Category: Target Shooting & Marksmanship

A Subsonic 5.56mm AR – Part 2, by R.A.O.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) AMMUNITION: STOCK UP ON 5.56 SUBSONIC AMMUNITION I like to use Beck brand subsonic ammunition as they are good quality cartridges and best for this scenario. Subsonic means that it doesn’t break the sound barrier so there is no secondary boom (or “crack”) when firing. The first boom (from the powder charge) is silenced by the suppressor, and there is no secondary hypersonic boom, beyond the suppressor. Hopefully, that makes sense to everyone. Use subsonic ammunition in situations where you need to be nearly silent. One caveat is that subsonic ammunition is …


A Subsonic 5.56mm AR – Part 1, by R.A.O.

PROLOGUE There are deep state characters who are pulling the strings on the senile installed puppet in the Oval Office. That same man who reportedly received “the most votes in any presidential election.” Yes, that installed President. “Ultra MAGA” is a term now utilized by the Antichrist principled in power to further divide the US population. It is a group of people that are placed into a bucket to vilify by the Leftist media and the Biden administration. Last I thought, the President of the United States should unite a nation not call out to half the country as MAGA …


Christensen Arms MHR in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

The most exciting features of the Christensen Arms MHR (Modern Hunting Rifle) in 6.5 Creedmoor stem from its carbon-fiber-wrapped, stainless-steel barrel. This technology offers the accuracy of a bull barrel without the additional weight. It reduces flex and harmonics, has zero thermal expansion, is corrosion resistant and climate adaptable, dissipates heat from the liner three times faster than a bull barrel, and extends barrel life by 25%. The modular and customizable stock, forearm, and grips are also made with carbon fiber via an environmentally friendly process that Christensen calls Flash Forged Technology (FFT). The result is a well-balanced rifle that …


Spüt Reactive Targets, by Thomas Christianson

Reactive targets can significantly enhance firearms training. They accomplish this by providing immediate feedback and by creating greater interest by making the training process more entertaining. Immediate feedback enhances firearms training by establishing a closer tie between the shooters’ actions and the results of their actions. For example, imagine that someone shoots three rounds at a paper target. He then examines the paper, and sees that two of the shots hit near the point of aim, while the third did not. It may be difficult for the shooter to determine which of his three shots was the one which did …


Taurus TH9 Pistol, by Thomas Christianson

The Taurus TH9 is a full-sized, hammer-fired, SA/DA, semi-automatic, polymer-framed, 9mm handgun with a 17 round magazine capacity. It is reliable, accurate, and reasonably priced, with a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $389.99 Background I am a big fan of single action/double action handguns with decockers. I have been ever since my son first let me fire his Beretta 92FS. I like the extra measure of deliberation that the double action mode requires in a first shot, and the greater accuracy that the single action mode makes possible in followup shots. I really appreciated this feature in one of my all-time …


Zastava PAP M77PS .308, by Thomas Christianson

The Bottom Line, Up Front Capable of surprising accuracy when using the right ammo, the Zastava PAP M77PS in .308 Win offers an AK pattern rifle chambered in .308 Winchester. It is durable, reliable, and comes with a 20 round steel magazine. If you are looking for a semi-automatic rifle chambered in a full-powered rifle cartridge with a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds, this rifle may be a good choice. The Back Story I must admit to a certain fondness for AK-pattern rifles. They have durability and reliability that appeals to me. It is true that in some …


Ready Up Gear Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, by Thomas Christianson

The Ready Up Gear Digital Trigger Pull Gauge provides a handy, reliable, easy-to-use tool for objectively measuring trigger pull weight on a firearm. Made for Ready Up Gear by Pridefend, the gauge was available for $29.99 at the time of this writing from www.readyupgear.com. Background As I test various firearms, it is easy to subjectively tell that some triggers feel heavier and that some triggers feel lighter than others. But heretofore I did not have an objective means of measuring exactly how heavy or how light a particular trigger might be. So when Ready Up Gear offered to provide me …


Savage Model 110 Storm in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

After a search lasting more than three years, I recently settled on a deer rifle to replace the Remington 742 in .30-06 that I inherited from my Father. The old 742 is still a dandy gun, and I have passed it along to my brother-in-law for continued use. But as the years have passed, I have become somewhat recoil-adverse, and I wanted a rifle that is a little kinder and gentler to my shoulder. My new rifle is a Savage Model 110 Storm in 6.5 Creedmoor. It is accurate, sturdy, weather resistant, well balanced, and chambered in a cartridge for …


Tapix Mil-Spec Green Sandbags, by Thomas Christianson

I have a makeshift shooting range behind my pole barn. In the backstop behind the target stand, I had used a sloping wall of sand to absorb the energy of the bullets entering the backstop. The major problem with a sloping wall of sand is that it is thinner at the top than it is at the bottom. This leaves the top of the wall of sand weaker than the bottom. With that in mind, I usually only used the targets near the bottom of the target stand when I was shooting a more powerful firearm, like a centerfire rifle. …


Springfield Armory Echelon Pistol, by Pat Cascio

If memory serves me correctly, I purchased my first Glock in 1987. This was an early-production Glock 17 – the only handgun model that Glock had yet produced, back then. It was a 17-shot 9mm pistol and the frame was made out of “plastic” – today we call it “polymer” instead. I felt sure that the gun wouldn’t last, after a lot of shooting. I was wrong! Since owning that first Glock, I’ve probably owned almost every model they produced over the years, and I still own more Glocks than any one person should…guess I’m a Glock-a-holic. A long, long …


Ruger Single-Ten Stainless, by Thomas Christianson

The very first handgun that I ever fired was a Ruger Single-Six chambered in .22 Long Rifle (“.22LR”). I was then in junior high school. Our church had a group for boys my age. The men who led that group took us on an outing one time in a nearby state forest area. One of the men took along his Single-Six. When we came to a sandbank that could be used as a backstop, he placed a soda can on a stick stuck into the ground. Then he let us take turns shooting at the can. My major takeaway from …


Browning X-Bolt Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

Back in February, I tested Browning’s X-Bolt Speed bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I found it to be light and well-balanced with outstanding fit and finish, moderate recoil, a great trigger, and excellent accuracy. The X-Bolt Speed is not the most inexpensive bolt action rifle on the market, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,379.99 . Due to the high quality of its materials and workmanship, this price represents a good value for the money. Background As I have aged, I have become gradually more sensitive to recoil. This recoil aversion has motivated me to test some potential …


Burris Signature HD 2-10x40mm Rifle Scope, by Thomas Christianson

In January, I tested Burris’ Signature HD 2-10x40mm rifle scope. It offers a versatile optic with a decent sight picture in an attractive package. The Ballistic Plex E3 reticle that I tested provides hashmarks on the vertical crosshair calibrated to the ballistic performance of common hunting cartridges, and dots on the horizontal crosshair to compensate for crosswinds in 10 mph increments. Scopes in the Signature HD series are also available with Plex, Fine Plex, and 6.5 Creedmoor reticles. I had some initial problems in my testing due to an error on my part (I did not tighten the rings sufficiently), …


Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR, by Thomas Christianson

Last Spring, our church had a range day in conjunction with our Mission Conference. We knew our missionary speaker liked to hunt and shoot. We created an opportunity for people in our church family who also like to hunt and shoot to hang out with the missionary in an informal setting. There they could enjoy some shooting together prior to a short message from God’s word. My friend “Welly” brought his Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR to the range day. I was really impressed by some of his shooting. It seemed like Welly just could not miss. A few …


Remington Vantage Pellet Gun, by Thomas Christianson

I recently picked up a Remington Vantage pellet gun at a garage sale for $50. The most surprising thing about that purchase was that my wife, “Kari”, called the gun to my attention. Kari cannot be described in any way as a gun enthusiast. She tolerates guns as a necessary evil, but steadfastly refuses to touch one herself under any circumstances. So I was shocked when she not only drew the pellet gun to my attention, but also supported the purchase and even carried the gun to the car for me while I carried the much heavier box containing her …