A cellular trail camera alerted Scott Haugen that this cougar was prowling just 3 miles from his western Oregon home, allowing him to quickly get into position for a shot at it. Haugen utilizes a network of 132 game cams spread across four states to keep tabs on the predator populations he pursues. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
CONTENTS
COVER STORY
15 ROADHUNTER: UPPING YOUR TRAIL CAM GAME
Want to know why Scott Haugen gets on so many magazine covers? He works harder than any hunter we know, as his 132 trail cameras – 60 of which are cellular – spread across four states and the 1,300 alerts a day he gets from them attest. He shares how to maximize your own remote scouting efforts to learn much more about toothsome quarry such as coyotes, cougars and bobcats.
FEATURES
35 BULLE T BULLETIN: THE BLESSINGS OF THE BUMP
Always on the lookout for products that will make his bench time more productive, Phil Massaro takes a look at Redding Reloading’s Instant Indicator Headspace and Bullet Comparator. He thinks the “simple yet ingenious” concept will save you time and money – and leave you smiling at the range.
57 SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING: PREPPING FOR A TWO-WAY BATTLE (PART ONE)
A pair of gunfights 105 years apart are bookends to a different way of thinking about self-defense for Paul Pawela. In the first of his two-part series, he looks at how vital body parts shift positioning during dynamic situations through the lens of the Gunfight at the OK Corral.
67 M AKING THE CUT: THE KNIVES OF TACTICAL ANATOMY SUMMIT INSTRUCTORS
A recent Tactical Anatomy Summit firearms training clinic provided a unique opportunity to hear medics’ perspectives on knives for a range of applications – and why they carry what they do.
79 L AW ENFORCEMENT
SPOTLIGHT: RECALLING MANHUNT FOR BOSTON MARATHON BOMBERS
Nick Perna went on a lot of missions during his decades as a cop, but the now retired lieutenant says there was one that he would have loved to have been part of – the hunt for the brothers Tsarnaev, who killed three and injured 260 in an infamous 2013 terrorist attack. Perna recalls the search for the bombers.
81 MILITARY SPOTLIGHT: DEADLY AIM IN VIETNAM’S JUNGLES
Meet Marine Corps Gunnery
Sergeant Carlos Hathcock II, born to be a sharpshooter and who had 93 confirmed kills over two tours of duty in Vietnam. Paul Pawela recounts a few of Hathcock’s exploits in the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia.
85 BL ACK POWDER: CONSISTENCY TAKES PRACTICE
Look, it’s happened to all of us –times when we can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Suffering from two such bouts of poor marksmanship reminded black powder fan Mike Nesbitt that the entire shooting process matters. He shares what it took to get back to his good old sharpshootin’ ways.
20 RUGER RXM
This American-made handgun in 9mm Luger is far from just another Glock clone, says Rob Reed, who details its plentiful customization options and wallet-pleasing pricepoint.
48 S&W .380 ACP BODYGUARD 2.0
With accurate micro-compact 9mms on the rise in recent years, Frank Jardim decided to retire his snubnose and go on the hunt for new pocket perfection. He just might have found it in this Smith & Wesson – Jardim shares his review of this seriously small but on-target handgun.
45 SUCCESS BY ‘COMPLETE ACCIDENT’
How did a kid from Michigan who didn’t grow up hunting or shooting build a company that today makes custom magazines, grips and other firearms accessories? Jeremy Deadman is glad you asked! He details the story of his Tempe, Arizona-based XTech Tactical.
61 DESIGNED FOR SUMMER CARRY
Do you live in a hot, humid climate and need to carry concealed? Thunderwear’s versatile holsters work well in the heat for everyday carry – as well as for travelers and their valuables. Take a look at this company’s wares.
26 BEGINNER FIREARMS OWNER STARTER KITS
As a firearms instructor with an eye for helping out new shooters, Rob Reed knows a thing or two about transporting guns and safely storing them. He shares takes on Regal Products’ safety equipment and range bag lines that just might entice longtime gun owners as well.
74 THE MRE, REFINED
Jason Brooks ate a few MREs in his time as a marine, so he’s the perfect guy to review Essential Provisions’ ready-to-eat meals and drinks that pack energy – and taste good while doing so. Brooks shares how they kept him on his feet when working personal protection details, and the menu options.
Remote, Comfortable & Affordable
Our remote Alaskan fishing lodge is situated on the upper stretches of the beautiful Egegik River. You’ll watch some of Alaska’s most stunning sunrises, complete with a distant, active volcano. We are a fishing camp specializing in coho fishing, brown bear viewing, and flyout fishing adventures to even more remote destinations in the Last Frontier.
Coho Fishing The Egegik River
The Egegik River is touted by many experienced anglers as the best silver salmon stream in all of Alaska. Becharof Lodge On The Egegik River was the first fishing lodge to become established on the breathtaking Egegik River, and is less than a 5 minute boat ride from some of the best fishing holes on the entire river.
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Included in your fishing trip:
• 6 days fishing/5 nights stay in camp
• Experienced, fully guided fishing.
• Comfortable cabins furnished with beds, cozy comforters & bedding.
• Home cooked meals, snacks, and nonalcoholic beverages.
• Transportation from the lodge to prime fishing holes on the Egegik River.
• Freezing and vacuum sealing of your fish, up to 50 lbs., per angler.
$4,850per person Includes round trip charter from King Salmon. Call for more details.
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ROAD HUNTER
RUNNING TRAIL CAMERAS FOR PREDATORS
How to maximize your cam game to learn as much as possible about quarry.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
have been running trail cameras for many years, but in the last six years my efforts have hit another level. I run them year-round for many species, including predators.
IWhile I used to be content capturing a picture of a predator, today it’s about getting the complete
story, and this is achieved through video. Where and how cameras are set for predators is also important.
I currently have 132 trail cameras set in four states. More than 60 are Moultrie Mobile cellular trail cameras. The rest are non-cellular Stealth Cam DS4K cameras set where cell coverage is absent. I’ve used many models of trail cameras over the years, and these two are now my go-to picks. I’ve run them in Alaska and
many Western states, and even when traveling on international hunts you’ll usually find a few DS4Ks in my bag.
All cameras are set on video mode because a still picture tells only a small part of what’s happening. A 15- to 120-second video clip reveals a story and it’s within these stories where valuable information lies.
In areas I want to keep undisturbed, the Moultrie Mobile Edge and Edge Pro
Where game trails intersect, positioning two or more trail cameras will increase the chances of capturing predators on the move.
ROAD HUNTER
trail cameras are set with a solar panel connected to them. I have multiple cameras set up like this that I’ve not touched in 16 months. Try to set the solar panels in open habitats where they receive direct sunlight and you’ll optimize their longevity.
The Moultrie Mobile Edge 2 Pros have extended their recording time to capture 20-second videos. I set all mobile cameras with no time delay between recordings and an immediate upload frequency. I can’t count the number of times I’ve caught a single thumbnail of a coyote standing, then downloaded the video clip to find multiple coyotes moving through. Many have been caught chasing deer, calf elk and turkeys. Watching a pack of coyotes, a pair of gray fox or a family of cougars on the hunt is highly enlightening and the longer the video clip, the more information you’ll gather.
With the Stealth Cam DS4Ks, their video recording time is set based on the length of the trail they’re positioned on. If the trail is long and straight, set the camera to record for two to three
Cellular trail cameras offer many advantages to predator hunters, not only during the summer months, but year-round.
Big game trails are predator freeways. With the same care a trapper would take for furbearers, author Scott Haugen buries a trail camera under a fallen log, one of his favorite sets to learn about predators in the area.
minutes. The shorter the trail, the quicker predators may move through, so cameras placed here can be set for a shorter run time, 10 to 20 seconds.
POSITIONING PREDATOR CAMS
Where trail cameras are set and how they are positioned are vital to optimizing what can be learned about predators. Prime locations include ridgelines, trails on sidehills, and paths paralleling creeks, river banks and fencelines.
Setting multiple trail cameras in one location can be a game changer due to the amount of detailed information you’ll catch. On creeks, set a camera perpendicular to it in order to catch predators coming to drink or crossing. Set another camera shooting up or down the creek. Bears, bobcats and raccoons frequently travel right in the creeks, especially in summer when water is low. If leaving cameras near creeks and rivers, be sure to monitor winter storms in order to track rainfall and water levels.
On primary game trails, don’t be afraid to hang two trail cameras on one tree, aimed in opposite directions. This not only allows you to pinpoint a predator’s travel route, but it’ll also capture them moving on and off of trails. Predators don’t always stick to deer and elk trails, especially if rodents and brush rabbits abound.
Ridgeline trails and primary trails running through timber are where you can go crazy setting up trail cameras. On one trail that cuts through the forest, crosses a creek and runs along a hillside, I have 11 trail cameras set within just over 300 yards. On a ridgeline trail, I have 26 cameras set over a 2-mile stretch. On another trail that leads from one ridge to another with a big, wooded draw between, I have 17 trail cameras set. The more cameras you can set, the more footage you’ll gather and the more you’ll learn about how and why predators move.
Less than 10 percent of the trail cameras I set for predators are above waist-high. Most are 12 to 20 inches off the ground. Several are actually buried in the ground, stuffed under logs and in between rocks in the middle of a trail.
Setting trail cameras low to the ground not only captures up-close footage of predators, but it also records their sounds.
Positioning trail cameras under fallen trees that bisect a game trail is one of my favorite ways to catch predators on the move. Depending on how hard or rocky the ground is, it can take a while to make these sets. Several times I’ve spent over an hour crafting one good trail camera set under a log. Sometimes it requires the use of an ax, machete or even a chainsaw in order to get it right. But once it’s in place, you’re good to go for years. I have multiple log sets that have been catching predators for five years. One of my favorite log sets has caught multiple mountain lions, black bears, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, gray fox and smaller vermin like skunks and opossums.
If there’s a tree that’s been partially blown down or is wedged between
still standing trees, this can be a great opportunity to elevate a trail camera and cover a lot of ground. Simply climb up the fallen tree and strap a trail camera to it, aiming over the trail. This can pick up animals from a long way off.
MAINTENANCE AND FILE MANAGEMENT
When running high numbers of trail cameras, be prepared to put in the time and travel. This is where the switch to Moultrie Mobile cellular trail cameras has greatly saved me time and money. Before, I was checking non-cell cameras three to five days a week, covering over 800 miles each week. Today, I still check the non-cell cameras but do so only once a month for most cameras. Now I’m covering about 600 miles a month instead of over 3,000 miles. Each time you check trail cameras, dedicate time to maintaining them and
Had it not been for a Moultrie Mobile cellular trail camera, the author wouldn’t have been in position to call in this mountain lion.
ROAD HUNTER
optimizing their performance. This means clearing their lenses of dirt and cobwebs, even water that collects during the rainy season. If a herd of elk passes over a ground set, it can require a complete wipe down should it get covered in mud. Always carry a backpack with backup cameras, as it’s often easier to swap out a camera than to try and clean it in the field.
In the spring and summer months, a hefty, electric string trimmer is worth every penny. I used to skimp on a cheap model, but after investing in a high-quality trimmer, the time I spend creating and maintaining sets has dramatically decreased.
Speaking of false triggers, one of the big reasons I chose Moultrie Mobile Edge Pro and Edge 2 Pro trail cameras is because they feature a Smart Zones setting. In the app you can reset the zones, blocking out areas that trigger the cameras. If you move the cameras, just reset the zones. Long grass, leaves on trees, low-hanging branches, even shadows moving across the ground can all trigger cameras. With the Edge Pro series trail cameras you can block these areas with the changing seasons by using the Smart Zones feature. This will conserve battery life by reducing unnecessary video captures. If the
foliage becomes too tall, you’ll need to do some trimming.
I receive an average of 1,300 thumbnails a day from my Moultrie cameras so I have my notifications turned off. If I’m home and have the time and a predator appears in the daylight, I’ll head out and call. If the image pops up in the night, it provides a starting point for a hunt come morning.
With non-cellular Stealth Cams, I run 64GB cards because high-definition video clips eat a lot of memory in highuse areas. Once home I download every card to my laptop, then bring up each clip to study. It takes roughly eight hours a month to scrub through all my cards and index the footage. My goal in all this is to pattern predator movement and catalog it for future hunting reference. What I’ve learned about predator movement has greatly surpassed my expectations.
When running Moultrie Mobile Edge 2 Pro trail cameras, I use their app to instantly pin the location of the camera. If relocating these cameras, when they’re turned back on they automatically show their location thanks to the built-in GPS. With the non-cellular trail cameras, I rely on onX to map the location of each camera.
Three years ago I visited a landowner
who had a lot of property in the countryside. I used to turkey hunt the place and asked if I could do so in the coming spring season. He gave me the go-ahead but warned that turkey numbers were down. I set up trail cameras and ran them for two months before the season. The number of skunks, opossums and raccoons I caught was mind-boggling. When the few hens that were on the property hatched their broods, bobcats moved in. In less than two weeks every poult was gone. Over the next two years the landowner trapped the nuisance predators. Today, he has as many turkeys roaming the place as he did 15 years ago, and I’m catching very few predators on camera. With summer coyote hunting opportunities heating up, and big game seasons fast approaching, now is the time to start concentrating on depleting coyote numbers. Better yet, keep those trail cameras out all year and you’ll greatly increase the amount of predator hunts you’ll embark upon for a range of species. ★
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
Summer is prime time to put the hurt on coyotes, and running trail cameras will boost opportunities and success rates.
RUGER RXM
American-made handgun is far from just another Glock clone and features lots of customization options at a wallet-pleasing pricepoint.
STORY BY ROB REED • PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUGER
Tgun review
he Ruger RXM is a collaboration between Ruger and Magpul that builds on the legacy of the popular Gen 3 Glock 19 pistol while offering its own advantages.
To understand the story of the RXM, you first have to go back and look at the history of the Glock. The 9mm Glock 17 was revolutionary when it hit the US in 1982. The strikerfired polymer-framed pistol was unlike anything available at the time and quickly became known for its reliability, durability and ease of use. The compact Glock 19 followed in 1988 as a more size-efficient version of the design while still holding an impressive 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Since then, Glock pistols have become the market leader in the polymer service pistol segment for both armed professionals and private citizens. While other manufacturers developed their own polymer pistol designs, the Glock has always been the standard for comparison. When the Gen 3 Glock patents expired a few years ago, several companies started to offer polymer pistols that incorporated varying elements of the original design.
The RXM Pistol is the result of a collaboration between Ruger and Magpul. It comes in 9mm Luger.
gun review
THIS LEADS US to the Ruger RXM. On the surface the RXM appears to be “just another” polymer pistol Glock clone, but a closer look reveals significant differences.
The polymer grip frame, known as the Enhanced Handgun Grip, or EHG, is made by Magpul, an industry leader in polymer firearms products. The module features the Magpul TSP grip texture all around. This helps the hand mate with the pistol securely, all without being so coarse as to become uncomfortable. Additionally, recesses on each side of the frame, just below the front of the trigger guard, feature small textured patches. These are there so right- and left-handed shooters can consistently index their trigger finger off the trigger when not on target. The trigger guard is undercut and the dust cover features a single-rail accessory mount.
The metal components, including the slide, barrel and fire control parts, are made by Ruger. The slide and 4-inch barrel are black nitride coated. The slide has both front and rear grasping grooves for easier manipulation. The metal sights include a Tritium front night sight as standard with an all-black rear sight. The rear face is serrated to reduce glare. The sights are taller than typical to allow co-witness if a red dot optic is mounted. The RXM allows greater choice in red dots than other pistols, as the Ruger engineers designed the factory mounting system to work
with the RMR, Delta Point Pro (DPP) and RMSc footprints. This allows the user to select the red dot that meets their needs and budget best with the option to change to a different sight among those choices in the future.
The controls are straight Gen 3 Glock. The slide release is left-side only and the mag release is also leftside only and is not reversible. The trigger is the standard Glock trigger with the now familiar trigger blade drop-safety. Ruger says the trigger and other fire control components are compatible with most factory and aftermarket Gen 3 parts. Takedown is the same as a standard Glock using the two-sided slide lock.
The biggest difference between the Ruger RXM and any of the other clones (or the original Glock) is how much you can customize the design. The key reason for this flexibility is the use of a unitized fire control unit, known as the Fire Control Insert (FCI).
The significant difference between the FCI and standard Glock fire control components is that the FCI can be removed from the grip by the user. Since the FCI is also the serialized part, and thus legally is the firearm, this allows the user to swap out the standard grip module for a module of a different size or color. This will be more useful as Magpul creates more grip modules. Imagine a 17-round EHG (with appropriate magazines)
combined with the standard G19-sized slide, for example. And assuming that Ruger offers different slide/barrel lengths, you can combine them with different EHGs to create even more customization possibilities.
The EHG also addresses the problem many shooters have with the Glock 19. The EHG grip angle is slightly less acute than factory Glock and the grip shape is different, lacking the distinctive “Glock hump.” The stock Glock grip is a “love it or hate it” thing and reducing and reshaping the grip is a common modification.
I’M ONE OF the shooters who has always struggled with the Glock 19 grip, so I was especially looking forward to
The RXM’s removable stainless steel Fire Control Insert, or FCI, is set inside an interchangeable Magpul Enhanced Handgun Grip, maximizing customization options.
trying the Ruger RXM at the range. Due to the fact that I was recovering from bronchitis and pneumonia, and the weather was below freezing, I had to move my testing from the outdoor range I normally use to a local indoor range. This changed what tests I was able to do.
Instead of 25-yard benchrest shooting at my own pace, I had to test the gun at a crowded indoor range under a time limit. I used the stock iron sights, as I did not have a spare red dot to mount on the test pistol.
I warmed up by firing a magazine to get a feel for the pistol. Since the range did not allow drawing from a holster, I used my phone to play random start beeps and fired one or two shots from low ready at every beep. I quickly noticed that the RXM seemed to point naturally for me. My shots were generally well centered on the target without showing the significant left or low-left groups I normally get with my
own Glock 19
The trigger felt slightly better than a typical factory Glock trigger. The takeup was a little mushy, with a hard wall and then a clean break. I measured the pull at between 5¼ and 5½ pounds. I expect the trigger will break in with use and smooth out a bit.
Because I was at an indoor range, with no way to sit, I was not able to do the standard 25yard benchrest accuracy testing. To help counter the dim light of the range, I put 3x5 index cards up on the target to give me a better reference point and then shot, slow fire standing, at 10 and 15 yards. The sights were well regulated and I was pleased to find my hits were well centered. I fired five rounds per
target; by the third target, I was able to keep all the shots within the index card at 10 yards and, after a few more tries, again at 15 yards (although with a larger spread). While this is not nearly a good enough test to determine the best potential accuracy of the pistol, I am
The handgun’s primary components are designed for compatibility with Gen 3 Glock 19s.
gun review
Due to weather conditions, author Rob Reed was forced to go indoors for testing. He used an index card to give himself better reference in the range’s dim lighting, and shot standing at 10 and 15 yards. While not nearly the best way to test the potential accuracy of the pistol, he managed to find his hits were well
confident that it showed that the RXM is at least as accurate as other polymer pistols in its class.
FROM A PURELY subjective view, I really liked the RXM. The grip seemed to fix the issues I have with the standard Glock 19 grip. The sights were good, the trigger was acceptable-to-good, the practical accuracy was good, and the pistol ran flawlessly. In all, I shot 100 rounds of mixed FMJ ( and 124-grain), along with 15 115-grain Speed Gold Dot JHPs.
From a buyer’s perspective, I think the Ruger RXM may be the current best deal for a polymer service pistol. The MSRP is $499 with a street price of about $399. For that price, you get more features than the current Gen 5 Glock 19, including the metal night sights, factory red dot mounting options, two Magpul 15-round magazines and arguably better ergonomics.
Visit ruger.com for more info.
centered. (ROB REED)
STARTER KITS
Regal Products offers new as well as longtime gun owners responsible ways to safely tote, store their firearms.
Regal Products provides firearms safety solutions and accessories to both the shooting industry and directly to shooters themselves. I recently got a chance to examine several of their products with an eye towards evaluating their use for both new and experienced shooters.
First up is the company’s START (Safety, Training And Responsibility Tools) Kits, which provide first-time gun owners with the accessories they need to safely and responsibly operate their firearms.
As an instructor I have literally walked through a gun store with students in tow while helping them pick out what products and accessories they need to go with their newly purchased firearm. The Regal Products START Kits eliminate the requirement for that type of instructor hand-holding by providing the necessary safety gear and (almost) all of the other accessories a new shooter needs to get started.
THE START KIT Standard comes in a well-thought-out black range bag roughly 8 inches tall, 10 inches
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ROB REED
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
long and 8 inches wide. The bag has a large main compartment with two smaller pouches, a zippered top and two side compartments. The side with the START logo unzips to reveal two zippered mesh pockets and a built-in padded case for eye protection. On the other side of the case, a Velcro flap covers six pockets for pistol magazines. The clear ID holder on the flap is a very good idea. As someone who once left his bag behind at the range and only got it back because I had left a range application with my phone number inside, I appreciate anything that helps get a lost item back to its owner. The whole bag is topped off by a pair of handles that can be connected by Velcro and a detachable shoulder strap. The bag is well made and the perfect size to hold a pistol and supporting gear and ammo without being so large that you are tempted to overload it and make it too heavy.
The contents of the bag include clear eye protection in a small drawstring bag, a set of foldable earmuffs with a noise reduction rating
of 22, a keyed cable lock, a pack of six chamber flags that fit from .22 LR to 12 gauge, a black silicone-impregnated gun cleaning cloth, an American flag patch, and printed materials consisting of gun safety rules card, Walk the Talk America mental health screening information card, and a product list.
As sold, the bag focuses on the safety items needed for a trip to the range. The cable lock will serve to help the owner safely store a single pistol. The package of six chamber flags is an especially nice touch, as these are an often overlooked piece of safety gear. Even when not specifically required
MLC5200 Metal Lockable Case with cable.
SecureMe Smart Cable-lock installed on a Ruger RXM.
SecureMe Smart Trigger-lock on a Ruger RXM.
by range rules, it is never a bad idea to use a chamber flag to show that the firearm is unloaded with an empty chamber. The earmuffs fold up and stow well. I prefer something higher than a 22 NRR for frequent use, but you can improve the protection by doubling up and wearing ear plugs underneath the muffs. If the new gun owner decides to shoot on a regular basis, it is an easy fix to buy a higher rated set of replacement earmuffs and relegate the stock set to backup or loaner gear.
The only things a new shooter may want to add would be a cleaning kit with solvent or CLP (Clean, Lubricate, Protect) product, a staple gun and/or masking tape, and some targets. I understand why those aren’t included. Most new handguns come with cleaning rods and brushes and duplicating something that the gun owner already has would add to the price for no good purpose. The rest of the cleaning gear (solvents, patches, etc.) and targets are consumable items readily available and easily sourced.
Adding a staple gun would greatly increase the cost, so that is also the type of thing best left for the shooter to decide if they need or not. The range bag has more than enough room for any of those extra supplies.
The START Kit Standard has a retail price of $99.99.
THE ENHANCED MODEL of the START Kit has a slightly larger bag at about 10 inches tall, 10 inches wide and 14 inches long. The handle and shoulder strap attachments are upgraded from the standard bag. The main compartment unzips and has two smaller pockets with Velcro flaps. The side with the logo unzips to completely open. The body half has three open-top pouches, while the inside of the flap is covered with Velcro. A zippered pouch runs across the outside to provide extra storage space. The other side of the bag also features a zippered flap opening. Inside are three mesh pockets on the body side and three opentop solid pockets on the flap side. The outside of the flap also has a full-length zippered pouch.
SecureMe products.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
The START Kit Enhanced comes with everything included in the Standard version, along with a couple additional items. The first is a foldable cleaning mat and the other is the MLC5200 Metal Lockable Case. The case is about 2¼ inches tall, 6½ inches deep and 9¼ inches long. It’s sized for a single pistol or revolver. The case also includes a 72-inch steel cable with a loop at each end. A notch in one side of the case allows the user to run the cable through the trigger guard of an (unloaded) pistol or around the inside of the lock mechanism and then feed the cable through the notch in the side of the case. The cable could then be secured to a solid point in a home or vehicle and the loops locked together with a padlock (not provided) to prevent theft or unauthorized access to the firearm inside. The START Kit Enhanced has a retail price of $139.99.
I think either kit is a worthwhile purchase for new shooters. As for which I recommend, that depends on the shooter’s needs. I prefer the features (the padded eye protection case, six mag pockets and visible ID window) of the slightly smaller bag in the Standard kit. However, what changes the equation is the addition of the lockable metal case and cable of the Enhanced kit. The metal case and cable can be used to store the handgun at home or installed in a vehicle to provide a safe way to secure a handgun that is much more theft-resistant than leaving it in the glove compartment or center console. If a new shooter does not already have a way to secure their handgun, the Enhanced kit might be the better option. If the metal case is not needed, the Standard kit would be the way to go, as there is no real downside to the slightly smaller range bag.
ANOTHER REGAL PRODUCT offering that is useful for both new and experienced shooters is the SecureMe movement detection and notification system. It works with your smartphone (iOS or Android) to alert you to unauthorized access to your firearm or other
valuables.
At the heart of the system is a Bluetooth-enabled beacon that connects to a base station plugged into a standard household power outlet. The beacon is either directly attached to the item being monitored (firearm case, gun safe, liquor cabinet, medicine cabinet, pill bottle or other valuables) or installed in a specially constructed flexible band, trigger lock or cable lock.
When the beacon is moved, it sends a Bluetooth signal to the base station (active within 150 feet), which then uses the building Wi-Fi to connect to the Ocufii cloud server (the app vendor), which in turn sends a message to the app on your smartphone. So, in order to use this device you need to have power available, a Wi-Fi connection and a smartphone capable of running the app. A subscription to the service is also required. The standard notification service for up to five base stations and 10 beacons is free. A group notification service where notifications can also be shared with up to five other individuals is $2.99 a month or $32.90 a year. When I installed the app, I was given one month of group notifications for free, and the retail packaging included a coupon for an additional free year of group notifications. No credit card
information was required to sign up for the regular service.
It is important to understand that, unlike an Apple AirTag, the SecureMe system does not track or locate your firearms or other valuables. Instead it sends you a realtime notification whenever a beacon is moved. The audio and visual alert is about as noticeable as a standard text notification and continues to alert every few seconds if the beacon keeps on moving. A base station can control up to 10 beacons and each one can be individually named and assigned a named location. There is a “snooze” function you can enable to ignore alerts for a set period of time. You can also delete any specific beacon from the system. The app is passwordprotected to keep someone from simply gaining access to your phone and deleting beacons.
SETTING UP THE system was straightforward after I got past some initial confusion. There is no instruction manual provided; instead, the user scans two QR codes on the inside of the packaging. Unfortunately the first QR code for the “Quick Start Guide” did not help. The only thing that came up was a PDF of the cover
A SecureMe beacon with the warning labels that can be applied to it.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
of the Quick Start Guide. The cover had no useful information and no interior pages were available. (Alerted to this glitch via a review copy of this article, Regal says it “quickly rectified” the situation.) The good news is that the second QR code, the one that allows you to download the app, worked perfectly. Once the app was downloaded, it was easy to follow the instructions to set up and activate the base station and beacons.
As for the physical setup, I kept one beacon “bare” and installed a second beacon in a special SecureMe Smart Cable-lock using the included Allen wrench to open up a compartment in the Cable-lock designed to hold the beacon. This was a simple procedure. I was also provided a SecureMe Smart Trigger-lock with a similar compartment and installation procedure, but I did not actually install a beacon in the Trigger-lock.
Once I had everything set up, I
tested the system by putting the Cablelock beacon on “snooze,” installing the Cable-lock on my pistol, and then setting the pistol near me. I then turned off “snooze” to see what would happen. The alert did not activate until I moved the gun and it continued to alert as I used the key to unlock and remove the Trigger-lock. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have been notified if someone attempted to access that firearm.
I used the included 3M tape to install the “bare” beacon on my refrigerator door as a stand-in for a gun safe or medicine cabinet. For the rest of the day I’d get an alert whenever my wife or myself opened the fridge. I also did not get any false positives just by walking by the fridge. That tells me the movement sensitivity is set perfectly.
The SecureMe system can add an additional layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to firearms or theft of valuables. The beacons come
with stickers that can warn away unauthorized users or the beacons can be installed more covertly. Either way, the ability to be instantly notified whenever someone accesses your firearms can help reduce the risk of accidents, misuse or theft.
There are several SecureMe products available in a variety of packaging configurations. The important thing to remember is that you need both the base station and at least one beacon for the system to work. The base combo of a base station and single stick-on beacon is $99.99.
The package with the SecureMe Smart Cable-lock, base station and beacon is $139.99, while the Smart Triggerlock package (with base station and beacon) is $149 99. A single stick-on beacon is $39 99 ★
Editor’s note: Visit regalisi.com for more information on both the START kits and the SecureMe system.
THE BLESSINGS OF THE BUMP
How one little adjustment in your handloaded cases can be a game changer.
STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
y buddy Dale was out on a culling exercise, using handloaded ammo I’d helped him develop. His last shot of the evening went true, but when he ejected the spent casing, only a quarter of the case came out. Having broken cleanly in a circle perpendicular to the bore, the case had stretched so much that it became brittle and broke.
MNow, this isn’t exactly uncommon among reloaded ammunition that has
seen the case resized a number of times, but to Dale it was highly disconcerting. I explained to him the processes through which a brass case endures, and how as brass is stretched and compressed – the firing and resizing stages – it will “flow” forward, toward the case mouth, and the base of the case will become thinner until it breaks. “Isn’t there a way to stop that?” Yes, Dale, there is. Ammunition is created to a dimension where it will work in the myriad chambers across the decades of rifle production, but not all chambers are created equally. The particular one Dale was working with was the
.270 Winchester, which will use its 17½-degree shoulder for headspacing. If the chamber is cut just a bit too long – as was the case with Dale’s very accurate Winchester XPR – the case will stretch to the chamber dimension upon firing, as the rapid burning of the rifle powder forces the cartridge outward in all directions, and the shoulder of the case will move forward significantly. If those cases are to be reused, as reloaders so often do, they are usually returned to the original Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute-, or SAAMI-, approved specification (including the
Redding Reloading’s Instant Indicator is an effective tool for the handloader, helping to build the best ammunition and extend case life.
BULLET BULLETIN
original location of the shoulder) and the cycle begins to repeat.
Rigorous inspection of your fired cases can show which have been reworked to the point of possible failure, but there are other methods to mitigate the stretching of your cases. The most common method – and one
I have employed in the past – is neck sizing. This method doesn’t resize the case back to SAAMI specs, but rather only reduces the neck diameter back to that which will hold a bullet with the proper tension. Because the shoulder location doesn’t move, the stretching is certainly minimized, but the diameter of the case hasn’t been touched either. For target ammunition, where the time needed for a follow-up shot isn’t an issue, the neck-sized ammunition is fine. But for competition, and certainly for hunting, the neck-sized ammunition won’t feed as easily as will fully resized ammunition, and that might prove to be the difference between a quick second shot and a lost opportunity when the pressure is on. I have seen improved accuracy from neck-sized ammunition, as the chamber concentricity aided in a more uniform package. Neck sizing is also highly dependent on the precise setup of the neck-sizing die, so you can get the most adjustment of the
neck portion of the rifle cartridge and consistent tension on your bullet. I like neck sizing, but I feel that the folks at Redding Reloading have come up with a better solution, utilizing a couple of simple yet effective tools.
LOOKING AT THE goal before describing the tools, Redding’s desire was to have a cartridge with the neck and body dimensions prescribed by SAAMI, but with a shoulder location that best adheres to your particular rifle’s chamber. This would require a unique approach, as the traditional resizing die moves the shoulder, and the neck sizing die doesn’t touch the diameter of the body at all. Redding nailed it down properly.
Enter the Redding Instant Indicator Headspace and Bullet Comparator, and the Competition Shellholders. The concept is simple yet ingenious: you use the Comparator to measure the difference in shoulder location between a SAAMI-dimension setup
Repeated firings and resizing can cause brass cases to stretch – and in extreme cases, crank, as the case on the right exhibits.
Using the Redding Instant Indicator – with the Range Adapter installed – to measure the difference between the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute standard and some fired cases.
gauge and fired cases from your rifle. The setup gauge is run up into the Comparator body, the dial is then set to zero, and from there you can establish exactly how much your chamber differs from the SAAMI spec.
Once you get an average from a series of your fired cases, you can then employ the Competition Shellholders to make a proper adjustment in your resized cases. You see, the shellholders are designed to give a difference in depth – from the standard shellholder – in 0 002-inch increments, from 0.002 to 0.010 inch. So, for example, if you observe a 0.006-inch average difference from the SAAMI setup gauge, you can grab the correlative shellholder and use your resizing die in the normal fashion. The result is a cartridge case that has the neck and body diameter of a full-length resized case, but with the shoulder location correlative to your rifle.
The concept is sound, in that I’ve found this technique has given me several advantages in my handloaded ammunition. First, because the cases
Cases like the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, which use the shoulder for headspacing, can benefit greatly from Redding’s Competition Shellholders to leave the shoulder as close to chamber dimension as possible.
The Instant Indicator can help indicate variances in datum line, in case length and in base-toogive dimensions of loaded ammunition. (REDDING RELOADING)
aren’t being resized in length, the life of the cases is extended; considering the consistently rising costs of components, this is an important point, especially when it comes to the more hard-to-find cartridges. Second, the improved chamber alignment and concentricity can lead to significant improvements in accuracy, and I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want that. And third, the fact that the ammunition is sitting consistently in the rifle’s chamber, you should see an improvement in the consistency of your velocities, as you’ll be getting a more consistent primer strike. In my opinion, these advantages are well worth the investment in the tools.
feet per second on the Garmin Xero chronograph, with an extreme spread of just 10 fps, with three-shot groups measuring just over ½-MOA.
I SAW AN immediate improvement in accuracy in my own .270 Winchester, a Savage Model 110 Lightweight Hunter with the proprietary floating bolt head, which will take up any problems with ammo that is too long. Extending the shoulder 0 004 inch tightened group sizes a bit, but most certainly leveled out the muzzle velocities. After using the Competition Shellholder, my muzzle velocities for a 130-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip registered 2,810
My trusty Ruger 77 MKII .22-250 Remington had been really stretching some Winchester cases, to the point that I was only able to get three shots out of them before they became unusable. Turns out that the Winchester cases of the lot I had were short to begin with – I found and measured a few factory loads I had left – and my chamber was a bit long to boot. The Redding Comparator showed my chamber was 0.005 inch long, and the adjustment – I used the 0.004-inch shellholder, as you’ll want a little bit of shoulder bump for smooth feeding – made a world of difference in case life. Those Winchester cases doubled their effective life.
The Redding Instant Indicator Headspace and Bullet Comparator will also allow the user to verify bullet seating depth uniformity, as well as bullet uniformity, with the addition of a bore diameter bushing. And while I am most familiar using the tool with my reloading press, Redding now supplies a Range Adapter, so the tool can be put to use in the field at the range.
With a street price of right around $200 for most common cartridges, the cost of the tool can easily be recouped in just a few range sessions, considering the price of today’s components. And while our factory ammunition is,
The Competition Shellholders offer an increase in depth of 0.002 inch to 0.010 inch, in 0.002-inch increments.
Redding now offers the Range Adapter, so the Instant Indicator can be used without a reloading press. (REDDING RELOADING)
The Instant Indicator set up in the T7 Turret Press.
With the provided setup gauge installed and the ram extended, the Instant Indicator dial can be set to zero, in order to compare your fired cases.
without a doubt, better than it has ever been, there is a certain pride taken in making the best possible ammunition for your rifle. With the scarcity of components, this Redding tool can save time and money, while putting a smile on your face as you print tiny little groups on the target board. ★
Author Phil Massaro’s Savage 110 in .270 Winchester with ammo made to the dimension of the chamber –0.006-inch longer datum line did the trick.
The proof is in the pudding, or in this case, on the target. Case life will be extended, and the accuracy is more than acceptable.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
SUCCESS BY ‘COMPLETE ACCIDENT’
The unlikely story of an entrepreneur and his firearms accessory company, XTech Tactical.
STORY BY CHRIS COCOLES
PHOTOS BY JEREMY DEADMAN/XTECH TACTICAL
he business world is full of unlikely success stories of a venture that turns into something totally and unexpectedly improbable with a happy ending.
TFor Jeremy Deadman, it’s not so much that he’s hit it big, as he’s always been a tireless worker and go-getter. But his early background suggested that he’d never be a mogul in the firearms industry.
You see, while many in the gun sector grew up passionate about hunting and/or shooting sports, making them natural fits to pursue a career in the field, Deadman’s path to nationally respected maker and seller of custom-made magazines, grips and other accessories was not exactly how he may have drawn it up.
“A complete accident” is how Deadman’s Tempe, Arizona-based company, XTech Tactical (480-999-0827; xtechtactical.com), turned out for him.
“One of the people I respected most was my grandfather. He was a public safety chief and he didn’t believe civilians had any reason to own guns,” Deadman says. “And I was never against guns. I just didn’t grow up with them. I think I shot skeet one time, which was the only time I shot a gun before I was 18.”
In truth, Deadman’s passion while growing up in Michigan was sports. He played hockey – “I was an athlete until I wasn’t” – and while the National Hockey League wasn’t destined to be in his future, neither was making his own gun parts. Or making anything, really.
“I had no interest in it,” Deadman says of having a creative side as a youngster.
ARIZONA, HERE I COME
Fate would first intervene when Deadman headed west to the Phoenix area, where his career path was anything but predictable.
“Commercial real estate is something that I did in my early 20s, which is really abnormal. Most get into commercial real estate in their 40s as a second career. So being a 22-year-old in Phoenix, that’s what I did for five years, and I was really good at it,” he says. “It taught me a lot about business with hundreds of different entrepreneurs, and that’s where my attraction to making things came from.”
One such contact led to a sales job at an injection molding operation that
made plastic parts.
“One of the first customers I worked with was (firearms accessory company) Ergo Grips. I provided some ideas to them,” Deadman says. “‘Hey, what about this? What if you did it this way?’ And the owner (Steve Hines) was kind of a mentor to me and helped me grow my business.”
Hines could sense his protegee was onto something.
“He basically told me I was the smartest idiot he ever met and that I needed to stop giving him ideas and patent them, then bring them to him,” Deadman says with a laugh. “He would either buy them from me, tell me if they’re worth anything, and
Growing up in Michigan, Jeremy Deadman (left, with wife Carlie) and his family weren’t gun owners and he had little interest in firearms. But his creative ability to make original gun accessories as well as some good business sense allowed him to build up what’s become a nationally respected company, Tempe, Arizona-based XTech Tactical, which makes custom magazines, grips and other firearms accessories.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
if he couldn’t afford them, he would introduce me to the right people.”
And with that, the creative juices suddenly started flowing. Deadman, the kid who never lived with or had an interest in guns, would create his own patent for two of the products that have become a staple of XTech Tactical, the Speedmag, a 30-round magazine for AR-15s – “It’s basically a magazine loader and magazine in one,” he says – and the ATG grip, “where you can adjust the angle of the grip.”
“Both those patents at the time were filed before I ever actually owned a gun,” he adds. “So it’s a very novel story compared to most. An unorthodox story.”
“The heartbeat of our company at XTech is to make things that you can buy today and pass on to your kids and their kids. And that’s really what we strive to do as a brand … I think a big pulse of our brand is authenticity,” says Deadman, whose Freedom Series magazine products allow gun owners who live in states with magazine restrictions to upgrade for use across state lines at a modest price.
GOING IT ALONE
Hines eventually connected Deadman with another company to expand his patents, but that didn’t work out well, so he went out on his own.
“I liked the idea of making my own stuff, so I launched a company with limited resources … I had no intentions of ever being a brand. To me, it was kind of cool that I could invent something, someone could write me a check and I could say I had a patent,” Deadman says. “It was one of those things I could tell the grandkids about. No interest at the time of going into it and operating a scaling manufacturing business like we do today.”
To execute the designs, Deadman teamed up with David Spykerman and his business partner at the time to commence the designs and launch the brand. David had 35 patents, primarily in the automotive space, before the two had ever connected. Most of David’s career had been with Prince Corporation, which later was acquired by Johnson Controls. David was famous in Detroit as the man to solve automotive interior challenges in the 1990s and 2000s. Consumers'
industry’s most respected outlets for magazines, grips and other accessories. Among their signature product lines is what they call the Freedom Series, which includes Glock-compatible magazines, mags for AK-47s and AR15s, as well as a p365 +0 extension.
“What the Freedom Series signals is that if you have a grip extension or magazine, when and if you move to a state without restrictions, or your laws change, you can convert to get standard capacity – meaning more rounds – for $4 95,” Deadman says.
“Every product that we develop starts with, ‘Does it have a reason to exist?’ And that means, are the current offerings too expensive and not accessible to people?”
WHAT’S NEXT?
For Deadman, “Becoming a father was the trigger for me to understand what gun ownership is all about. Once I went to bed at night, it’s my role as a dad to keep a heartbeat going, and there are people who are bigger, stronger and more equipped than me in the world.”
“The heartbeat of our company at XTech is to make things that you can buy today and pass on to your kids and their kids. And that’s really what we strive to do as a brand… I think a big pulse of our brand is authenticity.”
And as for the future, Deadman wants his unlikely business to expand even further. For a hockey player, he turned out to be a pretty good maker of quality firearms swag.
“The current goal is to continue to expand the product line. We had new products that came out in . We have another nine products coming out in 2025, with more likely added,” he says. “We want to be the premier pistol, rifle upgrade company and magazine company in the market that brings great value to consumers.” ★
Editor’s note: Like XTech Tactical at facebook.com/ xtechtactical. Follow on Instagram (@xtechtactical).
S&W .380 ACP BODYGUARD 2.0
Small and compact on top
gun gun review
Is this micro-compact peak pocket perfection?
For good reason, micro-compact 9mm pistols with double-stack magazines holding 10 or more rounds have been all the rage for the last several years. That’s impressive firepower. When I learned in testing how accurate some 9mm micro-compacts were, I concluded it was time to retire my snubnose revolver as my everyday pocket carry self-defense gun. I replaced it with a Springfield Armory Hellcat loaded with 11+1 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense 9mm. I loved the Hellcat, but my wife did not. For her, the slide was still too hard to rack, the gun’s bulk was still hard to conceal on her small body and the 9mm recoil was too severe.
This is nothing new, but Smith & Wesson’s introduction of the M&P Bodyguard 2.0 – a .380 ACP micro-compact with a flush-fit, 10-shot, double-stack magazine capacity – was a game changer for both of us. Where the Hellcat was 18.5 ounces and measured 1 inch thick, 4 inches tall and 6 inches long with a 3-inch barrel, the Bodyguard 2 0 was 9 8 ounces empty, 0 75 inch thick, 4 1 inches tall and 5 5 inches long with a 2 75-inch barrel and significantly less recoil. The slide was still a little hard for her to rack, but it was smaller, lighter, easier to conceal and handle, and exceptionally accurate.
HOW ACCURATE WAS it? Shooting from the bench at 7 yards with a pistol rest, I tested three brands of premium .380 ACP
This striker-fired, polymer-frame .380 ACP uses a tilting barrel locked action.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY FRANK JARDIM
but with an ample grip frame below, the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 is a very controllable pistol. Actual retail seems to be around $400.
Actual 15-shot aggregate groups (consisting of three individual five-shot strings) fired from a rest at 7 yards with Hornady’s FTX JHP load (left) and Remington Ultimate Defense (right).
Author Frank Jardim’s test pistol shot about 1.5 inches low and 0.75 inch to the left of the point of aim at 7 yards, so he removed the slide, stabilized it in the jaws of a shop vise padded between thicksheet aluminum and used a hammer and Otis brass punch to drift the rear sight nearly 0.025 inch to center his groups.
At 25 yards, the Bodyguard 2.0 showed it could outshoot many full-size pistols!
self-defense ammo shooting a series of five-shot groups. Hornady’s polymerplugged 90-grain Critical Defense FTX JHP averaged 0 79 inch and 912 feet per second. Remington Ultimate Defense 102-grain coiled brass and bonded JHP averaged 0.96 inch and 833 fps. Finally, Winchester Train & Defend D 95-grain JHP averaged 1.05 inches and 804 fps.
Recoil with a .380 ACP is fairly tame in general and particularly controllable in the Bodyguard 2 0, which encouraged me to try some rapid-fire drills to see just how quickly I could empty my magazine into the target. I timed 2.03 seconds on average with my best 10-shot group at 7 yards measuring 6.62 inches.
The level of accuracy displayed by the Bodyguard 2 0 would be acceptable for a full-size service pistol. S&W states in the instruction manual that their
Field stripped for cleaning.
All the controls, with the exception of the plastic trigger, are metal.
Close-up of sights, slide serrations, frame stippling on finger rests and ambidextrous safety lever.
A big extractor and big ejector help keep this gun running reliably.
gun review
average accuracy for pistols with 3-inch-or-shorter barrels is 1.7 inches at 7 yards, 3 9 inches at 14 yards and 6 5 inches at 21 yards. My test pistol shot a great deal better. Exactly why it shot so well is likely a combination of factors like its excellent two-stage, crispbreaking, 5-pound trigger pull weight, quality ammunition and the pistol’s construction.
During my disassembly and inspection of the pistol, I saw that the slide-to-frame fit was quite tight with no apparent wiggle, nor was it possible to noticeably move the muzzle in any direction when the pistol was in battery. In addition, when in battery the lateral movement of the breech within the slide’s ejection port was among the smallest I’ve ever seen.
The Bodyguard 2.0 has front and rear slide guide rails pinned into the polymer frame that span a distance of 3 5 inches, providing support for the slide over 67 percent of its overall length. The rails themselves are also comparatively long, measuring 1 inch in the front and 1.19 inches in the rear. Both of these rail sections, and the other visible firing components that are not sheet metal stampings, are metal
injection molded, or MIM, parts.
What I could inspect of the sear mechanism appeared well balanced and stable, which would tend to promote consistent operation and accuracy. Without an exploded parts diagram, I did not want to try disassembly beyond field stripping, so the design details of its interior parts remain mysterious. For safety reasons, most gun makers don’t want to encourage shooters to take apart the firing mechanisms of their pistols.
One engineering characteristic of the Bodyguard 2.0 that I thought potentially problematic is that its striker mechanism can’t be disassembled for cleaning without first removing the rear sight. Realistically, that means that most people who own this gun, me included, will never remove the striker. Instead, special care needs to be taken to keep the striker channel clean to ensure safe and reliable operation. I’ll be using a spray solvent to flush it clean. If you have a Lyman Power Pro 3L ultrasonic cleaner or similar unit, it would be ideal to thoroughly clean out any dirt, pocket lint, etc., from the striker channel.
THE NEW MICRO-COMPACT 380 ACP, polymer-framed, striker-fired Bodyguard 2 0 may be the perfect pocket pistol. At first glance, it could be mistaken for a kid’s toy. The downside
to all .380 ACP pistols is that they are .380 ACP pistols. The cartridge doesn’t pack the punch of 9mm, and its relatively low velocity doesn’t help hollowpoint bullets expand reliably in tissue. Accurate shot placement, rather than terminal performance engineered into the bullet itself, is likely to determine the extent of the damage done. Good thing the Bodyguard 2 0 is such a fast-shooting, accurate pistol.
There’s a 12-round extended magazine that adds a little more front grip strap, but the 10-rounder is easier to conceal. And, with the help of a deeply undercut triggerguard, my medium-sized hand has almost a full three-finger grip, which is more than I can get on most microcompact pistols. The grip surface has an effective molded-in stippling similar to 80-grit sandpaper on the front and backstraps with the middle portion less aggressively textured so as not to abrade the skin when carried. Textured trigger finger indexing pads are molded on the left and right of the frame to help keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to
The 2.0 has a wide rear sight notch and red inset in the front sight blade for fast sight picture acquisition under stress.
For Jardim’s medium-sized hand, the 18-degree grip angle made this pistol a natural pointer.
Gun safety isn’t just about protecting your loved ones at home. Leaving your gun in a car? Taking it with you when you travel? The risk of firearm theft is too great. With SafeGunLock, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that it won’t be used by the wrong person to contribute to the nation’s violent crime statistics.
Advantages of SafeGunLock:
Secure: Blocks unauthorized users while most firearm locks are easy to defeat
Quick: Takes seconds to open
Personal: Only someone who knows the code can open the lock
Convenient: You can easily feel the lever positions, even in the dark
Mobile: Weighs under two pounds so easily travels with your firearm
Mechanical: Eliminates worries that an electronic lock might not release in an emergency
Self-Defense TRAINING
PREPPING FOR A TWO-WAY BATTLE (PART ONE)
Tactical Anatomy Summit focuses on how critical body parts shift in fight.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
In my four decades of attending various firearms training schools, the pattern I have observed is that instructors generally teach their students to engage a target – this is a one-way fight where the student is the victor, depending on how well they can shoot –rather than train for a gunfight, which is a two-way proposition.
In his book Counter Ambush, Rob Pincus best defines a gunfight as a dynamic critical incident. While it sounds like technical jargon, the very specific terminology means a very specific thing. A dynamic critical incident has three components: it is surprising, chaotic and threatening.
Tactical
Two case studies we can learn from are the classic Gunfight at the OK Corral, which happened on October 26, 1881, and the Miami FBI Shootout on April 11, 1986. Two gunfights, 105 years apart. What are the common denominators of both incidents?
LET’S EXAMINE OUR first case study, the
Gunfight at the OK Corral (the Miami FBI Shootout will be covered in part two next month). This event took place in a narrow lot that was 15 to 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, with eight men facing off against each other.
The most interesting thing about this gunfight is the so-called manly calibers used, including pistol calibers .45 Long
Colt and .44 Special, and a 10-gauge shotgun filled with double 00 buck shot, which has 18 pellets with a density of 11.35 grams per cubic centimeter. When the gunfight ensued, it was certainly surprising, chaotic and threatening. Both parties fired a total of 30 rounds in 30 seconds with damaging results on both sides; however, it is
At
Anatomy Summit courses, firearms instructors teach "the principles of medically based three-dimensional target firearms training."
SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING
important to note that not one person died immediately from gunshot wounds.
The combatants were Frank McLaury, his younger brother Tom McLaury, Ike Clanton, and his younger brother Billy Clanton. They were part of a gang called the Cowboys. The lawmen were the wellknown Earp brothers, Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan. Accompanying them was the infamous Doc Holliday.
As the melee began, Wyatt Earp aimed his gun at Frank McLaury, as he knew he was the best shot in the bunch. Both Frank and Billy Clanton fired at once. Wyatt’s aim was accurate enough to hit Frank in the abdomen. Billy shot at Wyatt, but his bullet went to the right of him. Although grievously wounded, Frank was able to return fire and shoot Virgil Earp in the right calf, putting him down to the ground.
Meanwhile, Billy prepared for a second shot at Wyatt. Ike Clanton bolted toward Wyatt and grabbed Wyatt’s gun, causing it to discharge accidentally. Ike begged Wyatt not to shoot him, but Wyatt had the presence of mind to realize that Ike did not have a gun. Wyatt told him to get to fighting or get away. This incident caused Billy to hesitate, and Morgan Earp took the opportunity to fire at Billy, hitting him in the abdomen and slamming the 19-year-old back against the wooden wall of the house; however, Billy managed to keep shooting. Virgil struggled to his feet and aimed at
Frank, but Frank hid behind a horse, so Virgil could not get a clean shot at him. At this time, Billy was able to shoot and hit Morgan in one shoulder as the bullet exited the other.
Tom McLaury, meanwhile, was hiding behind his horse attempting to get his rifle out of its scabbard. Wyatt shot at the horse, nicking it and causing it to rear, which gave Doc Holliday the opportunity to shoot both barrels of his 10-gauge shotgun, hitting Tom under the armpit and mortally wounding him. Doc then threw down the shotgun and drew his pistol out to continue the gunfight.
The final standoff was between Doc and Frank, a moment made infamous by the film Tombstone, in which Frank says, “I’ve got you now,” and Doc replies, “You’re a daisy if you do.” At that moment, three shots rang out simultaneously. Frank’s round grazed Doc in his hip, while Doc’s round missed Frank, and Morgan, though badly injured, was able to fire one well-placed round, hitting Frank near his right ear and killing him instantly.
Thirty rounds, 30 seconds, three dead, three seriously wounded, and all shooting was done at close range with powerful calibers. So why wasn’t the fight ended much sooner? It has to do with wound ballistics and shot placement.
MUCH OF WHAT we know about the gunfight comes from Dr. George Emory Goodfellow, a town physician
renowned for his expertise in treating gunshot wounds. He achieved several medical milestones throughout his career, including performing the first documented laparotomy for an abdominal gunshot wound. Dr. Goodfellow also pioneered the use of spinal anesthesia and sterile techniques for treating gunshot wounds. He is considered to be the first civilian trauma surgeon.
Having treated everyone, lawmen and outlaws alike, wounded at the Gunfight at the OK Corral, his testimony would absolve the Earps and Holliday of murder charges. Dr. Goodfellow was also the doctor who later worked on Virgil’s arm after he was ambushed by three men who shot him with shotgun blasts. Virgil would be disabled for life. He also treated Morgan after he was shot in the right side of the abdomen, the bullet passing through the spinal column completely shattering it and emerging on the left side; however, Morgan would die from his wounds.
What we have learned about gunshot wounds is that they are penetrating injuries caused by projectiles, either shot by pistols, rifles or shotguns. The damage these projectiles cause includes bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection and the loss of the ability to move part of the body. The damage depends on the part of the body that is hit by the bullet and the type and
The Gunfight at the OK Corral took place in a narrow lot, with eight men facing off against each other. Thirty rounds were fired in 30 seconds with damaging results on both sides, though nobody died immediately as a result of initial gunshot wounds.
SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING
speed of the bullet. In the most severe cases, injury can be fatal.
Long-term complications from gunshot wounds include bowel obstruction, failure to thrive, neurogenic bladder, paralysis, recurrent cardiorespiratory distress and pneumothorax, hypoxic brain injury leading to early dementia, amputations, chronic pain and pain with light touch (hyperalgesia), deep venous thrombosis with pulmonary embolus, limb swelling, and lead poisoning.
Although this topic is so important to everyone who carries a firearm for their protection, it is hardly ever discussed.
THIS PAST APRIL, I went to Nashville, Tennessee, for what I believe was one of the best firearms training events I have taken in my 40-year career – the two-day Tactical Anatomy Summit.
The summit featured a collection of seasoned military and law enforcement personnel instructors with plenty of
gunfighting experience of their own. It also included lessons from several emergency responding tactical doctors who not only have worked in the emergency room treating gunshot wounds, but also serve or have served with local and federal special weapons and tactics teams as entry personnel for their respective SWAT teams.
The class began with a video conference call with Dr. James S. Williams, who started the tactical anatomy movement nationwide.
Tactical anatomy focuses on knowing the locations of vital structures in the human body and how they shift based on the angle of engagement. Your opponent won’t always stand still in optimal conditions, so understanding these dynamics is crucial.
Summit topics included the anatomy zones of effective neutralization of the threat (we’ll delve more into that subject later), lessons learned in the emergency room about gunshot wounds, how
to be your own lifesaver, ballistic performance of popular handgun defensive calibers, a 3D approach to defensive shooting, and more.
The primary reason for carrying a firearm is to protect oneself and loved ones from the immediate danger of serious injury or death. Responding effectively to such threats requires eliminating them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Therefore, being highly proficient with firearms and understanding the critical anatomical targets that will swiftly neutralize the threat is essential.
Next month, we will continue with part two of the Tactical Anatomy Summit, starting with a discussion of the Miami FBI Shootout.★
Editor’s note: Author Paul Pawela is a nationally recognized firearms and self-defense expert. For his realistic self-defense training, see assaultcountertactics.com.
DESIGNED FOR SUMMER CARRY
Thunderwear’s versatile holsters work well in hot climates, and for travelers and their valuables.
PHOTOS BY THUNDERWEAR HOLSTERS
When it comes to concealed carry, owners typically have to dress around their holster.
The bulkier the holster, the bulkier the clothing. But in the heat of summer, this can pose a problem. That is where Thunderwear Holsters comes in. Thunderwear was designed by a concealed carry permit holder wanting to be able to wear less clothing and still be able to carry concealed.
“Residing in Florida, it was too hot to always wear long pants to cover an ankle holster or a jacket to cover a shoulder holster,” explains Amanda Thomas, owner of Thunderwear Holsters. “It was also bothersome to always have to wear a belt to carry the weight of the weapon when clipping a
holster to the waistband of your pants. The concept of Thunderwear was born.”
Thunderwear is designed with a stretchable waistband for a snug fit and is completely free-standing of your clothing, so you do not have to rely on a
belt to handle the weight of your weapon.
“With the waist strap being anchored to the center point of your body, the weight of the weapon is distributed evenly and after just minutes of wearing, the weight of the weapon is
Thunderwear’s standard and combo models.
Thunderwear Holsters offers essential everyday concealed carry, without clothing restrictions.
no longer felt by the individual carrying,” says Thomas. “The Thunderwear holster will provide you with the freedom to wear what you want without any clothing restrictions.”
The Thunderwear Classic Style Holster is their best seller. The Classic style is ambidextrous and can be worn in any position around the hips – front, side or back. It features a left- and right-side pocket, one for your weapon and the other to carry extra mags. Pocket sizes range from small to large to accommodate weapon lengths from a Micro .380 to a full-size 6-inch barrel.
“Thunderwear is also available in a Combo style, which is the same as the Classic but also has a large pocket behind the weapon pocket where you can carry cash or valuables,” adds Thomas. “We’ve had many people purchase the holster not for concealed carry but for traveling, where they will carry their passport, credentials and valuables safely and not be available to a pickpocket thief.”
While Thunderwear products have a 60-day money back guarantee, Thomas promises you will love it once you try it.
“We all have a drawer full of holsters that we can wear with certain outfits or during certain seasons,” she says. “Try the holster that may eliminate the need for all those other holsters.” ★
Editor’s note: Visit thunderwearholsters.com for more info.
CLINGER HOLSTERS
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Clinger’s IWB Hinge Holster melts into your waist. Their Hinge Tab flexes, crushing hot spots and killing print, allowing for all-day comfort. The rugged shell utilizes Clinger Holsters’ Core System, adapting to your needs quickly. Carry in virtually any spot, any style – comfort stays locked in all day.
HOLSTER GALLERY
EXODUS GUNLEATHER
exodusgunleather.com
Crafted from horse hide and premium exotic leather, the Illusion combines rugged durability with refined elegance. Handcrafted for precision fit and long-lasting wear, it offers secure firearm retention and unmatched style. Ideal for the barbeque or everyday carry, it’s a standout piece that blends function with luxury.
TRIPLE K MFG.
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Featuring a dual over-theshoulders harness system that provides balance, comfort and maximum retention, Triple K’s innovative chest plate design allows for holster angle adjustment that best meets your style of carry. Adjustable holster angles allow for canted 45-degree-, horizontal- and vertical-style carry. Rugged and reliable with easy-to-personalize adjustments for all torso sizes. Constructed of premium saddle-grade vegetable tanned leather, solid brass rings and Chicago screws that are resistant to the most diverse elements. Havana brown color. MSRP: $310.
HENRY HOLSTERS
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The Cipher is a slim, ambidextrous holster designed around compatibility with both Discreet Carry Concepts clips and the PHLster Enigma system. It features an open muzzle, a symmetrical, ambi midheight sweatguard, and generous clearance for optics and suppressor-height sights mounted to your Glock.
HOLSTER GALLERY
GEAR FOR PATRIOTS
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This premium holster features leather and exotic trim and is fully customizable to fit various handguns, including models with optics. Combining durability, style and precision fit, it offers secure retention and a refined appearance – perfect for those who demand both function and distinctive craftsmanship in their carry gear.
MERNICKLE HOLSTERS
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Discover the AlphaMag Holster – the perfect balance of security and accessibility. With its Magnetic Retention Assist, the AlphaMag provides an extra layer of hold to help keep your firearm in place while ensuring a smooth, effortless draw when you need it.
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Thunderwear is the ultimate concealed carry holster designed for maximum comfort and minimal clothing. Worn discreetly inside the waistband, it lets you carry securely without belts or bulky layers. Ideal for active lifestyles, offering perfect concealment with total freedom to dress how you want – no compromise, just comfort and security.
MAKING THE CUT
THE KNIVES OF TACTICAL ANATOMY SUMMIT INSTRUCTORS
A pair of medics detail what they look for in a blade, and why.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
have stated previously in this column that when it comes to self-defense with a knife, the legal aftermath is just as important as the lethal aftermath. Too many times, I have witnessed cases where tactical knife trainers’ subject matter has led to disastrous outcomes in a court of law. Take, for example, the person who used a knife for self-defense in what they believed was a justified manner. Instead of being found not guilty for their actions, they wound up with felony manslaughter convictions. This is why it is imperative to understand your trainer’s background and knowledge thoroughly.
II just finished attending the Tactical Anatomy Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, and I would like to provide you with a different perspective on the subject – one that, to my knowledge, has never been presented. That is, knives as self-defense tools from the viewpoint of tactical surgeons.
WE’LL START WITH Dr. Troy Miller, who retired after a 30-year career in emergency medicine and a 20-year career in law enforcement, where he spent almost 10 of those years as a
tactical medic for both the Tyler, Texas, Police Department and Smith County, Texas, SWAT team. Miller is certified as a tactical EMS by the Counter-Narcotics and Tactical Operations Medical Support program.
Miller holds multiple instructor certifications, including tactical anatomy shooting with X-ray vision instructor, range master defensive shotgun instructor, and Basic, Advanced Master and Professional Pistol craft firearms instructor. He has a famous quote you might want to post somewhere: “Pistols don’t work. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice or three times.”
Miller’s choice of knife carry is the Spyderco Ronin, designed by Michael Janich. Miller appreciates the forward choil, which enhances control of the tip and is similar to an 11-inch-blade scalpel that he prefers for opening an airway during a cricothyrotomy. The
Attending a recent firearms training clinic gave author Paul Pawela a chance to hear medics’ perspectives on knives for a range of applications. The Spyderco Ronin was the choice of one doctor.
MAKING THE CUT
blade is crafted from Carpenter CTS BD1, a vacuum-melted stainless steel that is highly corrosion-resistant and holds an excellent edge. Its Wharncliffe design with deep hollow-ground bevels create a perfectly straight cutting edge. This enables the knife to cut with full power all the way to the point while leaving its spine thick and strong.
The knife has a very positive grip and is easily concealable. I carried one of these knives for years until a friend expressed interest in one while working in personal protection. Naturally, I gave the Ronin to my friend. After attending the recent NRA Show, my first stop was the Spyderco booth, where I bought another Ronin for myself!
The other knife Miller was carrying around his neck was the Benchmade Model 5 Rescue Hook knife, highlighting the importance of combining the three most essential tools a paramedic would need. It could be used to cut seat belts in a car accident call, serve as an oxygen tank valve wrench, and function as a bottle cap lifter to grab a beer at the end of the shift. Miller emphasized that this tool has gutted many deer because it also works flawlessly as a gut hook.
The Benchmade Model 5 Rescue Hook knife features a single-piece 440C stainless steel construction with a nonreflective finish. The safety tip cutting hook includes a 0 5-inch opening finger hole. The handle of the Benchmade knife has a positive finger that treads along the spine for a secure
grip and includes a lanyard hole. The knife is approximately 2.9 inches long and weighs about 1.2 ounces.
THE NEXT PHYSICIAN who spoke at the Tactical Anatomy Summit was Dr. Andy Anderson, MD. He is a professor of emergency medicine at a Level 1 trauma center in Jackson, Mississippi. Anderson has participated in clinical emergency medicine for the last 21 years. He serves as a deputy in the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, in Mississippi, and previously worked as a special agent for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and as a tactical physician for the AMR Tactical Response Team. Before attending tactical medical school, Anderson worked as an EMT and later as a paramedic for Metro Ambulance Service in Lauderdale County. He is a member of the National Tactical Officers Association and
the Mississippi Tactical Officers Association and has served as a medical standby for numerous law enforcement agencies. He has been treating gunshot wounds for over 30 years. Anderson is also one of the top tactical shooting instructors in the country, as he just completed the FBI Firearms Instructor School.
Anderson’s thoughts on carrying knives are fascinating. Here’s what he had to say:
“Growing up in Mississippi, carrying a knife was as natural for a boy as owning a baseball and a glove. My grandmother of all people gave me my first knife. She called it a pen knife, though in hindsight it resembled a nail file more than any true blade and it was about as sharp. The first real lesson I learned about knives came from my father. He taught me that I needed two knives, a good knife and a work knife. The good knife was for when I needed
Dr. Troy Miller shows the point of the Ronin blade and demonstrates how he holds the knife. He also displays how he carries his firearm and knife around his waist for easy access.
Benchmade’s Model 5 Rescue Hook knife.
MAKING THE CUT
a razor-sharp edge, and the work knife, well, that was the utility knife used to open boxes, scrape, pry and even, when necessary, act as a substitute screwdriver. For years I carried both, seeing them simply as tools, not as defensive weapons.”
“That mindset shifted after working first as a paramedic and then later as an ER doctor at a Level 1 trauma center. I saw firsthand that bad things happen to good people who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another reality that hit me when I earned those two letters behind my name, MD –suddenly in the eyes of someone, I wasn’t just a doctor, I was a target. Some folks don’t see a person anymore; they see a dollar sign. There’s a myth that all doctors are rich. I even went back and checked the back of my diploma to be sure there wasn’t $1 million.”
“Realizing I needed to be prepared to protect myself and my family, I became
serious about self-defense. I took firearms training, beginning with Tom Gibbons of Rangemaster. It was through Rangemaster’s TacCon gathering of instructors from around the country that I found myself in my first defensive knife class. When the instructor asked, ‘Who carries a knife?’ every hand in the room shot up. It was a defensive knife class, after all. ‘How many of you carry your knife on the same side as your gun?’ Again, most hands stayed up. Then came the epiphany: ‘If you can’t get to your weapon, how can you get to your knife?’”
“That single question reframed how I thought about knives forever – knives as defensive tools more than a backup. During the course, I learned several critical advantages knives offer for selfdefense: Knives don’t jam or run out of ammunition; collateral damage risk is far lower – no overpenetration or stray rounds; in many jurisdictions knives are less restricted and often don’t require permits; knives are easier to carry concealed; they are lighter, smaller and less likely to print; (and) in closequarters knives can be faster, more effective than firearms.”
Dr. Andy Anderson displays how he places his firearm and knife so that they are on opposite sides of his body. That way, in case he is unable to retrieve his gun, he may still be able to reach his knife.
Anderson’s blade choice is the Toor Knives Jank Shank. (TOOR KNIVES)
“I left that class on a mission to find a knife I could deploy rapidly with my left hand, in case my right hand was disabled or tied up. While searching for the right blade, I tried various folding knives with flipper devices, only to discover that my left hand had little dexterity, which wasn’t ideal. I experimented with automatic knives, but almost all the designs were designed for right-handed use. Trying to find a tiny deployment button with my left index finger under stress was frustratingly slow.”
“Then I discovered Craig Douglas of ShivWorks ECQC (Extreme Close Quarter Concepts). Craig’s concept methodology made a considerable impression, to carry a fixed blade midline forward of the hips. This setup allows you to draw with either hand, dramatically reducing deployment time and complexity, plus there’s no fumbling with open mechanisms when time is measured in fractions of a second.”
“Where am I today? Over the years, I’ve tested many different setups. Today, I carry Toor Knives, the Jank Shank model, a sturdy, compact fixed-blade design specifically for concealment and quick deployment. It’s sharp, simple and rugged. Everything I needed when I was a boy – opening boxes and prying open stubborn lids – is what I need now as an adult, (and I’m) prepared to defend myself if the need arises.”
Medical knowledge and tactical knife lethality – these tactical anatomy instructors make the cut! ★
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
THE MRE, REFINED
Essential Provisions serves up ready-to-eat meals and drinks that pack energy – and taste good while doing so.
STORY BY JASON BROOKS • PHOTOS BY ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS
aving served my time in the Marine Corps, as well as in combat, I have had my fair share of Meals, Ready-toEat. Most are palatable, especially when you throw in some of the Tabasco sauce and pepper that comes in the pack.
HThere are also a few different types of MREs. There are the basic ones that everyone gets in boot camp, during field training and on deployment. But what some people do not know is that there are also cold-weather MREs, which pack double the calories of a regular MRE, and then there are humanitarian daily rations, or HDRs. These are the MREs we provide civilians when deployed overseas to garner friendship and support, and they are the cream of the crop when it comes to MREs.
In my time in the military, when a new box of MREs was opened, the first marine to visit the box usually got their choice of the primo entrees to pick from (heavy on the sarcasm here). There were some MREs that were avoided like the plague because, quite frankly, they tasted like a deadly disease. I believe that in dealing with these MREs, I gained the ability to not only eat food cold, but also to ignore the flavor profile, as the most important factor was getting sustenance in my body to have the energy to continue whatever field training or mission I was on at the time.
One would think that MREs would be designed with top athletic nutrition in mind to keep our warriors’ bellies full and allow us to go for hours without having to worry about
refueling, but alas, that really was not how it played out. I remember during combat operations in Iraq, our unit was moving so quickly across the battlefield that we were reduced to one MRE and one bottle of water per day. Now, if you are just sitting around not doing much, it would be easy, but we were in full battle rattle and moving with great speed. Luckily, most of us had extra provisions like beef jerky and protein bars to get us through the day. But coming back to eating only one MRE a day, there really was not enough nutrients to provide a solid fuel source to last for hours.
ENTER ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS, a company that specializes in nutrient-dense whole food products and functional meals designed as a sustainable field expedient food that provides enough nutrients to sustain a person on the move.
Essential Provisions was founded and created by Robin Gentry McGee, who developed this nutrition line through a personal tragedy. Her father hit his head in a slip-and-fall accident that left him in a coma. Noticing a need for his nutritional health and recovery, McGee created an organic formula with healing properties that she fed her father, which ultimately saved his life. Realizing the power of food as a fuel and medicine source for the body sent McGee on an eight-year journey to bring her formula to the world.
When I was introduced to Essential Provisions at the 2025 SHOT Show, I was immediately intrigued by their products. I arranged a test and
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
evaluation and was sent a few boxes of their meals, as well as their energy drinks. Their Field Fuel line features a variety of meals that include a delectable bison stew, bison chili and a vegetarian option as well. Their Sustain High-Performance Energy Blend drinks feature multiple different flavors, including salted vanilla almond and raspberry mint.
THE ONLY WAY I could properly test their products was to use myself as a guinea pig and try eating some before work. One of the jobs I have is as an executive protection agent with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and those shifts can be daunting. A typical day is nine hours long and it is spent on my feet the entire time. No breaks, no thrills, and always on alert.
OK, I know some of you are thinking, “So what? I work longer days than that.” Well, I get that, which is why I’ll tell you that I also do private executive protection work and those days can last 30 hours straight, so I am using the nine-hour day to seem more relatable.
So back to my workday … Thanks to the Essential Provisions meal, I was able to get through the shift without feeling hungry or hitting that lull around hour six when my body just wants to shut down and quit.
I also tested their Field Fuel on the range when I was teaching firearms classes. Yes, I am a tactical firearms instructor as well, and some of you readers might know that standing on the range, running your suck (i.e., talking) and demonstrating drills can really take a toll on your energy levels. A seven-hour range day can feel like an eternity, especially if you are hungry. As a solo instructor, there are not a lot of opportunities to sit back and chill when you have a class of firebreathers wanting to learn more about shooting.
My most recent test of Essential Provisions products came when I was
filming the fourth season of the TV series Surviving Mann. Production days are extremely long, as my day started around 0500 and ended around 2000. Giving my body the proper nutrition and fuel from Essential Provisions allowed me to continue on my mission all day long.
Whether you are hunting, fishing, hiking, working or out for a long ride on the Harley, I highly recommend this product and encourage you to check them out at essentialprovisions.com. ★
Editor’s note: Author Jason Brooks is a combat medically retired marine, force recon hand-to-hand instructor, counterterrorism instructor trainer, recognized national law enforcement trainer, active personal protection specialist and co-owner of Assault Counter Tactics. Visit assaultcountertactics.com for more.
Crafted with respect for the animal and the environment, the Bison Stew is made from whole foods and provides a hearty meal to keep you going. Each serving delivers powerful flavor, high-quality protein and more than enough energy to keep you going.
For hunters, fishermen, hikers or other active outdoor users who need nutritious, convenient meals without sacrificing quality, Essential Provisions offers a solution that fits seamlessly into tight schedules. (JASON BROOKS)
RECALLING MANHUNT FOR MARATHON BOMBERS
Terrorist brothers on the run for days before their death, capture.
STORY BY NICK PERNA • PHOTOS COURTESY OF CNN
very now and then I learn about a law enforcement operation and really wish I could have been a part of it. I recently watched a documentary on the search for the Boston Marathon bombers, and it really hit home.
EOn April 15, 2013, three people were killed and 260 others were injured when two homemade, pressure cooker bombs went off at the Boston Marathon. The suspects were two brothers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The two were originally from Chechnya and became self-radicalized Muslim extremists after their parents moved them to Massachusetts.
After the bombing, the brothers fled the area and then went on a violent crime spree. They ambushed and killed Sean Collier, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer. Then, on April 18, they carjacked an uninvolved person, Danny Meng. Meng was eventually able to escape.
The Tsarnaevs then fled to Watertown, Massachusetts. And, I am happy to report, this is where their story ends. This is also the part I wish I could have been there for.
THE VEHICLE THEY stole had a GPS tracking device, which allowed investigators to keep tabs on its location. The GPS tracker showed that the suspects were in the vicinity of Watertown.
On April 19, Watertown police
The Tsarnaev brothers, Tamerlan (top) and Dzhokhar, were responsible for the terrorist attack at the 2013 Boston Marathon, in which three people died and 260 others were injured. Author Nick Perna credits local and state officers, as well as federal agents, who apprehended the criminals – and says he wishes he could have been a part of the capture.
officers pursued the two suspects and ended up getting in a shootout with them. The Tsarnaevs shot at officers and even threw a pressure cooker bomb at them. Both suspects had been shot multiple times. The terrorists eventually ran out of ammo and the elder brother was tackled by a brave officer and momentarily taken into custody.
In a bizarre turn of events, the younger brother Dzhokhar then used the stolen
SUV to run over the elder Tamerlan, presumably to prevent him from being arrested. The follow-up investigation never confirmed whether or not Dzhokhar intentionally struck his brother, but all evidence points to it being an intentional act. Tamerlan died at a local hospital from his gunshot wounds and from being sucked up into the wheel well and dragged over 20 feet by little brother.
Dzhokhar abandoned the stolen SUV and fled on foot, hiding in a boat in a Watertown resident’s backyard. Thousands of cops from Massachusetts and elsewhere converged on the scene to find him. In a delicious bit of irony, it was three Boston cops who were alerted to his location by the owner of the boat.
In the fog of battle, it was believed that he was still armed and responding officers, not willing to take any more chances, fired at Dzhokhar when he tried to escape from the boat. He exited the boat and was then taken into custody. Among his injuries were a fractured skull and a gunshot wound to the face. He was sentenced for his crimes and is currently sitting on death row.
There are too many brave officers to mention who were involved in the apprehension of these two terrorists. From local and state cops to federal law enforcement officers, it was truly a team effort.
It was a great operation and I wish I could have been a part of it. Boston Strong! ★
Editor’s note: Author Nick Perna served for more than 24 years with the Redwood City Police Department in Northern California before his recent retirement. He previously served as a paratrooper in the US Army and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also has a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. He is a frequent contributor to multiple print and online forums on topics related to law enforcement, firearms, tactics and veterans issues.
DEADLY AIM IN VIETNAM'S JUNGLES
Marine Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills over two tours of duty.
STORY BY PAUL PAWELA
n the Hollywood blockbuster movie Troy, there’s an iconic scene where the mythological war hero Achilles, played by Brad Pitt, is informed that he is to fight the Trojan champion, a giant of a warrior. The young messenger tells Achilles, “The Thessalonian you’re fighting, he’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t want to fight him.”
IMILITARY SPOTLIGHT
Achilles responds, “That’s why no one will remember your name.”
In other words, one can either be a nobleman willing to risk his life in battle to save others, or be a toiling peasant or messenger whom no one will ever remember because of a lack of bravery. Ancient war heroes are no different than today’s heroes.
Individuals who have done anything worthwhile in life are willing to take risks, face challenges and stand up to their fears. Their actions make them better and enrich the lives of everyone they touch.
THIS DESCRIBES LEGENDARY American sniper Carlos Norman Hathcock II perfectly. Hathcock, a United States Marine Corps sniper, officially had a service record of 93 confirmed kills while serving in Vietnam, but it is rumored that he may have exceeded the official count. And it wasn’t just the number of enemies that Hathcock took out that made him legendary, but the remarkable details of the missions he undertook to engage them.
Like many of the legends who went before him, Hathcock started shooting and hunting at an early age. This was necessary to help feed his poor family. Often, Hathcock would go into the woods with his dog and pretend to be a soldier. He would hunt imaginary soldiers with a German Mauser, which his father, a veteran of two wars, brought back from World War II. The young Hathcock hunted with a .22-caliber Stevens model 15-A single-shot rifle.
Hathcock had long dreamed of becoming a marine and eventually enlisted in his cherished corps. He established himself as an extraordinary shooting champion long before his service in Vietnam. He won two major long-distance shooting competitions at Camp Perry and the Wimbledon Cup.
In 1966, Hathcock began his deployment in the Vietnam War as a military policeman and later became a sniper after Captain Edward James Lamb encouraged the Marines to raise snipers in every platoon. Major Jim Land subsequently recruited Marines who had
Carlos Hathcock at work in the fields of Vietnam. He served in the Marine Corps from 1959 to 1979, reaching the rank of gunnery sergeant. (U.S. MARINE CORPS)
Carlos Hathcock, 1959. (FROM THE CARLOS HATHCOCK COLLECTION (COLL/5613) AT THE ARCHIVES BRANCH, MARINE CORPS HISTORY DIVISION)
MILITARY SPOTLIGHT
set their own records in sharpshooting and quickly discovered that Hathcock had won the Wimbledon Cup and the most prestigious prize for long-range shooting at Camp Perry in 1965
AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, Hathcock’s achievements in Vietnam were more impressive than simply his number of kills. Hathcock had to overcome numerous challenges posed by the jungle environment; it was not just humans who were a danger, but the jungle itself, which was thick with vegetation and subject to constant torrential downpours.
Due to its thickness, navigating through the jungle was nearly impossible, and the wildlife posed
a menacing threat because of the dangerous creatures that lived there.
The jungle teemed with man-eating tigers and a variety of poisonous snakes.
On one particular mission, Hathcock was pursuing a Viet Cong general deep
behind enemy lines. Hathcock crawled over 1,500 yards, and it took him more than four days and three nights to get into a position to take the shot. During that stalk, he was lying still in the brush when a venomous bamboo viper crawled over him. It was a miracle he was not bitten. Hathcock was able to accomplish the mission by shooting the general in the chest, killing him instantly.
On another of Hathcock’s missions, he was pursuing a snake of a different sort. This operation occurred southwest of Da Nang, where Hathcock was tracking a sniper known only as Cobra, who had already killed several marines. Cobra was believed to have been sent by Hathcock’s enemies specifically to eliminate him.
As he and his spotter were stalking Cobra, Hathcock saw a reflection of what he suspected was a scope from a rifle in the bushes. He took aim and fired at the reflection, believing it to be the scope of an enemy sniper. When Hathcock and his spotter went to confirm the kill, they found that the shot had gone through the lens of the enemy sniper’s scope. The bullet passed through the scope, hitting the enemy in the eye and through the head. Startled, Hathcock’s spotter said that to make that shot, the enemy sniper must have had a bead and sight alignment on Hathcock, but what saved him was that he was quicker to pull the trigger.
Hathcock was a man of action and one of the greatest snipers in US history. Much like Achilles, his name will forever be remembered for his bravery and legendary heroics.
★
Hathcock with son Carlos III, 1965. (FROM THE CARLOS HATHCOCK COLLECTION (COLL/5613) AT THE ARCHIVES BRANCH, MARINE CORPS HISTORY DIVISION)
A Hathcock-signed sniper rifle (bottom). He primarily used a Winchester M70 in .30-06 but is also associated with the M40 Remington 700 in .308. (COLLECTORS FIREARMS)
BLACK POWDER
CONSISTENCY TAKES PRACTICE
Bouts of poor marksmanship remind a black powder fan that the entire shooting process matters.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
Consistency in shooting most certainly takes practice. While that might be a very general statement, I do have specific experiences to talk about, especially when it comes to black powder shooting.
With muzzleloading rifles, that consistency begins at loading the gun. In order to get consistent performance from the rifle,
it must be loaded the same way each time. That includes how much pressure is applied to the bullet when seating it down on top of the powder. Consistent loading is simply the foundation for consistent firing, with barrel time and bullet velocities as close together as we can get them.
The rifle I’ve recently been using is my “Trailblazer” – a .50-caliber Lancaster-style rifle built from a Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading
(tvmnatchez.com) kit. For my 25-yard load, I always use a .490-inch ball wrapped in a .015-inch patch, over just 45 grains of GOEX 3Fg powder. At a recent match, I started shooting on the crow target and my score was very low. I was not seating the patched ball as well as I should have been. For the next target, the ramrod was bounced on the ball to be sure it was completely down on the powder, and that helped. That next target was the four-leaf clover, in respect to the
Author Mike Nesbitt’s .50-caliber – nicknamed “Trailblazer” –shows off improved accuracy with a tight, five-shot group on the cloverleaf after he made adjustments to how he loaded the rifle.
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Ten shots with a Postell-style bullet at 100 yards cut a jagged line on a target, a real improvement after the author struggled to hit paper with 480-grain grease-groove bullets.
Irish, and while I got only three scoring hits, my group was quite pleasing. I’ll try to remember to consistently bounce the ramrod from now on.
BLACK POWDER CARTRIDGE rifles must also be loaded with consistency before they can shoot well. The situation that I’ll describe now involves my fairly new Sharps in .45-70 caliber, made by C. Sharps Arms (csharpsarms .com). The rifle itself is a dandy and it has one of the Montana Vintage Arms (montanavintagearms.com) 10x scopes mounted on it. The 1½ Heavy 28-inch barrel gives it some good heft and the custom tube, made by Jim Carpenter, has a rate of twist at 1 turn in 18 inches. That's more at home for heavy bullets, but I wanted to shoot lighter-weight bullets to help keep the recoil down.
Anyway, that’s the rifle I was using in a recent silhouette match, along with ammo that was loaded with 480-grain grease-groove bullets. For some reason, the rifle does not like those bullets, but
I wanted to use it, so that bullet was tried over various amounts and kinds of powders. None of those changes worked well at all and in the end, my final match score was just one hit out of 40 shots for score. That single hit was with my last shot of the day. Something had to be done!
Shooting with those bullets was simply inconsistent. One shot would miss to the left and the next shot would miss to the right, or high or low. Just all over the place. I addressed everything I could think of, from the bullet’s diameter and proper lubrication to the seating depth in the case. Nothing worked. Then I tried a heavier bullet, Lyman’s No. 457132. A batch of those Postell-style bullets was cast, using a 30:1 lead:tin alloy, sized to .459 inch, lubed with a Paul Matthewsrecommended mixture, and loaded over 63 grains of compressed Swiss 1½ Fg powder. Ten of those were shot from the bench at 100 yards and I will say they grouped very consistently.
That target could be scored in the high 90s with several Xs. And that was my very first try with those bullets in this rifle. Those Postell bullets will be used again, you can bet on that.
CONSISTENCY IN LOADING shows good results with percussion revolvers too. Lately I’ve done a lot of shooting with a Uberti copy of the 1851 Colt Navy Model in .36 caliber with the 5-inch barrel. When ramming the ball down over the powder with the loading lever, it is rather easy to seat the ball with the same effort every time. With 22 grains of Olde Eynsford 2F powder and the 375-inch round ball, it is very accurate. I added a new front sight to the barrel and tuned it with a nice trigger pull and have done a lot of shooting with it, with winning scores.
That .36 Navy was used perhaps too much because when I went back to using my Uberti copy of the S&W New Model Number 3 Frontier, I was all over the paper on the target, both
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above and below the bull’s-eye. Let me admit that I seem to take pride in my revolver shooting. On our club’s black powder trail walk – the revolver match held at Buffalo Camp – we have 10 targets at unspecified distances, which has proven to be a challenge for all shooters. So far, I’m the only one of our “buffalo hunters” who has aced the revolver trail. You might think I’m just bragging to say that. Instead of bragging, I’m just saying that while I still can because another shooter – and we have more than enough good six-gunners in our events – will ace that trail and I won’t have that distinction to claim anymore.
JUST RECENTLY, A group of us was out shooting on the trail and I carried my 44 Russian with the idea of getting some practice at those 10 targets. To my own dismay and total surprise, I missed
the first target, which is generally considered to be somewhat easy. That apparently set the pace for the day because after my 10th shot was fired, I had missed at least half of the targets.
On one of those missed shots, Mike Holeman was standing close enough to me that he saw the bullet hit high, just over the back of the antelope silhouette that I had shot at. That was good information and I thanked him for “spotting the shot” for me, in addition to remarking how that high shot showed that I was not gripping the revolver tight enough. By not holding tight enough, the gun’s recoil elevated the muzzle quicker and farther, sending the shot high.
At that point, I realized that I had been shooting my favorite little .36 Navy perhaps a little too exclusively. The .36 Navy, when shooting with the 80-grain round ball, is a very sweet gun to shoot. We might say that my shooting with the Navy model relaxed me too much for good shooting with the top-break .44 Russian. To put that thought into action, I tightened my grip on the gun and began making hits with a little more regularity.
BUT I NEEDED more practice, so when
Another good target, shot offhand with the .36 Navy and round ball ammo.
Nesbitt holds his top-break .44 Special, used with .44 Russian cartridges.
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the shooters left the trail, I headed to the pistol range and posted a bull’s-eye target at 10 yards, with the plan of taking 10 more shots while concentrating on a steady hold with a tight grip. This was just for practice and not in a match. And that practice target was a good one. My 10 shots scored a 100-5X with no bullets escaping from or beyond the 10-ring.
More practice like that will be done, most certainly, with a concentration on gripping the gun with the same firmness for every shot. When shooting – just like when preparing ammo – any difference can affect where a bullet will hit.
Consistency in shooting is dependent on many things – from the loading of the guns or the cartridges, to the placement of our feet while on the firing line. We must practice doing the same thing each time, for each gun and for each shot. Such consistency certainly takes practice, so join me, if you will, and we’ll try to watch our black powder scores increase and our groups tighten. ★
When the author held his pistol with a tighter grip, he was able to score a 10-shot 100-5X at 30 feet while shooting offhand.
