MK25 pistol would require a Naval enlistment and training with elite forces. Own a piece of American military history with the purchase of a SIG SAUER® MK25 pistol.

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Based on Leupold’s CM-R^2™ reticle line, the 300 Blackout reticle allows operators to quickly and easily determine holdovers for both the supersonic and subsonic loadings of the new round.

“The versatility in loading options that makes the 300 Blackout so popular also presented the greatest challenge in designing a calibrated reticle,” said Kevin Trepa, vice president, tactical division for Leupold & Stevens, Inc.  “We wanted this reticle to provide military, law enforcement and competitive shooters with a one-stop optic that could handle everything the 300 Blackout has to offer.”

At the heart of the 300 Blackout reticle is a 0.5 minute-of-angle (MOA) dot surrounded by a 5.0 MOA circle.  This gives operators the perfect balance between speed and accuracy.

Hash marks on the horizontal stadia provide leads in 5-, 10- and 15-mph increments at 100 yards.  Marks on the left side are calibrated to subsonic loads, while the leads on the right side are to be used with the lighter, supersonic loads.  A small tortoise and hare are set on the appropriate side of the reticle as a reminder.

Vertical hash marks are also dual purpose, with the subsonic holdovers set in 50-yard increments out to 400 yards and supersonic holdovers in 100-yard increments out to 900 yards.  For maximum efficacy, Leupold recommends zeroing at 200 yards using supersonic ammunition.  Once set at 200 yards, the center dot of the reticle serves as a 50-yard zero for subsonic ammunition.

Introduced by Advanced Armament Corporation, the 300 AAC Blackout provides military, law enforcement and competitive shooters with the ability to shoot 220gr subsonic rounds, which provide far greater stopping power and energy than pistol-caliber carbines.  In conjunction with a suppressor, the 300 AAC Blackout is an outstanding choice for CQB operations.

The versatile .30-caliber cartridge can also be loaded with bullets as light as 110 grains, giving hunters and long-range shooters a supersonic option in the same weapons platform.  With the 300 Blackout reticle, there’s no need to rezero or change optics when changing loads.

Supported by a team of dedicated engineers, the Leupold Tactical Optics staff works with American warfighters, law enforcement personnel and competitive shooters to design and build products that meet their needs.  Currently, more long-range Leupold Tactical Optics are in service with the U.S. military than any other brand.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the preeminent American-owned optics company, employs hundreds of people in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Beaverton, Ore.  Family owned and operated, Leupold offers products that are sold worldwide to hunters, competitive shooters, American military warfighters, law enforcement personnel and wildlife observers.  The product line includes rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; trail cameras; mounting systems; and optical tools and accessories.

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Sightron has been around for 18 years and makes entry to mid level optics. The SIII series is their top tier line and for the money isn’t a bad piece of glass. Again, I am in no way affiliated with Sightron, nor do I speak on their behalf. I am just the end user.

When we began putting together a 338 EDGE I went looking for a scope with a top end magnification between 20-25. The deal breaker was internal adjustment, 100 MOA was required for the application. When the goal is a mile plus, 1760 yards and beyond, you need a lot of internal adjustment to get there. What I discovered was most tactical style scopes only have 75 MOA of internal adjustment. The EDGE project as a whole, was a “budget” build, optics included. US Optics SN3 or SN9, Nightforce NXS, Vortex Razor HD, and some of the Sightron SIII models were what I could find. As this was a “budget” build, the only choice under $1000 was the Sightron. Other options with 100 MOA of internal adjustment could be found, but not with the features I was looking for. So a Sightron 6-24×50 LRMD/CM was ordered, after some time with the optic and rifle complete … here are my findings.

Main Body and Magnification Ring
Standard aluminum 30mm main tube in a matte finish. Standard magnification adjustment ring that doesn’t rotate the whole rear eyepiece, nice for Butler Creeks. Rear eye fast focus setup that’s easy to use and took about 10 seconds to dial the reticle in crisp and clean. A sun shade is include, threaded in fine although the recoil from the edge caused it to come loose a few times. Flip caps are included but are cheap and didn’t fit right.

Reticle
Generic US Army format Mil-Dot reticle with no bells or whistles. While the reticle is accurate and works as Sightron designed it … they missed the boat here. One of the features that was on my must have list was a second focal plane reticle. The SIII LRMD models have that, but the reticle is setup to be accurate at 24x. The Dots are HUGE and very annoying. I know they designed this scope as a Long Range model but really … 24x? You can cover a Volkswagen bug with mildots that big at 1500 yards. I wanted a second focal scope so the center crosshair portion of the reticle would remain thin at max magnification. This was a compromise in order to keep cost down.

Elevation and Windage
Exposed target style that are clearly marked and have a nice large directional arrow. Both elevation and windage are 0.1 mils per click and 5.0 mils per revolution. When you’re cranking 15-20 mils of elevation having more than 5 mils per revolution would have been nice, again a compromise. No zero stops but you can reset your caps with an allen wrench. Simply hold the knob in place and loosen the screw, reset to zero, tighten down. It’s a friction lock system, so bottoming or topping out could mess up your zero setting. I used a paint pen to mark my zero point on the elevation knob so I could find it again. Luckily enough the “1” line lined up with my 100 yard zero. Some shortcomings in features here, a compromise in the name of cost.

Parallax Adjustment
Side focus style with a range of 40 yards to Infinite, according to factory specs. Not much else to say, works like its suppose to and I got targets at 25 to 1800 yards to focus just fine. Not specifically parallax related but, compared to my US Optics SN3′s the eye relief was “generous” and even at 24x the eye box wasn’t picky.

Field Testing
Mounted in 30mm Seekins Rings on a Warne 20 MOA Rail, off to the range we went. Scope was riding on a 338 EDGE (338/300 Ultra) built on a Savage long action. Short version is I zeroed the scope and worked up a load over several range trips. Once the load was finalized I began gathering data. Once I had DOPE at 400, 600, 800, and 1100 yards the fun began. Take into account a 300 grain Sierra Matchking going 2850 FPS can generate some recoil. I had a 30 inch straight taper barrel with a Badger FTE brake on the rifle so it tamed the recoil down quite a bit. Before I started checking repeatability at longer ranges I ran a box test, the Sightron returned to zero fine. Weather has kept us from anything past 1200 so we ran a vertical line on a large target board with a level. We used our confirmed data from 1100 and 1200 and calculated what 1760 would be at 100 and marked it. 5 rounds back to back going from 100 yard zero to 1760 elevation on the scope. All 5 were right where they should be. I did this because I have tested scopes in the past that “slow down” when you get towards top of the adjustment range. Meaning, you dial 17.5 mils and only get 17.1 mils. We were happy to see this wasn’t the case with the SIII. To get to 2000 yards we need 20+ mils of elevation … that’s a LOT. After several trips to the range and our long range spot, I am confident in the SIII LRMD and its repeatability. Last trip out we fired 4 rounds total and were satisfied. We setup on the 1100 yard target, dialed from our 100 yard zero to our 1100 yard dope, sent a round. Bad wind call and we were a few inches of the edge, but elevation was spot on. Dialed back to our 100 yard zero, dialed back up to 1100 yard dope, held a little more wind, HIT. I switched to spotting and we repeated the drill. Three straight hits, each time dialing from our 100 yard zero up to our 1100 yard DOPE. On a 12×12 inch target at 1100 yards Ill take that.

Summary
For a sub $1000 scope it performs well. I do NOT do “glass” comparisons … I could clearly see targets at 1800 yards and on 24x it didn’t grey or shadow. Our goal was to keep the whole rifle build under $2500 and we did that. We shopped and shopped classifieds trying to find a used Nightforce NXS that kept us within our budget but couldn’t find any that were mil/mil. The reticle is obnoxious but the center of the crosshairs works fine and doesn’t obstruct your target. If the engineers/designers at Sightron are reading … tone that reticle down and make it scale properly at 12x. At 12x you could run simple math to make it work at 6/12/18/24 and the mildots wouldn’t be HUGE! While it lacked zero stops, the elevation system works as it should. You have to keep its limitations in mind and stay within them. It held zero despite some serious recoil. I would NOT recommend this scope for rough use. The target knobs are plastic and would probably break with any serious impact. A Nightforce or USO would out perform this scope hands down … at twice or triple the cost. For the money invested, the performance is better than I expected. You get what you pay for and we got repeatable hits and enough elevation to get to a mile, ill take it.

By: Sapper524

I took it right out with my test scope, a 3×9 leupold, (not the one I won) with Federal Bulk pack it was grouping not so good (1 1/2-2plus inches at 60 yards) and I don’t blame the stripped screw…the mount is still solid….I read CCI mini mags are the way to go. I ordered a bunch of junk for it so I’m going to shoot for record when I get all the goodies in. After doing some further research my expectations of this rifle may have been a bit too high…I had a custom job I never shot hardly and sold off. Swear that thing would shoot out a dime at the same range with most ammo…but it wasnt so good as far as reliability goes…jammed a lot…this is due to a match chamber mostly. This Ruger bull barrel does NOT have a match chamber but feeds everything perfectly…so its a give and take for accuracy vs reliability. We’ll see what she’ll do with some match ammo, some CCI’s and a different stock.

Anyway so I ordered a Tapco Intrafuse pistol grip stock with a quad-rail up front. I want to “tacti-cool” this thing up. If you do this make sure you get the stock for the heavy barrel as there are 2 models of the stock. I need to stop at a buddy’s shop and get some rings yet but I ordered a Weaver KASPA 3×12 scope. It seemed promising in the dealers, solid and nice bright glass and I found one for 172$ which was pretty cheap on ebay so I picked it up. I figure it will be a good 22 scope. Its a “tactical” scope. With an illuminated BDC retical for a 5.56. I’ll review the scope separately so more on that later. I plan to pick up 8-10 Ruger factory 25 round mags too but I am waiting till they go back on sale. So for now I just bought 2, I was getting really tired of reloading the 10 round it came with.

On another note…thinking about my recommendation for this as a budget survival/defense rifle in Pt. 1 of my Food for thought Series…I think its a great choice so far. Going a bit further though than a stock, optics and hi-cap magazines…I was looking at a bolt hold open trigger group. After consideration I decided to pass on this option for a couple reasons. 1. I don’t believe you’ll even know it locked open…with an M4 you can feel it..FN Fal, the same thing…M1 Garand you can feel and hear it…with this I doubt there’s enough inertia for you to know the bolt locked back. You should be trying to count your shots anyway..my “internal shot counter” works pretty darn good. I generally even know roughly what shooters around me have left. The second reason is seeings how you have to reach over the top or remove your firing hand to release the bolt anyways you may as well just rack the bolt again…its like an extra inch of movement…not worth the $$ spent or the fact that you will NOT…SAY AGAIN NOT be able to use magazines that have not been modified to work with the new hold open trigger group….so you would be limited to the magazines you had converted…just not worth the trade for something I don’t think you’d even feel when it worked.

Ok well its a week later now and my stock is back ordered, the scope rail is fixed and my rings aren’t here yet for the Weaver scope. I will just review the Weaver by itself some other day. I didn’t get in a batch of CCI ammo. Mini-mags and Stingers both. So back out with the Leupold and the stock rifle I went…..MUCH MUCH!!! better groups. I traced some quarters onto paper plates and set them up at 70 yards. I only fired maybe 2-3 shots out of 70-80 rounds that didn’t end up hitting my quarter size circles. Probably me. It shot WORLDS better with CCI ammo. Incidentally while the mini-mags were good, the Stingers were even tighter. Often times with 5 shot groups that could be covered with dimes and nickels. So the CCI does seem to be the way to go. Reliability was 100%. I had zero malfunctions of any kind. For a 22 those Stingers are moving out of that barrel too. Good power round for a 22lr. 1640 fps. I am going to order a 5000 round case of them. Great round.

So I guess that about wraps it up…really nice rifle. A tried and proven action and a good barrel offering excellent accuracy while maintaining reliability. You should have no problem shooting squirrels heads off or punching nice groups in paper. I said before I thought this was an excellent budget defensive rifle…I still think it…accurate, reliable and a ton of aftermarket stuff. For less than the price of 1 good M-4 carbine you can have a 10/22 fully decked out with 5000 rounds of ammo and magazines. It beats wishing you had a gun. All in all I give it 2 thumbs up. As the rest of my stuff gets here I’ll update the pics too. Maybe re-shoot with the new stock…. As always thanks for reading and happy shooting.

By: Cary Kieffer

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First, I have to admit I went in somewhat skeptical because I had been to the (old) Memorial Shooting Center facility a few times years ago and was not impressed at all.  In fact, I found a new indoor range and stopped going to MSC. I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled in early Saturday morning and was directed to park around the back of the building. Wow, the place is all new and greatly improved.

After a quick introduction we headed to the indoor range.  For the record, I was shooting a new Beretta PX4 9mm with a Silent Thunder IDPA Champion holster.  We were told to bring 400 – 600 rounds which sounded promising – lots of trigger time!

The class started off at a steady pace as we went through a few drills.  Obviously this is partly designed to give the instructor some visible feedback as to our level of competency with a handgun before getting into the more advanced drills.  We practiced steady fire, accuracy, and finding the reset on our weapon.  Good stuff but I was ready for more.

The class progressed quickly.  There is no substitute for practicing how to draw and present your weapon with live fire, quickly squeezing off several rounds.

We spent quite a bit of time on different drills where the instructor would bark a number and we would draw, fire 2-4 rounds at the appropriate target, holster.  Draw, present, fire, holster.  Good practice on quickly identifying the target, acquiring sight, and rapid fire.  The targets were of different colors and shapes to add to the confusion.

We then repeated the drills with movement.  At first, everyone would all move the same direction in sync.  Then, we had the freedom to move either left or right.  This caused you to occasionally bang into the man next to you while firing.

By the end of the course we were really cooking – movement, selecting different targets on call, banging into the next man, forced reloads, different distances, all great fun!  I shot about 500 rounds.

The final activity was a turn in the shoothouse which was entertaining.

I’m looking forward to taking my next class with these guys.

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I ordered the three slot, right hand draw, lined model for my Sig Sauer P229 .40 S&W for everyday carry around my farm and deer lease.  This is a duty holster, not a deep concealment option.  It fits the Sig like a glove, just right.  The only fault is that the thumb break strap is a bit tight due to the Crimson Trace grip installed on the weapon.  The strap fits right over the laser, meaning the strap ends up being about an 1/4″ (or less) of a perfect fit.  However, it should fit well once it is broken in a bit more.

The holster works equally well through the more upright slot or the forward cant belt slot.  It is just personal preference as to which works best for you and I have used both.

The weapon stays secure and presents well when drawing.  I chose the thumb break scabbard model for security as I work on fences, climb in and out of tractors, scamper up the tower blind, and generally lead an active lifestyle out in the country.  I wear a different rig for concealed carry in the city.

This holster is highly recommended.

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