Gear, Weapons

Limbsaver Barrel De-Resonator

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Limbsaver has been well known in the archery community for making vibration-absorbing products that work very well.  Recently, they came into the firearms industry with some very effective recoil pads.  So effective that they are now standard on many new rifles, and just about everything from Remington.

Limbsaver has come out with something new for rifles, called a Barrel De-Resonator.  This is a soft rubber grommet that slips over the barrel and gives the weapon a very George Jetson, almost Flash Gordon kind of look.  The idea behind it is pretty simple, to pull the vibrations out of the barrel during firing to make each shot more consistent. 

How it works is the same way these things work on bow limbs… it reduces vibration and shock by transferring the energy and motion into the soft rubber which resists the motion at first, then captures it and contains it.   In a bow, it makes the bow smoother and quieter during the shot. 

This should theoretically work on the barrel of a rifle.  During firing the barrel of a rifle acts as a tuning fork.  Vibrations travel back and forth across the length of the barrel and this can make shots inconsistent.  To battle this, barrels are made free floating, where nothing touches the barrel.  Or they are made heavy and fat, thus reducing these vibrations by shear mass and rigidity.  Or they are full bedded or bedded with a pressure point near the end of the stock’s fore end.  The idea is to let the barrel resonate as free as possible with the hope that it will resonate the same way every time.

The problem with barrel resonation is that it is effected by just about everything.  Heat, humidity, air pressure, the way you are holding the rifle, where your sling is mounted and if you are pulling on it, the bullet weight and shot velocity will also play an important roll in resonation.  So being able to pull some of that vibration out of the barrel would be a huge help in shooting.          

The question is, does it work?

The test platform is my trusty Remington 700 Stainless BDL in 7MM Remington Magnum.  For testing, I picked up a couple of boxes of some cheap 160 grain PMC ammo.  Each box was only twelve bucks, so I thought, what the heck.  It beats blowing through my good stuff that I use for killing things that cost more than twice that.  The scope in a Nikon Buckmaster BDC which is zeroed for 300 yards.  The target is 200 yards.

I first fired a clean group without the de-resonator on the gun.  In the group above, you can see the three shots and at the top is a hole made by splintered wood, not a bullet hole.  This is not a bad group for 200 yards for a guy who is on some pretty heavy painkillers and shooting through heat waves.  I’ll take this sort of accuracy any day.

To start out testing the de-resonator, I slipped it on all the way back to within an inch of the stock.  The shot group is actually slightly bigger.  So far, I’m not impressed.   If this was it, I would want my money back.  But they say that you have to tune the de-resonator by putting it in different positions to find the sweet spot where it works the best.  So we will do that.

Oh for the love of… I’m so not impressed.  This is with the de-resonator placed roughly in the middle.  Again, I’m about to ask for my money back.  After this one I fire a couple more groups just to verify that this is what the gun is doing.  I’d be better off having not have tried this out at all at this point.

Then I moved the de-resonator out further, to within 4 inches of the muzzle.  And this is when something happened.  Now, understand this… this is with cheap ammo that I have always considered to be crappy…

I shot several other groups after this to verify it… This is it.  The Limbsaver Barrel De-Resonator actually works.  In the above photo that is a three shot group with two shots through the same hole.. other groups were nice clover leaf patterns. 

I’m pleased as can be.  For a rifle to shoot this good with crappy ammo… I am not just pleased, but I am thrilled.

So, to answer the question… Yes, it works. 

Weapons

I need to get a Grip

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I love my Ruger SP101. I really do. My only issue with it though, has been the grips. I’ve gone through no less than 5 different sets of grips. I’m looking for a Unicorn. I want some nice, tight, compact grips that both conceal well and doesn’t punish me for pulling the trigger. Shown above are my current grips. They shoot well. While being a “Boot Grip” they don’t hurt my hand because they be THICC. This Shorty is FAT. So it fills the hand and distributes recoil very well. The problem is because of that girth, it prints like I’m pulling a billboard with me. And the grips are very grabby and any covering garment over it is going to start climbing. I’ve decided that these are terrible. I need new grips. I need to find that Unicorn. Leading Suggestion has been VZ Grips.

Uncategorized, Weapons

The Forgotten .35 Remington

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In 1895 Winchester shocked the world with the introduction of the Model 1894 in a new cartridge called the .30 Winchester Smokeless. It was later called the .30 WCF, and also known as the .30-30 Winchester. “Thuddy Thuddy” was using the then new Smokeless Powder, hence the original name, and offered wicked fast Velocity for the time. It took the shooting world by storm. It was commonly loaded with 150 grain and 170 grains, and it was used to hunt EVERYTHING in North America and most of the rest of the world. And for the guys hunting things a bit bigger and nastier than White Tails, Elk, and Outlaws… It did have some limitations. Enter Remington with something of an Upgrade to that caliber… The .35 Remington.

Remington loaded a Rimless case with a .35 caliber bullet with weights common in 200 and 220 grain loads, and while just a bit slower, offered more Energy and Momentum on Stubborn Targets. It became rather popular and has been known as a Brush Gun Cartridge, thanks to the heavier bullet’s ability to crash through the brush and still hit the target with enough grunt to put it down. Does a number on Bear Bones too. And remarkably, it does so with a similar ballistic trajectory as the .30-30 out to 300 yards. I’ve only done one hunt with a .35 Remington Marlin 336. But it was a successful hunt that did not require tracking of a wounded animal… It anchored it where it was standing. And that was with a Federal semi-jacketed Soft Point.

Below, we’ll compare the two cartridges in question with the same Hornady loading. The .35 Remington’s muzzle velocity of 2225, versus the .30-30’s of 2400 FPS. Now, this is with Hornady’s wonderful new powders and consistent loadings and high quality control… So these velocities might be a bit quicker than some older loadings… But they are safe to use in any lever action that’s in good condition.

Thirty Five Remington might be a bit old fashioned now, and out of favor with the Trade Publications these days. But for those that have used it, have all done so with great satisfaction when used within it’s envelope. More modern cartridges do surpass it, just as the .350 Legend… And Remington’s own .35 Magnum. But when you have a Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 loaded up with some good .35 Remington ammo… You don’t feel outdated. You feel like a Classic.

Uncategorized, Weapons

.357 SIG isn’t Dead

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The .357 SIG cartridge offers some rather compelling advantages for serious use… particularly in law enforcement, self-defense, and other tactical applications. Here’s why:

1. Superior Ballistic Performance: The .357 SIG delivers outstanding muzzle velocity, typically between 1,350 to 1,450 fps with 125-grain loads, and energy around 500 ft-lbs. Which somewhat mimics the famous (for good reasons) .357 Magnum revolver round, but in a small-framed semi-automatic pistol. This provides excellent stopping power and penetration, critical for effective threat engagement.

2. Flat Trajectory and Accuracy: The high velocity results in a flatter trajectory compared to other handgun rounds like 9mm or .40 S&W, enhancing accuracy at longer ranges (up to 50 yards). This makes it ideal for scenarios where precision is crucial. And with a projectile that gets to the target in a hurry… It makes hitting a moving target so much easier.

3. Barrier Penetration: The .357 SIG performs very well against common barriers, such as windshields, Vehicle Doors, and such… And with a good projectile choice, and can still perform in an acceptable manner on Soft Targets after the barrier is defeated.

4. Getting One: I’m not sure if any gun company is currently producing anything in .357 SIG anymore, one might thing the cartridge is “Dead”. This is untrue. Since the cartridge is based on the .40 S&W, you can convert most any .40 cal pistol to a .357 with a simple barrel swap, and new and used .40s are out there in the wild on gun store shelves just waiting to be picked up. And you’re going to find these lonely pistols rather well discounted. MidwayUSA or Brownells, Inc. or Lone Wolf Distributors will probably have a barrel for that pistol, in .357, and they can mail that directly to your door.

5. Ammo can be found online as well, through reputable dealers, and that too can be shipped directly to your door. So there is no problem finding this stuff. Balance of Power and Capacity: While it carries slightly fewer rounds than 9mm in similar-sized magazines, the .357 SIG offers a better balance of power per shot compared to 9mm and similar capacity to .40 S&W, making it a practical choice for those prioritizing terminal performance over maximum round count.

Drawbacks: Higher recoil and cost are the downsides. However, modern training mitigates recoil management issues, and the cartridge’s performance justifies the cost for users prioritizing effectiveness over economy. It’s more expensive than 9mm to be sure. But that’s due to the Economy of Scale, it is the same as with .45. Fewer people are buying .357 SIG and that means factories are producing less of it. The upshot, in the last 3 Ammo Runs, where people are panic buying and emptying shelves… .357 SIG is one of the last pistol calibers to be snatched up. So you got that going for you.
The other drawback to the .357 SIG is that it is a High Pressure Round. It’s loud. It’s going to hurt your ears. You want to put your Ear Pro with the Gun in your Go Bag or in your Night Stand Safe. It’s unpleasant to shoot. It’s not a FUN cartridge. It’s not one to pass around on Range Day. This is a cartridge to get things done with.

.357 SIG is not Dead. It’s just Underappreciated.

Weapons

Golden Age of Tactical Lever Actions RIfles

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It was back in 2012 that I was pushing the concept of the Tactical Lever Action Rifle. The reason being was that California and other States were really mad at the AR-15 and the Lever Action Rifle was a lower profile option that was legal pretty much everywhere. The lever action is also a platform that was on day one, designed to be a Tactical Rifle. What do I mean by that? I mean the Lever Action was designed to be a rifle used in Conflict. The first ones were chambered in rather small calibers, had large (for the time) capacities and if you remember your history… Came out and gained popularity during the Civil War where some units acquired and outfitted everyone with those Lever Action Rifles.

Often called a “Cowboy Assault Rifle“, its purpose was crystal clear, and today things are no different. In fact, it’s better. We’re in a golden age of Lever Action Rifles. Everyone that makes a Lever Action Rifle – makes a version, or several versions that are dedicated to just that purpose. Conflict Resolution. Maybe even less Fighting Rifle and more Fight Stopping Rifle. They are coming out of the gate with features we only dreamed about back in 2011. Handguards with light mounts. Out of the box with ghost ring sights, optic rails, and even threaded barrels for making it un-loud. We can get rifles with these configurations in chambered in Pistol Caliber Cartridges from .38 Special, all the way up to .500 S&W Magnum. And rifle cartridges from .30-30 on up to .45-70.

Henry, S&W, Marlin, Winchester, Browning, Rossi, Mossberg, Patriot Ordinance Factory, Taylor, Chiappa, Uberti, Pedersoli… And I’m sure there are other brands out there… So many great options to choose from, regardless of what flavor you want. And companies such as Henry who had only ever made more traditional styled rifles… are no making them in Black, with those tactical upgrades already on the gun, in the box, straight from the factory.

Back in 2011 I think it was… these options didn’t exist. At that moment when I had to replace a broken stock on my then “Green Marlin”, the only option for a light weight stock, was Ramline. Here’s that rifle wearing that stock, with a rail on top, and a Red Dot. This configuration wasn’t the first, but it was one of them. One of the first “Tactical Lever Actions” in appearance as well as function.

Nowadays, things that require Customization can now be ordered off the cuff…

The problem with these builds is that they tend to delete those characteristics that make a Lever Action so delightful to use. The slim nature that makes it easy to grab and run with… The narrow profile that makes them easy to slide into and out of rifle sheaths… the light weight that lets them come up on target quick and easily.
The advantages they give are good though. Still sleaker than an AR or AK type. Lower profile so they stow nicely. Quicker to operate than a bolt action. And generally they are punching bigger holes than AR’s.
Another Downside to the Tactical Level Action. You used to be able to get into one and start building your setup for as little as 500 bucks. Now days a new one is going to cost you 1200 to 2000 and any and all Used Lever Action Rifles have all been scooped up.

Gear

5.11 Tactical’s moab 3

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5.11 Tactical’s MOAB 3 “Sling Pack”. Inside I’m carrying a Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0c, on the outside I have a Benchmade SOCP dagger, and a Crusader Weaponry Patch. That’s it. Not my wallet or keys, or folding knife. Being worn as the name implies… “Sling Pack” is what 5.11 calls it… You can carry it like this. Can. And it’s okay in doing so if you’re driving. But in walking, jogging, and actually living like a human… The MOAB 3 doesn’t quite work. The weight of the pack is going to strive to follow gravity. This means it and its sling are going to rotate, and this will twist things up on you. And that means you will be constantly adjusting this pack to put it back to where you want it to be. Telling it to “Stay” doesn’t work. The MOAB 3 doesn’t listen. Now, if you include in the cargo manifest 1 or 2 or 3 loaded spare magazines, then the fidgeting is magnified accordingly.

If you were thinking of one of these, now is the time to snag one. 5.11 has a 25% Off sale. Normally, 50 bucks, I paid $40.22. The pouch has 2 pockets. One main, with plenty of room for a Glock 19 sized pistol… And the smaller front pocket with some low effort organizing, but I’m not sure what for. Maybe some ear pods. You can keep a pen and wallet in there, a couple spare mags… And that it. It’s small. Remember when I said 3 spares? That was beyond optimistic. The MOAB 3 is very small. And with that, there are some limitations. If you want more room and capacity, I suggest the MOAB 6, which is designed as an actual Sling Bag. They retail for about 80. If you want a chesticle pack, I suggest the Skyweight Chest Pack. They come in two flavors. Utility for 45 dollars, and Survival for 33.75. The molle webs on the Survival might prove to be more useful, for less money. But the utility is a bit lower profile. If you want to wear the MOAB 3 as a Fanny Pack, you certainly can… But I suggest the COVRT Select Pistol Pouch. It’s a lower profile design that doesn’t scream “Tactical! I’ve got a pistol!”

The other downside to the MOAB 3 is the strap its self. The buckle is nice, but the strap is just a hot mess. I don’t see myself wearing this thing at all, for any reason. But is it a lost cause? Did I waste my money? No… Not really. Because it can attach nicely and securely to another pack. Like my RUSH 24. If you have a pack that has molly webbing, you can attach the MOAB3 to it for some added storage. That’s a nice touch that other 5.11 sling bags don’t have. Yes, it can be a Backpack for your Backpack. Backpack Inception. I don’t mean to be down on the MOAB 3, it’s a cool little Pack and it just might fit you bill perfectly. Best Use for this? Put your TQ and First Aid Kit in here and put a Red Cross patch on the Front. This is almost PERFECT for that. But for carrying a loaded pistol in it? Sub-Optimal due to the Slower Nature of trying to draw from this thing thanks to the recessed zipper and covering lip.
So yes, it’s a cool little unit, but not for what 5.11 wants you to think it’s for.

Weapons

Springfield Kuna

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I finally got the chance to shoot the new Kuna from Springfield Armory. By buddy Ben has one, and brought it out with him when we met at the Buckskin Hills Shooting Complex, outside of Vernal, Utah. The Buckskin used to be my old stomping grounds, so it was great to revisit it. And with the Kuna in attendance, meant I got the opportunity to put a couple magazines through it.

I don’t need to do a full review on it… You’ve already read enough of those and have watched all the videos about it… So I’m just going to give you my assessment. The Springfield Armory Kuna is easily one of the very best “Large Form” 9mm Pistols you could buy. Period. Regardless of Price.

It has fantastic ergos, and one of the best triggers for this type of firearm. The recoil is negligible and the accuracy seemed to be above par, even though I only shot it standing and unsupported. The weight was impressively light. The Kuna performed exactly as advertised and we didn’t see a single malfunction. Even while in the hands of much younger and inexperienced shooters. The gun was flawless.

The only question is, how does it compare to the other large form 9mm pistols out there?
MP5K? A lot lighter with better controls, sights, and trigger, and about 1/3 the Cost.
Stribog? Better ergos, and you can get 4 extra magazines for your Kuna at the same as the Stribog.
There’s a lot of AR-15 type 9mm’s out there, but I like the fact that this was designed from a clean slate to be a .40 Caliber/9mm SMG.

Needless to say, I was extremely impressed. I didn’t expect Springfield to be delivering one of the very best SMG type firearms to the US Market. But they absolutely did. If you are looking for this type of solution to your tactical problems… you can stop looking. Get the Kuna.
I had been thinking about getting an MP5K to go along with my full sized MP5… But I’m no longer interested in doing that. I’ll get a Kuna.

Gear

Savior Apollo

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SAVIOR “Apollo” Electronic Earmuffs. These days I take EarPro very seriously. I will not shoot without them. Orange Plugs don’t do it for me. I need more. I had for the last 16 years been using the Howard Leight “Impact Sports”. Which has been okay. But my last pair went belly up for unknown reasons. The I.S. are rated for a passive Noise Reduction Rating of 22 decibels. So, better than cotton balls in the ears, but not that stellar if you are at an Indoor Range. Outdoors, it’s not that bad. Foamies under them are the way to go Indoors.

Being well familiar with those, I wanted something just a bit better. Imagine my surprise when I found these from SAVIOR. Ten bucks cheaper, but offering a 24 NRR. Worth trying, because if you want better, your spending a LOT more. Like the I.S. headset, these electronics operate very similarly, running off a pair of AAA cells, and a single dial switch with positive On/Off clicks, and beeps when going On and Off. This reduces your “I left the Muffs on” battery failures.

The Apollos are not quite as low profile as the I.S. Muffs, but still very good compared to others out there… And the Steel Wire band sure beats the hell out of the plastic I’ve used before to dismally poor results. I like the little Patch things on each side… One a Flag, and the other a Blank so you can write your initials on it with a Sharpie. Thoughtful. Because if you’ve ever been to the range where EVERYONE was wearing Impact Sports…having something that is identified as belonging to you is a big bonus. As far as earmuffs go the 24 decibels versus 22 decibels is a difference you notice… Not a huge gigantic difference but enough that you can forgo orange foamies underneath rather comfortably.

With the electronics switched on the electronic signal amplification for voices and other noises is very good and manages to not annoy you with increased ambient noises. If anything this electronic system is on par with the Howards, but I can’t really say if it’s a huge improvement. But overall compared to the Howards I do think this is a nice upgrade. And considering that this is 10 bucks less than the Howard lights at least at the store I bought these from… These could possibly one day become my recommendation.

We’re going to have to see how they perform in the long run. The Howard lights are known to be rather solid little units that you can get for about 45 bucks pretty much anywhere… And my last set lasted me a very long time so well worth the money. Hopefully these will be the same. If you’re not familiar with the brand they are well known for making other shooting accessories namely bags… But they have a very good reputation.

Hopefully, the brand will not sell themselves short by putting their name on a subpar product which I don’t think anybody has really seen that happen yet, so I am optimistic.

UPDATE: Having now done a Range Day with the Apollos, I am most pleased with them. For Low Cost Electronic Ear Muffs, these are easily my favorite now. Longevity is yet to be seen.

Weapons

My Most Fun Rifle?

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Not a Review, just some Commentary in General. Easily the most fun rifle I own is the S&W M&P 15-22. A simple .22LR chambered AR-ish rifle that produces more grins than any other rifle. Easy to shoot for most anyone. Not too loud. No recoil. No reason not to just go ahead and dump the magazine.

The nicest thing about the M&P 15-22 is that it’s fantastic for training New Shooters in the Art of Basic Rifle Marksmanship.

For New and Less Experienced Shooters, learning on this rifle, versus something like say, the Ruger 10/22, is that when it’s time to upgrade to a Center Fire AR, the transition is seamless thanks to the uniformity of Controls and Manual of Arms.

Another nice thing about the S&W is that you can train all day at 25 yards, on private property, and nobody gets disturbed, bothered, annoyed, or grumpy. Because Rimfire is rather quite to start with thanks to the lack of overpressure at the muzzle.

Weapons

Sold on Pistol Optics

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Okay, Guys. I’m sold – SOLD – on Pistol Optics. This is 15 yards, 5 rounds, 1 Hole Group. I did this having only bore sighted the dot to irons. The Springer Echelon 4.0c is a Shooter! Fantastic trigger, feel, accuracy… I honestly expected it to be just “Meh” and one of those “compared to a Glock it just comes down to personal preference” kinda things. Nope.

The Echelon is far superior to Glock. In this case, compared to the G19, the 4.0c outshines it in every metric. There is no reason for the Glock to even exist anymore. There, I said it. The gun is so comfortable in the hand, during recoil and trigger is so dang good… The gun is ACCURATE. The above group was fired at 15 yards, off hand, and that’s 5 rounds in 1 hole. Few of my pistols are this accurate.

More thoughts on the Red Dot: It’s slower than Irons, so far. But I believe I’ll be able to speed up in time with more practice. The Hex Wasp is an “Okay” unit… But I think I will eventually splurge on an actual GOOD optic, once I get out of the Training Wheels stage with pistol Optics. Maybe next year. And I’ll probably go with a dot larger than 2 MOA.

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