What’s so special about a limited-edition package that combines a .308 Win. turnbolt with a 1911? It only takes a second to realize there’s something magical about the 1911, while the .308 Win. must be shot to be fully appreciated. Tactical Rifles has teamed up with Coonan Inc. to provide a limited run of 100 M40T7 rifles packaged with the Coonan Classic 1911 chambered in .357 Mag.

For detailed images of these guns, click here for the rifle and here for the 1911.

Tactical Rifles’ Chimera M40T7 is a precision bolt-action rifle chambered in .308 Win. When the company began building precision rifles several years ago, it used commercial parts for its designs. Relying on outside vendors left it at the mercy of those vendors’ manufacturing tolerances, Tactical Rifles’ owner David Rooney worked with engineers to design components of his own. With regard to the M40T7, only the barrel, magazine box, trigger and scope are provided by outside sources, while the receiver, stock, bottom metal, scope rings and Picatinny base are all produced by or specifically for Tactical Rifles.  

Its action is a proprietary design, combining the proven elements of the Remington Model 700 action with the precision tolerances of a custom receiver. Externally, it is recognized by its large ejection port—which provides increased access to the chamber—as well as the receiver-mounted bolt stop. The spiral-fluted bolt has an extended “tactical” knob that allows cycling the action without breaking cheek weld and potentially losing sight of your target. Built with both accuracy and reliability in mind, Tactical Rifles maximizes the benefits of existing actions, while avoiding their shortcomings. Unlike the thin extractor on the Remington 700 action, the Chimera contains a large steel unit that hinges on a roll pin through the bolt body. Production receivers must be blueprinted to achieve concentricity, while the Chimera is built to tight tolerances without additional hours of labor.

Chambered in .308 Win., overall length of the Chimera M40T7 is 39.5 inches and it has a 20-inch barrel.

The T7 stock is made of a blend of fiberglass and Kevlar and incorporates several features shooters will find useful. A tapered fore-end allows for fast incremental elevation changes, while its textured palm swell provides a comfortable grip. The bottom of the buttstock sweeps forward, enabling the non-firing hand to control the rear of the rifle when the fore-end is resting on a benchrest or bipod. Female sockets for pushbutton QD sling swivels are embedded in the left side of the stock, which, when carried, places the flat surfaces of the rifle comfortably on the shooter’s back without protruding magazines, bolt handles or optics. 

The test rifle featured a No. 7 contour 20-inch stainless steel match barrel, however as a custom rifle company, Tactical Rifles will build a rifle to suit the customer’s desires when it comes to barrel profile and length, cartridge selection, stock “fill” weight and finish. The heavy taper of this rifle’s barrel kept recoil to a minimum; a customer seeking more mobility would likely choose a lighter profile. Using premium-quality barrels is essential for creating the level of accuracy Tactical Rifles guarantees its customers. It pledges all of its precision rifles will shoot less than a half-inch, 3-round group at 100 yards with factory match-grade ammo.

I’ve tested five of the company’s rifles, and have yet to find one that doesn’t exceed that standard by a wide margin—with this rifle being no exception. The best five-round group measured .240 inch, and averaged .602 inch. If you’re interested in three-round groups, this rifle puts them in the .125- to .175-inch range. This was my second experience with Stan Chen’s ASYM Precision Ammunition, which is custom loaded with quality components like Lapua brass and Sierra MatchKing bullets. The rifle and ammo combination produced one-hole groups with predictable and impressive regularity.   

A wide ejection port and flat-bottomed recoil lug are two of the features that comprise Tactical Rifles’ proprietary action.

The M40T7 fed and extracted reliably from the five-round Accuracy International detachable-box magazine. Its magazine seats into Tactical Rifles’ own beefy bottom metal, one of the few parts it sells as an aftermarket item. An oversize paddle-style release enables the shooter to change magazines quickly without fumbling for a button.  

Atop the rifle, a Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20×50 mm LR/T included in the package was secured to the 20-MOA Picatinny rail base using the company’s Chimera titanium-alloy 30 mm rings. These precision-ground rings feature six oversize Torx bolts for maximum strength and purchase. All of the rifle’s metal, excluding the rings, is coated with a titanium-colored, moly-resin finish tested to 6,000 hours of salt spray.

The Coonan Classic is the brainchild of Dan Coonan resulting from an argument among college kids between the superiority of the 1911 semi-automatic versus the .357 Mag. revolver. Production of original Coonan pistols began in 1979 and continued to be refined until the 1990s, when Coonan sold the company. The old Coonan Arms later went bankrupt, but devotees of the pistol eventually hounded Coonan into relaunching the design under the banner of Coonan Inc.

Chambered in .357 Mag., overall length of the Coonan Classic is 8.375 inches.

The Classic is constructed of 17-4 PH stainless steel and maintains the same basic lines as a traditional 1911. According to Coonan, the Classic model has 18 parts in common with the 1911A1. The pistol also features a brushed finish on the flats of the frame and slide and is bead-blasted to a matte surface on the remainder of the firearm. Its slide contains the logos of both Tactical Rifles and Coonan, along with the roll mark “Limited Edition 1/100” to designate the special package.

To accommodate the larger .357 Mag. cartridge, its grip dimensions are slightly larger in height, length and width. The magazine well is elongated to accommodate the large, seven-round magazine, and the engraved aluminum grip panels are oversize when compared to your grandaddy’s old warhorse. The frame contains a full-length dustcover, extended thumb safety and slide stop, along with a semi-beavertail grip safety.

Compared to a 1911, the slide is nearly identical to a standard 5-inch government model, though approximately .25-inch longer. Its Trijicon night sights sport an innovative configuration—a front dot paired with dual horizontal rear bars, which is adjustable for windage and elevation and features a snag-free profile that is reminiscent of Novak’s LoMount model.

An external extractor is tasked with cycling the long, .357 Mag. cases from the pistol’s massive, oversize ejection port—the most striking element to the Coonan, and one of the things that sets it apart at first glance. Not only is the port larger in order to reliably extract and eject .357 Mag. cases, it is milled rearward to accommodate the extended barrel hood, which is .5 inch longer than the one on a .45 ACP and locks the barrel into battery like the rib extension of a side-by-side shotgun.

Internally, the Classic offers a departure from tradition. The designer took note of modern semi-autos when adapting the 1911 platform to accommodate .357 Mag. ammo. The linkless barrel incorporates three points of lockup: a modern oversize bottom lug, a single top lug forward of the chamber, along with the aforementioned extended hood. The trigger is a modern hinged unit, which pushes the trigger bow rearward to release the sear and theoretically this provides some leverage for the trigger finger. Assembly and disassembly procedures are identical to most 1911s, minus the process of aligning the barrel link with the slide stop.

Firing the Coonan was a treat. At nearly 3 pounds, muzzle flip was very reasonable and comparable to most 10 mm pistols. Muzzle blast however, was significant. The only mechanical issue involved rare instances when the slide didn’t lock back on an empty magazine. 

The pistol’s linkless barrel consists of an oversize bottom lug, single top lug and an extended hood forming three lockup points.

I ran a few magazines of .38 Spl. through the Classic to see if they functioned without the appropriate recoil spring. Though they made the gun very pleasant to shoot, the load would not cycle the action at all with its 22-pound recoil spring. However, I’m told .38 Spl. cycles perfectly when a 10-pound spring is installed.  

This package was a lot of fun to shoot. The M40T7’s excellent accuracy and mild recoil, combined with the muzzle blast of the Coonan Classic makes for quite a combination. While each firearm would be great to own individually—the limited-edition set makes things more impressive.

Chimera M40T7
Manufacturer: Tactical Rifles; (877) 811-4867, www.tacticalrifles.net
Action Type: Bolt-action
Caliber: .308 Win.
Capacity: Five rounds (larger magazines available)
Stock: Fiberglass-Kevlar blend
Sights: Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 6.5-20×50 mm riflescope included
Barrel: 20 inches; Premium hand-lapped stainless match-grade steel
Rifling: 4-grooves; 1:10-inch RH twist
Trigger Pull Weight: 2.0 pounds
Length: 39.5 inches
Weight: 12 pounds, 3.2 ounces
Accessories: Hardigg case, Chimera titanium-alloy rings

Coonan Classic
Manufacturer: Coonan Inc.; (763) 786-1720, www.coonaninc.com
Action-type: Recoil-operated, semi-automatic
Caliber: .357 Mag.
Capacity: 7+1
Frame: 17-4 PH stainless steel
Slide: 17-4 PH stainless steel
Barrel: 5-inches, Storm Lake
Rifling: 6 grooves; 1:16-inch RH twist
Sights: Trijicon low-profile adjustable with tritium ampoules; front dot, rear dual bars
Trigger Pull Weight: 5.2 pounds
Length: 8.375 inches
Height: 5.6 inches
Width: 1.3 inches
Weight: 2 pounds, 11.4 ounces
MSRP: $7,889 (entire package)

In 1944, the industrial ramping up that ultimately helped us secure victory in World War II was beginning to wind down. Most companies experienced growth in support of the war effort, but Remington Arms found itself in a unique position. Its wartime operations expanded well in excess of the normal 100 to 500 percent seen by other major concerns. Remington grew 2,000 percent; from approximately 4,000 employees at the war’s beginning to more than 82,500 by the end of 1943.

With orders for arms and ammunition already waning a year later, Remington’s leadership followed the example of company founder and namesake, Eliphalet Remington II, casting their eyes toward future horizons. The challenge was to transform a robust wartime industrial machine using outdated equipment and production methods into an efficient and modern company. Their goal was to meet the emerging needs of Amer-icans on the home front once again.

Before the war ended, Remington had begun a Reconversion and Modernization program that eventually yielded such iconic products as the Model 870 “slide action” shotgun. As a testament to the success of this new effort, the 10 millionth Model 870 recently came off the line at Remington’s Ilion, NY, factory.

One of the engineers tasked to work on these efforts was a man named Mike Walker. He came to Remington during the war and immediately led a successful program to develop munitions capable of defeating the formidable German Tiger tank. After solving several other problems—like how to button rifle a barrel—Walker created the Remington 721 and 722 bolt-action rifles. These popular actions eventually yielded one of his crowning achievements: the Remington 700.

Remington's Custom Shop has a lot to offer, whether you're looking for more "exotic" chamberings, or a proven catridge, like this model in .308 Win.

Since its introduction in 1961, approximately 5 million M700s have left the factory, destined for happy customers around the world. Astoundingly, Walker continues to be an active shooter, gun-builder and bullet-maker at the age of 100. A few highlights from the lengthy list of his achievements include developing the competition-dominating 40X action and .222 Rem. cartridge, early developmental work on VLD bullet designs and providing the engineering wizardry behind the first cartridge-fired nail gun. He also held many national titles in his long and active benchrest shooting career. Remington’s 700 and 40X actions continue to be carried by our military snipers in the form of the Army’s M24 Sniper Weapon System and the Marine Corps’ M40 family.

Among law enforcement snipers, the 700 action is still the dominant force, despite stiff competition from several directions. There’s no doubt Walker enjoyed seeing the 50th anniversary of the Remington 700.

Remington was not content to merely offer stock production guns, despite the modernization program’s success. Accordingly, it started a Custom Shop around the same time as the 700 action debuted. Another page from the playbook of Eliphalet Remington II may have been used here. Remington was a master blacksmith, gun-builder and innovator, but that did not stop him from inviting other 19th century inventors into his company’s factories to fully develop their ideas.

Ever the good businessman, Remington then marketed the best of these inventions. The mid-20th century creation of a Custom Shop would capture the talents and experience of the company’s gunsmiths and craftsmen in an environment that made the best use of them. Their goal was to offer customers the kind of hands-on treatment to make them loyal shooters for life. Nearly 50 years later, Remington’s Custom Shop is a successful enterprise. It offers a wide array of firearms and services that continue to grow in scope and complexity.

Current Operations

The modern Custom Shop employs 12 gunsmiths with an average experience level of 30 years within Remington Arms. Though most of their work centers on rifles, the Custom Shop offers a “sky’s the limit” list of options for Remington’s shotgun lines as well.

Rifle work is divided into several series: Hunter, Target/Tactical, Historical, Rimfire, 40X and High Grade. Many choices fall within each of these categories, but as this is a truly custom operation, the options are nearly limitless. One thing the Custom Shop doesn’t do is the type of aftermarket modifications typically performed by gunsmiths. If they did the small jobs, such as drop-in trigger replacements, they wouldn’t be able to satisfy their larger customer base with newly built custom guns. However, the Custom Shop will rework a customer’s existing rifle or shotgun into a sleek beauty or tricked-out tactical wonder.

Remington Custom Shop creations, like the .338 Lapua Mag. rifle built on the company’s 40XS action, provide superior performance over stock guns.

I recently tested a pair of the shop’s bolt-action rifles based on the 40X action. One was chambered in .308 Win., while the other was a 40XS action chambered in .338 Lapua Mag. I requested these chamberings because I wanted to evaluate familiar tactical calibers with an eye toward the performance required for real-world precision applications. Both rifles acquitted themselves relatively well on the range.

Custom Shop rifles all have standard features you’d expect on a high-end gun, like trued bolt-engagement surfaces, hand-lapped barrels, surface-ground recoil lugs along with adjustable and match triggers. All rifles built on 40X actions are guaranteed to shoot .5-inch, three-round groups at 100 yards. Both test rifles came with sample targets showing examples of this performance. I did manage a singular sub-.5-inch, five-round group with the .338 Lapua Mag., but that was the only one.

I’ve written in the past about my preference for five-round groups. My test results would look a lot better for all guns tested if I stopped at three shots, which is why I opt for the higher number of rounds. One simple reason is because a rifle’s point of impact may change as the barrel and chamber heat up. That dynamic is among many that make up the shooter-gun-ammunition triad I test on the range. Three-shot groups are fine for hunting rifles, but not for guns intended for the multiple-shot environments encountered by tactical shooters. Ten-shot groups would be even better, but I can’t afford the premium ammunition to support that level of testing, so I compromise. All shooting was done from the prone position with a bipod and rear bag for support.

40X .308 Win.

The smaller of this duo was housed in one of McMillan’s very comfortable A3 stocks, with a one-piece Picatinny rail bolted to the top of the receiver. The 24-inch barrel had three, 3⁄8-inch wide flutes around the outer circumference that were milled a scant .04-inch deep. The free-floated barrel’s medium-contour taper culminated at .882 inch near the hunter/field-crowned muzzle.

Its action was mounted in an aluminum block embedded in the stock, eliminating the need for traditional glass bedding. While the latter bedding method is a great accuracy enhancer, it tends to be too fragile for the long-term rigors of tactical environments, so the aluminum block is a welcome feature.

Featuring an adjustable trigger set at a crisp 2.5 pounds, the .308 Win. was comfortable to shoot and managed sub-.75-MOA groups with both tested ammunition types.

There are several features I’d change if ordering this rifle for field use. First, the hinged floorplate would be replaced with a detachable-box magazine. The combination of a short action and an internal magazine directly affect a shooter’s ability to reload quickly. The other change I’d make is to the barrel’s twist, measured at 1:11.75-inches. While the 175- and 180-grain loads I tested were stable at 100 yards, my experience is a tighter twist (1:10 inches) would better accommodate heavier projectiles at longer ranges.

Fed from a three-round, detachable box magazine, the Custom Shop 40XS displayed excellent accuracy at 100 and 800 yards.

Suggested retail pricing for a stripped 40X in .308 Win. as tested is $4,399.78. The price goes up with options such as a bipod, sling, optics and a Pelican case.

40XS .338 Lapua Mag.

Packaged in a sharp-looking, forest-green McMillan A5 stock, the .338 Lapua Mag. arrived in the form of a relatively lightweight and well-balanced rifle. Its XS action was glass bedded and held in place by a massive .314-inch thick recoil lug.

A MARS rail mounted atop the action allowed for night vision or thermal optics mounting in front of the day optic, with side rails for ancillary devices. The three-round, external box magazine was a bit on the small side for tactical purposes, but was still better than an internal setup. A user-adjustable X-Mark Pro single-stage trigger came set at 2.75 pounds. The bolt and magazine releases shared space in the trigger guard. I’ve never liked this setup on anything other than a target rifle. The mag release is too small and awkward for reloading in a hurry, and the stock bolt release in this location is also difficult to manipulate. I prefer the trigger guard to be left clean, especially for environments where gloves or numb fingers may be likely.

The 26-inch barrel employed a good-for-caliber 1:9-inch right-hand twist and was fronted by an integral and fairly effective brake. It arrived in the standard Custom Shop heavy-duty hard case, with a very useful dual-compartment soft case inside.

I fired the .338 Lapua Mag. at 100 and 800 yards and saw good accuracy at both ranges. While the extreme-spread group averages will not garner me any bragging rights, Remington’s 250-grain Scenar loads turned in several sub-MOA groups at both distances. I did not compensate for wind during this evaluation. I knew how well .338 Lapua Mag. projectiles would handle crosswind velocities when properly stabilized, as was the case with this rifle, so I held “straight away” for all groups.

Whether chambered in .308 Win. (above) or .338 Lapua Mag. (like this one), Remington Custom Shop rifles have plenty to offer.

It was more important to evaluate the critical vertical dispersion that factors heavily into long-range accuracy. The vertical spread for both ammo types at 800 yards hovered around 1 MOA, indicating both rifle and ammunition were shooting consistently. MSRP for the 40XS system I tested in .338 Lapua Mag. is $7,680.Back to the Future I asked Carlos Martinez, Remington’s product manager for handguns, about future Custom Shop operations. Martinez most recently served as the Custom Shop’s product manager, so he was in a good position to illuminate some of their recent work. He told me Remington added $500,000 of CNC equipment in the last year to enhance its custom capabilities.

While the company still uses some hammer-forged barrels, it is working toward incorporating 40X barrels on all custom rifles. Martinez explained the buttons used to rifle 40X barrels are pushed and not pulled. This process is slower and more meticulous, but it ensures the button stays centered and true throughout the bore.

All centerfire Custom Shop barrels are built in-house. Rimfire barrels come from Shilen, which makes fine barrels in any flavor. A good snapshot of Remington’s attention to detail can be seen in its barrel-lapping process, which includes 500 to 600 passes with a hand lap to smooth bore surfaces for maximum accuracy.

Approximately 800 to 1,200 rifles and shotguns are built by the Remington Custom Shop per year. Since the introduction of the R1 pistol, people are asking about custom 1911s and Martinez said the company is toying with the idea of offering custom R1 options. Remington’s longstanding commitment to quality arms and customer satisfaction should ensure it will be a real crowd pleaser.

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Lewis Machine & Tool Company (LMT), an Illinois-based company that designs, prototypes and manufactures small arms, accessories and tooling components for the military, government, law enforcement, commercial manufacturers and responsible civilians awarded the UK Ministry of Defence requirement for a new sharpshooter rifle in late 2009 has now introduced an American commercial version. The UK “L129A1″ 7.62 NATO semi-automatic “sharpshooter” rifle was chosen based on its proven design and new features that made the rifle more accurate over longer distances. Now, for a limited time only, the newly American designated LM308MWS Sharpshooter System will be available in limited quantities.

The new Sharpshooter System, like its UK predecessor, is built on a one-piece upper receiver with a free floating 16-inch stainless steel, tactically flat-matte blackened barrel with a 1:11.25-inch twist with the SureFire adapter mounted. The .308 Win. Modular Weapon System features Flat Dark Earth furniture, a semi-auto carrier group, charging handle assembly, SOPMOD buttstock, two-stage trigger, an ambi-selector and ambi- mag release and flip-up front and rear sights.

LMT packs this collector’s rifle in a Pelican case with foam cut outs and includes not only the manual, torque wrench/driver and three Flat Dark Earth rail panels, but also eight 20-round magazines, two heavy-duty push-button swivels, a .308 OTIS cleaning kit, a sliding sling mount, a chamber cleaning rod and sight adjustment tool and a Harris Bipod assembly. A complete, one-of-a-kind Sharpshooter System in one package is available for only $4,950.09 MSRP.

Turnbull Mfg. Co. is entering the 7.62 NATO/.308 Win. rifle market with the introduction of its TAR-10 308. The basic design of the 308 follows the proven AR-15 system design. The TAR-10 308 shares several operational parts with the AR-15, but the majority of its components are scaled up to accommodate the larger .308 Win. cartridge.

The TAR-10 308 delivers more power to the target – and at a longer range – than possible with the 5.56 NATO cartridge. The .308 Win. has traditionally been the cartridge of choice for most military and police marksmen.

The TAR-10 308 is a gas-operated semi-automatic that locks with a rotating bolt. The rifle comes with both a 10-round and a four-round detachable magazine.

Unlike any other AR-style rifle, the TAR-10 is built of steel and color case hardened using Turnbull’s proprietary finish. The receiver is made from a 8620 billet, with the upper and lower halves attached in the AR style. The upper receiver has a built-in high rise picatinny rail sight platform, eliminating the need for special scope risers. The pistol grip buttstock and forend are American walnut and sling swivels are standard. Anyone familiar with the AR-15 will be right at home with the TAR-10 308, including the multiple configuration capability that is the mark of AR-type rifles and carbines.

The TAR-10 308 is a fine weapon for those desiring a quality long-range-precision rifle. It allows accurate placement of shots and a higher sustained rate of fire than a comparable bolt or lever action rifle.

Turnbull Mfg. uses DPMS and Bushmaster barrels and other components in this AR.

Specifications

Caliber: .308 Win/7.62 NATO
Overall Length: 38.25 inches
Barrel: 16.5 inches; fluted 4150 chrome moly-vanadium; screw-on muzzle brake
Rifling: 6 grooves; 1:10-inch RH twist
Weight: 13 pounds
Stock: Premium American walnut fore-end and pistol grip
Receiver: Color case-hardened steel lower and flat top upper with high picatinny rail
Trigger Guard: Magpul MOE
Accessories: Ships in lockable hard case with operator’s safety manual and 4 and 10 round magazines
MSRP: $4,995.

DRD Tactical announces the new Paratus rifle, a revolutionary takedown, semi-automatic rifle system in caliber .308 Win./7.62 NATO that can be taken from its hard-case and assembled, without any tools, in less than a minute.

The Paratus features a MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny top rail for mounting optics, a lower fore end rail for handgrips, bipods or lights and additional accessory rails at both the 3- and 9-o’clock positions.

Designed for the Clandestine Break-Down Semi-Automatic Rifle (CSR) proposal issued by the military’s Joint & Special Operations Program (JSOP), the Paratus ships in a 16x10x6-inch hard case for transport that accommodates the Paratus rifle, two (2) Magpul PMAGS, shooting glasses, ear plugs and more. The case also includes cutouts for an optical sight (not included). It is available in three configurations: Non-suppressed-16, Suppressor capable -16 and SBR-12 suppressor capable (NFA Only Model).

Additional calibers and barrel lengths are in development and testing at this time and will be made available at a later date. With an MSRP of $5,615, the Paratus 16 is currently shipping and available through RSR and Clyde Armory.

Visit www.drdtactical.com for more information.

SPECIFICATIONS

CALIBER: .308 Win./7.62NATO
WEIGHT: 9.2 pounds
OVERALL LENGTH: 35 inches (With stock unfolded)
BARREL: Lothar-Walther; 16 inches with 1:10-inch twist
MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 20 Rounds (Comes with 2 Magpul 20-round PMags)
BUTTSTOCK: Magpul Folding and Adjustable Stock
SAFETY SELECTOR: AR-15 type
OPTIC MOUNTING RAIL: MIL-STD 1913
FINISH: NiBore (Nickel Boron)
TRIGGER: Geissele Two-Stage
OPERATION: Direct-gas-operated semi-automatic
(Suppressor, optic and ammunition not included)

FNH USA announced the availability of its new a Tactical Box Magazine (TBM) Conversion Kit for the FN SPR precision bolt-action rifle.  This new kit allows SPR owners to quickly and easily self-install upgrades such as higher capacity magazines and an ambidextrous magazine release button by using simple hand tools.

“We are pleased to offer this new TBM Conversion Kit,” said Ken Pfau, FNH USA senior vice president for law enforcement and commercial sales.  “It was developed specifically for owners of the original SPR, which came with 4-round Detachable Box Magazines (DBMs).  The ‘drop-in’ capability of this kit not only takes the guesswork out of performing the upgrades themselves, but it also gives them an opportunity to economically upgrade their rifles to better meet their current shooting needs.”

The kit contains one magazine bottom metal, one 10-round magazine, one 5-round magazine, new action screws and instructions for installation.  A 5/32” hex bit and inch/pound torque wrench are required for installation but are not included in the kit.

As part of a grassroots campaign to spread the word about the kit’s launch, four top gunsmiths from around the U.S. specializing in custom long-range precision rifles were sent samples and asked to install and use the kit themselves:  American Precision Arms of Jefferson, GA, Crescent Customs of N. Kansas City, MO, Custom Blue, LLC of Newcomerstown, OH and Short Action Customs from Wellington, OH.

“Short Action Customs received two FN TBM kits,” said Mark Gordon, President.  “We installed them on full-custom SPR builds and are very impressed.  They are strong, functional and ambidextrous kits that expand the capabilities of the original SPR DBM.  The magazines are well made, they fit great and offer shooters more features than other magazines on the market. Furthermore, no additional modifications to the action are needed to get these magazines to work, unlike other kits.  The FN TBM will be our Detachable Box Magazine of choice when upgrading or building a custom FN SPR.”

“The FN TBM kit, as a direct conversion with little to no fitting required, is a major plus for my customers,” said Tim “Moon” Roberts of Crescent Customs.  “The magazines are extremely well made and the design of the follower makes feeding flawless.  Its double stack design also makes for a very short 10-round magazine, which is a big plus for tactical competitors.  In addition, the ambidextrous magazine release is a very nice feature to accommodate the left or right-handed shooter.  Overall, this is a very nice conversion kit with a very affordable price tag.”

“The FN TBM kits are long overdue and I’m happy to finally see them hit the market,” added Jered Joplin, president, American Precision Arms.

Kits are available now and are sold exclusively through the FNH USA E-Store, Brownells and Midway USA (item number 62655-01, MSRP $449).

[Editor’s Note:  Please note this conversion kit has been designed to fit the following current SPR models: 75502, 75510, 75530, 75532. The kit will not fit any model SPR with hinged-floor plate magazines (FLP) which includes the SPR A3G and WSM models.]

Most people are familiar with the AK-47 pattern rifle. Even those outside of the gun culture have seen AKs either in the news from abroad or in popular culture (the Libyans in “Back to the Future” to name but one example). Far fewer are familiar with the light machine gun Kalashnikov, the RPK, and fewer still are familiar with the “sporting rifle” built on that frame, the VEPR. A couple of decades ago, BATFE determined that, in order to be imported into the United States, a foreign semi-automatic rifle that accepts detachable magazines needs to have a “sporting purpose,” and the VEPR, being a hunting variant of the RPK, passed the government test.

The VEPR (Russian for “wild boar”) is available in .223 Rem., 7.62×39 mm, 5.45×39 mm and .308 Win., and features a stronger receiver than standard AK-47 variant rifles. The guns have hammer-forged barrels, upgraded walnut furniture and adjustable sights, as well as side-mounted rail-attachment points. Early VEPRs were imported with either 20- or 23-inch barrels, while current models have 16.5- and 27.5-inch barrel lengths available as well. VEPRs are generally considered to be the highest quality rifle based on the Kalashnikov design, and having owned and shot a number of AK-based rifles, that assessment is accurate.

I acquired my VEPR six years ago, when it was one of the first models brought into the country as a “sporting” rifle—hence the thumbhole stock familiar to anyone that knows PSLs, Dragunovs or MAK-90s. One of the downsides to having a unique arm like the VEPR is that finding parts can be challenging. Now, though, with companies like K-VAR importing these rifles again, parts are easier (and cheaper) to come by, so it sees more rotation in the shooting lineup.

Shooting the VEPR has some pluses and some minuses. The good is the heft of the gun, combined with a generous rubber recoil pad, tames the .308 Win. recoil quite well and makes shooting it—even from a prone position—less punishing. It came with a genuine Russian POSP 4X scope, which was exchanged for this review for a Leupold 4-12×40 mm Mark AR scope. For long-range shooting, the clearer picture and superior optics of the Leupold worked much better than the former Soviet optic. This particular VEPR has a 23-inch barrel, and came with a single five-round magazine, although 10-round magazines are now available (and at a price that doesn’t necessitate the selling of corneas).

K-VAR offered a variety of VEPR models at the 2012 SHOT Show, and other importers also have variants of this beefed-up AK-platform rifle.

After a few rounds to sight in the new scope, the VEPR settled in nicely. Accuracy was about what I expected for an AK-47-based firearm—certainly not terrible, but not Camp Perry worthy, either (though the last two, four-shot strings were produced groups inside of 2 MOA; not bad for off-the-shelf ammunition and a duffer behind the trigger). Shooting prone with the rifle on a Harris bipod, the recoil was quite manageable, while shooting offhand, though taxing with a rifle coming in at close to 10 pounds, was also not unpleasant. A sling, which I forgot to bring, would have been of immeasurable help.

With the price of even bulk .308 Win. being what it is, I decided against trying to light the handguard on fire. Besides, the walnut is rather striking and it would be a shame to singe it, but beware: the barrel does get hot after repeated strings.

While the AK-47 platform may not be the most accurate option available, it is known and renowned for robustness. The VEPR performed as expected. Five different brands of ammunition with different bullet weights and powders were handled with equal aplomb. From high-end, 175-grain target ammunition, to 147-grain, steel-cased bulk surplus, the VEPR loaded, fired and ejected everything fed into it. Neither accuracy nor reliability suffered from repeated range trips without detailed cleaning—it’s a Kalashnikov.

The VEPR was designed as a hunting rifle, and with .308 Win. power and decent accuracy, it’s well-suited for most game in North America. From the bench, it’s accurate and easy to shoot. It is a very reliable gun that will work in any temperature a hunter is likely to endure, and its 100-yard accuracy is definitely within minute of deer, or wild boar. The VEPR is an unusual choice for a semi-automatic .308 Win., but it is likely to keep working for the foreseeable future no matter what you do with—or to—it.

Manufacturer: Vyatskie Polyany Machine-Building Plant (MOLOT)
Action Type: Gas-operated, rotating bolt semi-automatic
Caliber: .308 Win.
Capacity: 5 or 10 rounds
Receiver: black oxide finish
Barrel: 23 inches; hammer-forged, chrome-lined bore
Rifling: 1:12.6-inch
Stock: Walnut thumbhole
Sights: Adjustable rear, drift-adjustable front
Length: 43.5 inches
Weight: 8 pounds, 6 ounces
MSRP: $1,029

Taking an essentially standard MR762A1 7.62  NATO semi-automatic rifle, Heckler & Koch USA turns it into a more effective precision rifle by an astute addition of the right optics and accessories. A Leupold VX-R Patrol 3-9×40 mm scope and mount, HK G28 adjustable cheekpiece buttstock, and LaRue Tactical BRM-S bipod are the primary add-ons that make the MR762A1 Long Rifle Package (LRP) more than a sum of parts.

A semi-automatic rifle originally developed from the fully automatic HK417, the MR762A1 LRP employs the same HK proprietary gas piston operating system found on current HK rifles and carbines, using a “pusher” rod in place of the gas tube normally found in AR15/M16/M4-style firearms.

This method of operation virtually eliminates malfunctions that are common to direct impingement gas systems since hot carbon fouling and waste gases do not enter the receiver area. This is the same key feature critical to the success of the current generation of HK rifles used by leading military and law enforcement customers.

The MR762A1 LRP uses a barrel produced by Heckler & Koch’s famous cold hammer forging process. The highest quality steel is used in this manufacturing process, producing a long-life barrel that provides superior performance with minimal degradation of accuracy and muzzle velocity after prolonged use. The barrels are manufactured in Germany and finished in the USA.

The MR762A1 used in the “Long Rifle Package” is being produced with the same commitment to quality as German-made HK firearms. By using joint U.S./ German manufacturing, Heckler & Koch leverages the relative strengths of two continents to make the preeminent AR-type firearms, combining the design innovations of the USA and Germany into superior products.

Additional accessories and add-ons for the LRP variant of the MR762A1 include an ERGO Pistol Grip from Falcon Industries, the same Blue Force Gear sling used on the HK M27 IAR supplied to the USMC and an Otis cleaning kit. The rifle package, complete with one 20 and one 10-round magazine is shipped ready to use with the scope attached in a compact 42-inch Model 1720 Pelican case.

The MR762A1 LRP has all the features sought by civilian precision shooters as well as law enforcement organizations seeking a basic and lighter weight alternative to the HK G28 series of designated marksman rifles.

I honestly never thought I would see the day when we would have to choose between shooting regularly to maintain proficiency and having some ammunition in reserve “just in case,” but that is exactly where are at folks. If you think I am kidding, cruise the lots of local retail firearms businesses several mornings in a row. Eventually you will figure out which day the ammo comes in, because you will find a bunch of shooting enthusiasts waiting politely, but anxiously, in line for a few boxes of precious gun fodder. Firearms are trickling into dealer stock rooms and parts onto gunsmiths’ benches, but only drips and drabs of the stuff we feed our blasters are making it into consumers’ hands. One thing I can say for sure about the current ammo shortage is ammunition manufacturers are not to blame. Most companies are working as hard as they can to get as much product out as possible without sacrificing quality. The demand is simply too much for them to keep up with, and I cannot see that changing anytime soon.

My business consumes 150 to 300 rounds of centerfire rifle ammunition in an average week, sometimes much more than that. That means I am constantly on the prowl for available and affordable fodder. Several months ago, I noticed one of the few types of .308 Win. ammunition available was commercial versions of the U.S. military’s M80 “Ball” load. M80 (and NATO equivalents) has been around for a few decades, being issued in belted and boxed variants for semi- and full-automatic military arms. This load is often used in designated-marksman long arms and has even been pressed into service in sniper rifles used in the War on Terror.

Depending on the source, projectile weights range from 145 to 150 grains, all in a fully metal-jacketed, boattail configuration. Machine gun ammunition is often purposefully loaded to create dispersion at the target, creating a “beaten zone” to kill or incapacitate as many enemy personnel as possible with each burst. That fact usually makes it an unlikely choice for point targets. The U.S. military’s accuracy standard for M80 Ball (boxed or on stripper clips) is a mean average radius of 5 inches at 600 yards for all groups tested from a given lot of ammunition. That measurement loosely equates to a 10-inch circle or approximately 1.6 MOA at that distance. The standard for belted M80 is a 7.5-inch mean radius at 600 yards, or approximately a 15-inch/2.4-MOA circle. While in the Army, I fired various lots of M80 through my sniper rifles to gain “dope” just in case our match loads ran out in a combat theater. I was confident of hitting a bad-guy-size target, but I never thought of it as particularly suitable ammunition for accurate fire.

I decided it was time to find out if any of the available M80 equivalents would shoot well, so I gathered up nine brands and headed to the range for a test. My plan was simple: Use a practical rifle of known accuracy to shoot a small amount of each load at 100 yards, checking accuracy, reliability and velocity. I decided to use an 18-inch barreled AR and low-power optic for this exercise, reasoning that at best, this is a battle-rifle cartridge. I did try to factor out shooter error somewhat by using a good trigger (Geissele SSA-E) and shooting from a bag rest on a bench.

Prior to testing the M80 loads, I fired a known factory load (Hornady 168-grain A-Max) to get an accuracy baseline for the day. This .308 AR is capable of .6-inch groups at 100 yards, but the average this day for five, five round groups was .86 inch/.81 MOA. That is about as good as I can manage consistently using a 6.5X optic.

The M80 loads’ accuracy varied by brand in this small snapshot test, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inches for five-shot groups. Some of this stuff looked pretty rough out of the box, so I expected malfunctions, but every load operated as designed. I was surprised to see the standard deviation (SD) values for several brands measured less than 20 fps—far better than seen in true machine gun ammo. In terms of accuracy, I found the bulk of these M80 loads to be worthy of general-purpose shooting tasks.

Far from being relegated to belt-fed battle beasts chattering away in far off lands, commercial M80 Ball ammunition is relatively affordable, marginally available and capable of hitting targets with modest accuracy. That is about as good as we can expect in the current ammo market.

Shooting Results

Velocity measured in fps 20 feet from the muzzle with an Oehler Model 35P chronograph. Temperature: 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five consecutive, five shot groups at 100 yards from shooting bags. Testing performed with a Citizen Arms 18-inch-barreled AR with a Bushnell Tactical SMRS 1FP 1-6.5×24 mm scope with a BTR-2 reticle.

Col. Jeff Cooper gets the credit for developing the term and the concept of the scout rifle. In his various writings and lectures, Cooper was very specific about the specifications and dimensions of the concept. During his lifetime, Steyr was the only manufacturer to build such a rifle, and the colonel gladly associated his name with it and allowed them to call it a Scout Rifle.

Since that time, several manufacturers have produced rifles that bear the name—or bear a likeness to—scout rifles. Mossberg, Savage and Ruger are three companies that quickly come to mind. Since these guns don’t quite meet the exact qualifications of Cooper’s scout rifle, I have begun to call them utility rifles. These are generally short, light, bolt-actions (some with box magazines and some with integral magazines) chambered for the .308 Win. cartridge. By design, these rifles are just as “at home” in personal-defense roles as they are in the hunting field.

Probably the most obvious characteristic of the scout-rifle concept is the forward-mounted scope. Cooper designed this feature so a person’s peripheral vision was not blocked during a serious encounter and he could shoot with both eyes open. Some folks love it, while others cuss it. I would say each person should mount the scope where they do the best work. And, I appreciate the fact that Ruger has designed its Gunsite Scout Rifle so a shooter can take advantage of either option.

The idea of a utility rifle is just about perfect for the armed citizen. It offers the stopping power of a tried-and-true cartridge in a platform that is handy and easy to use. And the lack of a larger magazine capacity should not be a big concern for the armed citizen—standing and fighting pitched battles is a dandy way to get killed. Just as the scout of old, the armed citizen must be prepared to shoot and move to a safer place, using his utility rifle to clear the way.

So, today’s shooters should not overlook the advantages of the modern utility rifle. Put the scope wherever you want to, I don’t care. The modern utility rifle will stop fights just as well as it will serve to bring home the venison. In today’s economy, a multipurpose rifle is certainly not a bad idea.

Lancer Systems LP announces the launch of the new L7AWM, an advanced hybrid magazine that combines the strength of steel with the toughness of polymer to form a lightweight, reliable 7.62x51mm magazine.

The Lancer L7AWM incorporates a unique, dual steel design that wraps completely around the magazine to maximize stiffness and feeding reliability while minimizing wear and dimpling to the front of the magazine that can result from high volume firing. The magazine body is made from impact resistant polymer and, like the L5AWM, is available with either a translucent or opaque body.

The magazine also contains a switchable drain located on the floor plate lock. This feature, in conjunction with drain channels in the floor plate, allows users to configure the L7 between water-borne and extreme dust conditions.

The magazine is designed to work in multiple weapon systems, including the SR25, SIG716, DPMS 308 and LM308. It is currently available in 5,10 and 20-round capacities with higher capacity versions planned for late 2014.

“We’ve found that innovation doesn’t just happen; it takes knowledge, technology and passion,” said Scott Vilardi, business area manager, Advanced Weapons & Components, Lancer. “Our engineers, technicians and scientists are the best in the industry, allowing us to continue to raise the bar as is evident in the design of the L7AWM. The L7AWM represents state-of-the-art design in weapon component technology.”

MasterPiece Arms announces the finest bolt-action .308: the MPA 308BA.

MPA’s first bolt-action rifle, chambered in .308 is built on a MPA tactical aluminum chassis with a Remington 700 type bolt design with a Stiller’s Precision TAC Series action. This is the first MPA rifle incorporating a Spencer Precision barrel since MPA purchased the company in 2013.

The MPA chassis is produced from 6061 aluminum with a v-bedding system that is matched perfectly to the Stiller’s TAC series actions providing zero twist or distortion. The stock is a Magpul PRS stock with a custom adaptor. The .308 also features a front mounted bridge with Picatinny rail and a lower mounted Picatinny rail, plus a 20 MOA scope rail. The body is finished in a durable medium texture powder coat or ceramic finish. The MPA .308BA is compatible with any AICS type magazines.

The Spencer/MPA barrel is produced from 416 (Condition T) stainless steel and is precision gun drilled, reamed and honed. It is pull-button rifled using CNC produced twist guides to exacting and consistent twist control and stress relieved in a Cress Vacuum Furnace. The barrel is available in a straight or helical fluting version.

The Stiller’s Precision TAC Series premium actions, produced solely for MPA, have a bolt-to-action fit of .0005″ or less. The action is machined from heat-treated stainless steel and the face, tenon and lug abutment cuts are machined in a single setup, ensuring exact parallelism and perpendicularity for critical features that affect accuracy. The Stiller’s Precision TAC Series bolt, also produced solely for MPA, is a one-piece design with the bolt, lugs and handle machined from a single piece of 4140 heat-treated steel and all critical features and dimensions are finished on a CNC OD grinder. All bolts feature spiral fluting and are hand-lapped and fitted individually to each action. The bolts have a nitride or armoloy finish.

Additionally, the MPA .308BA rifle is available with a counter twist muzzle brake and a jewel or Timney trigger. The MPA .308BA (other calibers coming soon) retails for an MSRP of $3,475.00 and includes the tactical chassis and an AICS or Accurate International 5-round magazine.

Windham Weaponry unveiled several wood-stocked AR-platform rifles at the 143rd Annual meeting this weekend.

Who says your rifle needs to be black? Or polymer-stocked, for that matter...

Featuring color-matched upper and lower anodized receivers, the rifles are not your typical black rifles. A touch of color and wood furniture may only be a cosmetic change, but if the intent is to have a rifle that stands out from the crowd, it’s something to consider.

Also available from Windham are ban-compliant rifles for California, New York, and others. Versions are available in .308 Win., and some have carbon fiber components for shooters interested in shaving every ounce possible.

In the busy field of AR-pattern semi-automatic rifles, it helps to have items that stand out. Wood furniture, color-anodized receivers and rifles built for customers in less-than-gun-friendly states certainly helps.

For fans of the 7.62 NATO round and the semi-automatic rifles that chamber it, finding extra magazines has always been more challenging than for the 5.56 NATO variant.

Tough, dependable and suited for a variety of 7.62 NATO rifles, Lancer’s new L7 Advanced Warfighter Magazine is ready to rock & roll.

Lancer Systems now offers the company’s excellent Advanced Warfighter Magazine to fit select 7.62 NATO rifles. The Knight’s Armament SR-25, LaRue Tactical OBR, Robinson Armament XCR, DPMS, SIG Sauer SIG716 and LMT LM308 rifles can all utilize the new L7 AWM20 magazine; standard AR-10s, the FNH USA SCAR 17 and the Heckler & Koch HK417 variants cannot.

Available in a multitude of colors as well as opaque or translucent, the L7 offers a polymer body, a molded stainless steel front guard and stainless steel rear feed lips to assist feeding, a controlled-tilt follower and a stainless steel spring. The L7 is 100-percent American-made.

MSRP: $44.99 to $54.99, depending on color and construction.

Adams Arms announces the Introduction of their revolutionary new piston-driven, small-frame .308 Win. rifle. Weighing in at under 8 pounds and more than 50 percent reciprocal to standard AR-15 components, this innovative line of .308 Win. rifles will set a new standard in the firearms industry.

Piston-driven and small-frame, with compatibility with 50 percent of AR-15 parts, Adams Arms’ new line of .308 Win. rifles may be a game-changer.

The new lineup includes four models with options and price points from entry level all the way to the FAST model, which Adams Arms claims to be able to outperform and outlast anything on the market. With MSRPs ranging from $1329.99 to $2999.99 there is a model to fit every need and budget.

All Rifles will Feature:

Voodoo Innovations Melonited Barrels

• Guaranteed 1 MOA Accuracy for Life
• Pressure Relief Cuts under the Barrel Extension

LifeCoat Brass Saver Bolts

• Kidney Shaped Ejector
  • Proprietary design that allows brass to Eject Cleanly and Efficiently, while preserving it for reloading
• LifeCoat Coating
  • This provides the Lubricity of the Nickel with the Corrosion Resistance and Hardness of the PVD, increasing the life of the part exponentially
    • Electro-less Nickel Base Coating
    • PVD Top-Coating

Other VDI LifeCoated Parts:

Nickel Base/PVD Top-Coat

• XLP Adjustable Gas Block and Selector (on Free-Float Models)

Melonite

• Picatinny Adjustable Gas Block (on Standard & MOE Models)
• Drive Rod
• Jet Comp (on Free-Float Models)
• Cam Pin

PVD

• 1 Piece Bolt Carrier
• Firing Pin
• Fire Control Group

Adams Arms is offering a pre-order for the .308 rifles. This pre-order is for the limited edition run of BILLET lower receivers with serial numbers 10 through 500.

A deposit secures your billet lower and preferred serial number (if available, first come first serve). They will begin shipping the rifles early November and will be contacting each customer for their preferred configuration of each person’s custom selected serial number. There will be four models to choose from that will have a MSRP range from $1,329.99 to $2,999.99.

An officer responds to a domestic battery call that results in a hostage held at gunpoint, and there’s no time for a SWAT team to respond. A rural sheriff’s deputy encounters a hostile bear that has attacked a camper and needs to be put down. A bank-robbery suspect is in a shootout with officers whose handgun rounds can’t penetrate his body armor. Each of these scenarios has made headlines at some point, and every one of them calls for a firearm beyond the capability of the typical handgun, carbine or shotgun carried by most officers. These are precisely the situations for which the Kimber Model 8400 Patrol rifle was created.

Every firearm has its advantages and limitations, and those included in the traditional law enforcement arsenal are no different. Handguns sacrifice power for mobility.Shotguns give up precision for versatility. Carbines often trade terminal performance for light weight and low recoil. While many agencies have long-range tactical rifles in their inventories, the high cost and significant training requirements associated with these tools limit widespread use. There is a niche to be filled in the law enforcement arsenal, and the Patrol seeks to fill that void.

A traditional bolt-action rifle chambered in .308 Win., the Patrol effectively bridges the gap between the M4-style carbine and the dedicated precision rifle. The 5.56 NATO is a great cartridge, but for bad guys wearing armor or using hard cover such as a vehicle, the .308 Win. has a clear advantage. At 8.5 pounds stripped and unloaded, the Patrol is quite a bit lighter than most precision bolt guns, and with a 20-inch barrel, it’s more compact as well.

The Patrol is built on Kimber’s 8400 action, which has proven itself reliable in the hunting fields—most notably in the Caprivi dangerous-game rifle—and is also used in the company’s heavier, more expensive Advanced Tactical rifles. The 8400 design combines some of the most popular features of the world’s great actions without being an exact facsimile of any of them.

At the heart of the action is a rotating bolt with dual-opposing locking lugs and a full-length, nonrotating claw extractor of the Mauser ’98 style. The extractor grasps the rim of the cartridge during feeding and extraction, and ensures the rifle functions reliably, even when its operator is under stress. A fixed, blade-type ejector is another characteristic of the 8400 action, along with a bolt stop located at the 9-o’clock position on the side of the receiver. Unlike the Mauser, the 8400 uses a round action body. This makes the receiver easy to manufacture concentrically and bed into the stock, which translates to less-costly production. A separate recoil lug fits into a relief on the face of the receiver and is sandwiched in place by the barrel shank.

A Winchester Model 70-style safety will be familiar to many shooters and permits cycling of the action with the safety engaged.

From the shooter’s perspective, the Patrol is straightforward and simple to operate. An extended bolt handle with an enlarged knob combined with the controlled-round-feed action makes for smooth, fast cycling. The fluted bolt body may also be an aid in this department, though I suspect it’s mostly cosmetic. A Model 70-style three-position safety on the bolt shroud allows the shooter to lock the bolt or to cycle the action with the safety engaged.

In contrast to many rifles intended for tactical use, the Patrol uses a traditional, fixed magazine with a hinged floorplate. I actually prefer the fixed magazine to detachable models for two reasons: It can’t be lost, and it can be easily topped-off with single rounds inserted through the action port.

Unlike military rifles with Mauser-type extractors, a shooter can single-load the chamber of the Patrol to allow for a maximum capacity of 5+1 rounds. When I loaded the test rifle with five rounds, the bolt failed to strip the first cartridge from the magazine on a couple of instances out of the 150 or so rounds I fired. Apart from this slight mishap with the magazine, the rifle otherwise functioned perfectly.

A hinged floorplate and a fixed, internal magazine may seem odd on a rifle meant for tactical use, but the design enables topping off the magazine via the action port.

One of the elements designed to make the Patrol attractive to law enforcement agencies is its relatively low cost. With this in mind, and instead of stepping down to a lower-quality injection-molded stock, Kimber chose to use a laminated wood stock painted with a matte-black, epoxy coating in lieu of an expensive, high-end synthetic unit. The stock is glass-bedded, free-floated and fitted with aluminum pillars. Laminates are very stable, and with the addition of the pillars, I would not hesitate to expose this stock to any of nature’s elements.

From a design standpoint, the stock mimics the lines of Kimber’s hunting rifles from the action rearward, but features a beavertail fore-end up front. Though I love the feel and angle of the rifle’s grip and buttstock, I can’t say the same for the fore-end. The beavertail is great for sandbags on the range or prone across a pack, but it’s not ideal for many situations in the field, especially when shooting offhand. Its wide shape just feels awkward in my hand. As we’ve seen with the trend toward slim fore-ends on ARs, a trim stock makes a rifle faster and more natural to bring to bear. For times when the Patrol will be fired from a fixed position, such as resting the rifle across the hood or deck lid of a vehicle, the fore-end has an additional stud to accommodate a bipod.

The Patrol’s 20-inch barrel is relatively heavy and made of what appears to be chrome-moly steel (Kimber does not disclose the exact composition of the metals used.) Fluting cuts a touch of weight and theoretically aids in cooling, and the recessed crown offers protection against damage to the muzzle. Since sustained firing in the law enforcement context for which the Patrol was designed is unlikely, Kimber could afford to make the barrel just a bit lighter to arrive at an even more mobile rifle.

Kimber’s 8400 action combines the best features of several popular bolt-gun platforms, including the Mauser ‘98. The company pairs it with a heavy, 20-inch barrel on the Patrol.

Accuracy from the Patrol was good during testing, especially with match ammo. With 95 percent of police sniper shootings occurring at distances inside 100 yards according to data collected by the American Sniper Association, this need not be a .25-MOA rifle to be useful in the field. What is more important in a practical context is that the rifle’s point-of-impact be consistent, and I found this to be the case with the Patrol throughout my testing.

Though the rifle shot slightly better with a clean barrel, it was a steady 1-inch gun with an 8.5X optic whether it was hot, cold or dirty. A 3.5-pound trigger pull made the rifle very shootable. I wouldn’t want it to be much lighter, because the Patrol is designed to be a general-use rifle rather than a dedicated precision setup.

The Patrol isn’t fitted with iron sights and makes no provision to mount them. This rifle is designed for use with an optic and comes fitted with a one-piece steel base, secured to the receiver using three large Torx-head screws. Because the rear section of the mount only features a single mounting slot, it is not compatible with all brands of “tactical” rings. After figuring this out the hard way, I used a set of 34 mm TPS Products rings from Brownells to secure a Bushnell SMRS 1-8.5×24 mm scope.

Though large, this versatile scope was a good match for the rifle. The wide field-of-view at 1X makes it extremely fast to use at close range, and 8.5X is plenty of magnification at the top-end for most situations where the Patrol would be employed. Bad things happen in low light, so the illuminated reticle would likely come in handy. (For a complete review of the Bushnell SMRS, see page 70.)

Lacking iron sights, the Kimber Patrol is intended for use with an optic. The rifle comes from the factory with a four-slot rail for mounting a scope.

As a hunter, I’m very familiar with the handling qualities of a bolt-action design, and I found the Patrol to be easy to shoot rapidly at close and medium ranges, as well as capable of making precision shots at longer distances. With liability attached to every round an officer sends down the barrel, putting lots of bullets downrange usually isn’t the proper way to solve a problem. The ability to place a .30-caliber rifle bullet with accuracy could be a fight-stopper in many scenarios, and this rifle is more than worthy of performing that important task.

A rifle designed to perform across a spectrum of applications is all about compromises. The Kimber Patrol is not as accurate as some $5,000 precision rifles, nor is it as good for clearing a house as an MP5, but it can perform in either role if an officer is faced with the need. With an MSRP of $1,495, it would likely be within the budget of many agencies to put a few Patrols on the street for situations when the scattergun or carbine isn’t the right choice and a trained sniper isn’t on the scene.

For civilians, the Patrol could pull triple-duty as a precision rifle for hunting, long-range target work and home defense, should the need for the power and penetration of the .308 Win. cartridge arise. The rifle’s size, chambering and accuracy enhancements make it versatile, while its price makes it attractive.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Kimber; (888) 243-4522
Action Type: Bolt-action
Caliber: .308 Win.
Capacity: 5+1 rounds
Barrel: 20 inches; heavy-sporter contour
Rifling: 4 grooves; 1:12-inch RH twist
Sights: None; one-piece rail for optics
Trigger: Single-stage, adjustable; 3.5-pound pull weight
Stock: Laminated wood with epoxy finish
Length: 39.5 inches
Weight: 8 pounds, 8 ounces
MSRP: $1,495

Shooting Results

Velocity measured in fps 10 feet from the muzzle for 10 consecutive shots with a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph. Temperature: 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five consecutive, five-shot groups at 100 yards from a bench rest.

After rigorous testing and evaluation Wilson Combat is pleased to announce the availability of our new large format BILLet-AR rifles in .308 Win. caliber.

The .308 caliber rifle is an ideal choice for the hunter or long-range shooter looking for an AR-style rifle with impressive down range ballistics.

These all-new rifles utilize the company’s in-house BILLet-AR receiver technology to build the next generation of lightweight but accurate and reliable semi-automatic rifles suitable for a variety of tactical and outdoor roles. This rifle is further enhanced with Wilson Combat’s renowned custom features like precision machined Match Grade barrels, T.R.I.M hand guard rail and crisp Tactical Trigger Units.

These .308 rifles raise the bar for .308 Win. AR accuracy and reliability.

The rigid but lightweight BILLet-AR receiver allows Wilson to build the lightest .308 Win. frame AR on the market with the 7.7 pound Tactical Lightweight Model that has a lightweight 14.7-inch barrel and pinned muzzle device as standard.

Medium, Recon profile 16-inch and 18-inch fluted or standard barrel models are also available for shooters seeking maximum precision and all around long range performance in a slightly heavier but portable package.

Wilson Combat’s receivers have been designed to accept commonly available metal or polymer “SR-25” pattern magazines. Numerous finish options, muzzle device, various rail lengths and other custom features are also available.

These rifles have the Wilson Combat performance you can trust along with the company’s 100 percent Customer Satisfaction pledge.

For More Information please visit: http://wilsoncombat.com/new/308-project.asp

While the name Smith & Wesson may conjure images of big wheelguns or the pugnacious guy at a frat party’s fists, the renowned gunmaker has enhanced its reputation of late via its M&P line of semi-automatic handguns and AR-platform rifles. These more modern firearms have earned accolades among shooters looking for practical self-defense guns and competitive shooters alike, thanks to the Springfield, MA-based company’s ergonomic and affordable pistols and quality ARs at a similarly reasonable price.

The M&P15 line of ARs is extensive. Whether you’re looking for a quad-rail fore-end, Magpul furniture or even a California-compliant version, the 18 rifles and carbines in Smith & Wesson’s lineup are likely to meet your needs. But, until now, we have been limited in terms of chambering selection to 5.56 NATO. Thanks to the M&P10—introduced in 2013—those seeking more punch from their AR now have a .308 Win./7.62 NATO option from a trusted manufacturer, and an affordable, quality choice at that.

Weighing less than 8 pounds, the M&P10 is substantially lighter than many 5.56 NATO ARs, yet sturdy enough to handle the larger, more powerful .308 Win. This light weight comes despite an additional 2 inches of barrel length. Why an 18-inch barrel? Smith & Wesson Director of Marketing and Communications Paul Pluff explained that the company was looking for an “in-between” barrel length. A precision shooter might prefer a 20- or 24-inch barrel, while someone looking for a “tactical” carbine would likely choose a 16-inch pipe. “Ultimately, for our first .308 Win. AR, we had to pick a barrel length,” Pluff said. “So, we chose a length between the two extremes. The result has a minimal effect on performance at longer ranges, yet still allows the M&P10 to be maneuverable in close quarters.”

I can attest to both the performance and maneuverability qualities of the M&P10, as I used one of the first production models on a hunt in Oklahoma. Sitting in a confined box blind, I was able to move the rifle from front to side windows without slamming it against the steel walls and alerting every critter for miles to my presence. When a running sow came charging in my general direction, it was quite easy to change shooting positions for a shot, and when I squeezed the trigger, I was quite pleased to have .308 Win. power. Even at a mere 25 yards, a single 5.56 NATO round seldom drops a feral hog on the spot, but the 250-pound pig could not withstand my well-placed shot from the M&P10 and hit the ground immediately.

At 40 inches with the stock extended, the M&P10 is maneuverable in the field.

At the other end of the spectrum, the M&P10 delivered consistent 2.5- to 4-inch groups at 250 yards on paper, despite a constant crossing breeze of between 5 and 10 mph. Would a longer barrel produce tighter groups? Perhaps. Would I have had even greater maneuverability with a 16-inch barrel? Possibly. Did either of these factors matter in real life? No. I think the trade-offs from Smith & Wesson’s choice of an 18-inch barrel are generally positive for the M&P10, particularly when one takes a holistic view of the rifle.

Starting at the muzzle, Smith & Wesson innovates right off the bat with a patent-pending Enhanced Flash Hider (EFH). This device threads onto the light-contour barrel and is slightly longer than a standard A2 model. In addition to a crenulated face—which can double as a glass-breaker or a “chest-tapper”—the rear of the EFH has holes facing forward. These holes vent gas outward and to the front, which, in my experience, had no effect on felt recoil, but seemed to keep muzzle rise to a minimum. Also, because gas is vented away from the shooter, you are much less likely to have unburned powder or debris blown back into your face than with a standard muzzle brake or flash hider.

The M&P10’s mid-length gas system allows for cooler gas to cycle the action without adding significant weight to the rifle.

The 4140 steel barrel has a corrosion-resistant finish and tapers to a light contour in front of the gas block, and then back out prior to the EFH in order to accommodate most muzzle devices. A mid-length gas system starts at the machined, low-profile gas block, which has a rail section at 12-o’clock for mounting an aftermarket front sight. Smith & Wesson chose wisely with the mid-length gas system for two reasons. First, while a full-length gas system would not add much weight itself, the resultant need for longer handguards could potentially add significant heft to a rifle intended to be relatively lightweight. Second, carbine-length gas systems simply are not as reliable as longer options in the AR platform because the gas used to run the action is tapped closer to the chamber, and is therefore considerably hotter. The hot gas can cause wear on the bolt carrier and eventually lead to stoppages. A mid-length gas system mitigates this concern without adding unwanted bulk to the rifle—again an intelligent compromise well-suited for the M&P10’s intended role as an all-around firearm.

Standard, A2-style handguards provide a standard platform to grip the rifle, but are obviously not ideal. They do, however, keep the M&P10’s price down, which is nice, and they can be replaced with a large number of aftermarket options with or without rails. At the front of the magazine well, Smith & Wesson machines serrations into the lower receiver. These serrations provide added purchase when the shooter makes use of a close grip with the support hand, and I found them helpful when utilizing such a grip while traversing the rifle on a makeshift rest in the field.

The rest of the lower receiver is where things start to get quite interesting. A bowed trigger guard enlarges the area inside, making it easier to shoot when wearing gloves. Many AR enthusiasts will purchase an aftermarket trigger guard to achieve this added space, but it comes standard on the M&P10. The magazine release, bolt release and safety-selector levers are all ambidextrous, so operation with either hand is a cinch. The safety selector has both a long and a short paddle and is reversible, depending on your preference, but can be actuated from either side—you might call it “extra-ambidextrous.”

The numbered rail section atop the upper receiver enables users to mount a variety of optics on the M&P10.

Inside the M&P10, Smith & Wesson spared no expense. The bolt carrier, gas key and firing pin are all chromed, and the bolt itself is machined from 9310 steel. With such construction and attention to detail, the rifle is as tough as they come and will take a fair amount of abuse. If one looks at the firing pin as though it was a sword, just in front of the “guard” one will find a spring surrounding the lower portion of the “blade.” This spring serves an important function. Lightweight firing pins can (though rarely do) rebound under recoil with enough energy to strike the primer on the next round loaded into the chamber, causing an unintended, and therefore potentially dangerous, discharge. The firing-pin spring in the M&P10 ensures the unit will not rebound, eliminating any chance of this unlikely occurrence.

The upper receiver is a flattop model, with Picatinny rail on its upper portion for mounting optics. Given this is a .308 Win. AR, most shooters will want to mount a magnified scope for longer-range use, so the decision to ship the M&P10 without sights makes a lot of sense—and helps keep the price relatively low, too. I had no problem shooting the rifle with a Bushnell hunting scope or using a Trijicon ACOG, so those who prefer a more “tactical” optic needn’t worry. That said, a traditional-style, magnified riflescope is, in my opinion, the better choice for a rifle that seems to be perfect for the designated-marksman role.

Both the grip and six-position, collapsible stock are generic models and are easily replaced should you seek something fancier. I might consider a different stock with a recoil pad, because while the M&P10’s recoil is certainly manageable, it is significantly more powerful than that of a 5.56 NATO AR, for which the generic stock style was originally designed.

To eliminate the threat of an unintended discharge due to the light firing pin striking
a primer when chambering a round, the M&P10 includes a firing-pin spring that prevents the pin from moving forward until the trigger is pressed.

As far as parts go, there is only one real negative, and it is the M&P10’s magazine. For some reason, Smith & Wesson ships the rifle with a 10-round mag instead of a more sensible 20-round version. Fortunately, proper-size AR-10 magazines abound at retail, so you should have no difficulty getting a bigger mag if you live in a jurisdiction that respects the Second Amendment. Still, it would be nice if the M&P10 came with a standard-capacity magazine, and since most M&P15 models come with 30-round versions, I’m stumped as to why Smith & Wesson chose to ship a low-capacity option with the bigger gun.

At the range, the M&P10 digested three different loads with zero malfunctions and turned in respectable, sub-2-inch groups at 100 yards. Add those results to a buck at 150 yards, a doe at 175 yards and two pigs at close range, and the M&P10 proved reliable, accurate for multiple uses and able to handle nearly any chore. The two-stage trigger on my test rifle broke at just more than 6 pounds, but exhibited a touch of creep in the first stage. That said, it is right about average for an AR-platform rifle and did not hamper the gun’s accuracy (I can take care of that on my own).

Since I had the opportunity to test the rifle both on a hunt and on a square range, my experience matches the intended purpose of the M&P10—it’s an AR for everything. The performance of .308 Win. in combat, competition and on game is well documented, so I won’t belabor the point here. I will, however, bring an observation from a source who knows what he’s talking about.

Recently, I had the opportunity to shoot with and interview Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer (USMC, ret.). When I asked him if there was one piece of gear he wished he’d had in Afghanistan, he told me he would have loved a 7.62 NATO rifle as opposed to his issued 5.56 NATO M4, citing the former’s reach and power.

The M&P10 is equipped with a standard, six-position collapsible buttstock, which is easily replaced should shooters prefer a fancier model.

While Sgt. Meyer was not speaking specifically of the M&P10, I think he would approve of the rifle. It makes for an easy transition for anyone familiar with the AR platform, yet it provides substantially more power than a 5.56 NATO firearm, all without adding much, if any, weight. The .308 Win.’s lauded versatility is matched perfectly by the M&P10’s all-around performance capabilities, and yet the rifle is quite affordable for a large-receiver AR.

Ultimately, Smith & Wesson did more than merely check a box to fill a void in its M&P line—it created what might be the epitome of a utility rifle. If you’re looking to up your AR’s effective range or its power, you won’t go wrong with an M&P10.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson; (800) 331-0852
Action Type: Direct-gas-impingement, semi-automatic
Caliber: .308 Win./7.62 NATO
Capacity: 10 rounds
Receivers: Hard-anodized, 7075 T6 aluminum
Barrel Length: 18 inches
Rifling: 5 grooves; 1:10-inch RH twist; 5R rifling
Sights: None; railed receiver and gas block for mounting optics and/or iron sights
Trigger Pull Weight: 6.1 pounds
Stock: 6-position CAR
Length: 40.9 inches (extended); 37.6 inches (collapsed)
Weight: 7 pounds, 11 ounces
Accessories: 10-round magazine, manual
MSRP: $1,619

Shooting Results

Velocity measured in fps at the muzzle for 10 consecutive shots with an Oehler Model 36 chronograph. Temperature: 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five consecutive, five-shot groups at 100 yards from a Caldwell Handy Rest.

Steyr Arms recently announced that it has expanded its Scout Rifle line with the introduction of OD Green and “MUD” stock variants, both of which are now on American soil. Steyr also announced a substantial across-the-board reduction to the suggested retail price of its Scout Rifle offerings.

Due to the increased popularity of the Scout Rifle and a large purchase order from its parent company in Austria, Steyr is now offering a lower retail price of $1,699 for a Black, Gray, OD Green or MUD Scout Rifle in .308 Win. And now through the end the year, Steyr is offering an additional $200 savings, making a new .308 Scout Rifle just $1,499.

Steyr’s Scout Rifle line now has more options and lower prices.

Steyr’s OD Green was first used more than 40 years ago on the legendary SSG 69 tactical rifle. OD Green was rebooted last month with the introduction of the AUG A3 M1 rifle, and it is now available as a standard stock-color option for the Scout. The new MUD color offering is similar to the familiar field dark earth color, and it also now available on the Scout Rifle.

The Steyr Scout was the result of a unique and nearly decade-long collaboration between scout-rifle-concept creator Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper and Steyr Mannlicher, GmbH. The lightweight, .308-caliber bolt-action, all-purpose Steyr Scout rifle can accept a low-powered, forward-mounted scope for accurate fire and both-eyes-open operation to detect flanking dangers. Backup “ghost-ring” iron sights integrated to the top rail can be deployed within seconds should the optics fail.

In keeping with Cooper’s requirement for a magazine cutoff, Steyr incorporated a two-position magazine system that allowed the rifle to be fed individually with the five-round magazine in a lowered position. The magazine could be seated one step further with minimal pressure, allowing the bolt to feed cartridges directly from the magazine. A second five-round backup magazine is contained in the buttstock.

The Scout Rifle also features a bipod that is seamlessly integrated to the stock when closed. Five sling-swivel attachment points allow the addition of Cooper’s favored Ching Sling on either side of the rifle.

Measuring just 39.4 inches and weighing in at 6.6 pounds, the Steyr Scout also features a fluted 20-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel.