Category Archives: Shooting hardware

Rifles and their parts

A 2011 Out of Left Field: Bersa USA M2XI

April 29, 2026Product review, Shooting hardware2011, 9mm, bersa, bersa usa, m2xi, pistolcoldboremiracle

Intro

Bersa has been making firearms since 1958, perhaps the only well known manufacturer from the South American country Argentina. Bersa has manufactured a variety of handguns since its inception, but today we are looking at something very new from Bersa USA. And new seems to be the trend from the company, as new handguns, rifles, and even suppressors have recently become part of their offerings. Among these new products, is our topic for today: the Bersa USA M2XI. The M2XI is a 9mm double stack 1911 handgun, commonly referred to these days as a 2011. With many companies joining the trend of these types of pistols, I was somewhat surprised to see one from Bersa, and excited to get hands on it.

Bersa, Bersa usa, m2xi, 9mm, 2011, 1911, federal ammunition, Holosun, scs carry, red dot, — The Bersa M2Xi on the range, shooting **Federal Champion 115 grain**

The Bersa USA M2XI

I found this pistol while visiting the Bersa USA booth at SHOT Show 2026. As a bit of a 2011 fan, I had to get hands on one.

here you can see some of the M2Xi’s internal components, as well as it’s flared magwell

The M2XI uses many very familiar features for these guns. Like most other 2011 pistols, the M2XI has a polymer grip married to a steel frame. The double-stack magazines are compatible with most other 2011 options, and fit nicely into the textured polymer grip. The M2XI uses a traditional 1911 style grip safety, and has an extended beaver-tail to cover the hammer.

Bersa, Bersa usa, m2xi, 9mm, 2011, 1911, loading, magazine, magwell, surefire X300, — feeding from the **Mec-Gar magazines** was flawless

On top of the frame you will find a 416 stainless steel slide and barrel cut at 5-inches in length. The slide itself has cuts up front for gripping, as well as a rear grip area right under a Holosun K optics cut. A heavy profile ultra-match barrel shows through the slide cuts for those who like that look. The standard rear sight lines up nicely with a Tritium front sight easily seen through an optics as well.

Specifications

Bersa USA M2XI Specifications
Caliber	9mm Luger
Color	Black
Barrel Length	5-Inches
Action	Single Action only
Capacity	18/23 Plus One
Material	416 Stainless
Sights	Standard rear with Tritium front sight
Weight	30 Ounces
Finish	Nitride

Controlling the M2XI is done the same familiar way as other 1911/2011 pistols. Its single action operation is locked up with a dual manual safety on both sides of the frame. The slide release is located on the left-side for operating with the thumb, and it features an extended release. Making it easier to reach without breaking grip. A single mag release is located for thumb operation just behind the trigger guard.

A flat trigger is housed in the square shaped trigger guard, and in front of that you’ll find a picatinny accessory rail for mounting your favorite weapon light. I do like the full pic rail that allows you to mount a light wherever you see fit.

Unboxing the M2XI

Bersa’s M2XI comes in a nice Mission First Tactical soft pistol bag, including the typical manual, safety lock, and a couple extra Mec-Gar 18-round magazines. The soft case is a nice touch, giving a nice pistol a safe place to live and be transported.

The smooth lines on this pistol were immediately apparent. The nitride surface is very slick too, making the feel of this gun very nice. Drawing the slide gave the old familiar feeling that makes us keep coming back to this style of pistol. Its smooth operation and tight lockup felt fantastic, and only furthered my desire to get this gun on the range.

vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, reticle, holosun, scs, carry, holosun red dot, Bersa M2XI, EAA Girsan Witness 2311, 9mm, — the M2Xi next to my EAA 2311 4.25-inch

I like the aggressive texture of the grip, making the pistol easy to keep tightly policed in your hands. And while not heavy for a 2011 it is certainly not a lightweight pistol, so that grippy control is a good thing to have. At the bottom, the flared magwell aids in smooth reloads and has room enough for the large magazine extensions popular for these guns.

Mounting Accessories

I decided to mount a Holosun SCS carry optic, as it was the only available K footprint red dot I had at the moment. It dropped on the slide nicely, aligning perfectly with the recoil lugs. So with a touch of threadlocker I torqued the screws down. Everything lined up nicely, and I could easily see the iron sights right through the enclosed red dot.

Bersa, Bersa usa, m2xi, 9mm, 2011, 1911, meggar magazines, loading magazine, federal ammunition,

I use Safariland holsters for most purposes, and the M2XI fit perfectly in my 2011 holsters. They fit a bit loose without adding a weaponlight, and for that I added a Surefire X300. With everything attached, the pistol looked fantastic, and was ready to hit the range. I grabbed a few stacks of ammo, some PMC Bronze and some Federal Champion, both 115 grain loads.

Shooting the Bersa M2Xi

My first opportunity to shoot the M2Xi were indoors. I loaded up a few magazines and in a slow cadence I fired until the mags were empty. The trigger felt great, as good as most any production gun. Recoil was predictable, though my other 2011 pistols have compensators, and have less recoil. My first exchange with this gun went perfect, and only got me anxious to try again with more ammo.

Bersa, m2xi, 9mm, 2011, pistol, walkers game ear, razor slim muffs, holosun scs carry, surefire x300, shooting pistol at gun range with open valley and lake behind,

I have been shooting the M2Xi for over a month now, with various trips to the range. I have carried it daily as part of my gun belt, giving ample opportunities to draw and get plenty of handling practice. During the course of a typical day for me, I get lots of drawing and dryfire practice. As well as plenty of reloads.

Bersa, Bersa usa, m2xi, 9mm, 2011, 1911, holosun, SCS Carry, red dot, surefire X300, — the solar powered **Holosun SCS Carry red dot** was a good choice

That combined with a bunch of trips to the range to run ammo through this pistol have given me a great deal of familiarity with it. It wasn’t just me either, friends and family also jumped in to make sure the Bersa didn’t cool off.

Shootability

1911 pistols are well known for a near religious following. This is because of many things including the smooth reliability, grip angle, trigger pull and accuracy. 2011 pistols like the M2Xi inherited many of the same traits while actually improving other aspects. The double stack magazines that carry 9mm cartridges bring a big increase in capacity, with a very mild recoil impulse.

the Surefire X300 Weapon Light balanced the pistol nicely

The Bersa M2Xi is an excellent example of smooth and mild shooting. With its textured grip in your hand, it feels glued to your palm. And the large size of the grip gives plenty of room for even large hands to hold. Shooting 9mm cartridges out of a gun this size has some pretty modest recoil, allowing you to stay on target.

The clean trigger that makes these kinds of guns so popular feels great under the finger. Sharply aimed shots are placed accurately without a huge amount of focus needed. And the short reset of the trigger means you can run through targets both fast and accurately.

The slick Nitride surface of this gun makes it slippery, so I really appreciated the deep cuts in the slide for grip. And thank goodness they were wise enough to make an optics cut from the factory, such is becoming mandatory these days.

I really appreciated the extended slide release, as with most 1911’s I frequently need to break my grip in order to reach the slide release. With the M2Xi that wasn’t an issue.

Reliability

Feeding the M2Xi from the Mec-gar 18-round magazines went flawlessly. Because I also have other 2011 pistols, I tried using the 21-round Staccato magazines, as well as the 17-round Checkmate magazines. All of them ran perfectly, and through hundreds and hundreds of rounds now, I have yet to have any failures.

The internal extractor grips the case rims perfectly, and throws the cases well clear of the action.

Accuracy

With its heavy 5-inch Ultra-Match barrel, I was expecting great accuracy from the Bersa M2Xi.

this is a typical 10-shot group fired from 10 yards using the **Magtech 115 grain ammunition** groups were even better when shooting PMC Bronze

My expectations were met, as typical shot groups from the Bersa M2Xi were great. Not only did it pattern very tight, but I was able to hit targets much further away than I’d anticipated.

Ergonomics

Like all 2011 style pistols, the Bersa feels fantastic in the hand. You can really tell that this design has been perfected over its very long lifetime. And you can also understand why 1911 and 2011 pistols are still popular after all this time, despite very stiff competition.

The natural flow of this pistol as it comes from the holster and presented feels excellent. Disengaging the safety has become so natural that its second nature to remove as the gun comes on target. And putting it right back into safe as soon as it comes off target.

I love my **Safariland ALS holsters**, they fit the Bersa M2Xi perfectly

The traditional grip safety adds a level of security, which some folks might want considering this single action only handgun is designed to be carried with a hot chamber. The icing on the cake is the optics cut, allowing those of us addicted to red dots to stay that way. The narrow top of the slide does lend itself to the smaller footprint sizes like the Holosun K or RMSc optics. That might be a good or bad thing for some folks but it doesn’t bother me. The Holosun SCS Carry red dot I used on the Bersa lined up nicely. And allowed perfect co-witnessing of the iron sights.

Value

2011 pistols are typically a bit more expensive than what mainstream shooters are used to. You aren’t going to walk into a gun shop and drop six-hundred dollars and walk out with a typical 2011. Many of the M2Xi’s peers cost significantly more, even surpassing double the price of this one. But there are also cheaper options, some of which I’ve even used and quite like. But with an MSRP just under $1500 I find this pistol’s price quite tolerable. And you can also find it from various vendors online for closer to $1300.

In my opinion, if you are looking to get into the 2011 game, this would be a great place to start. The Bersa M2Xi is nice enough to be the last pistol you ever buy, and yet affordable enough to be the beginning of a greater collection.

Pros and Cons

There is a lot to like about this pistol, and honestly few things I could come up with against it. The M2Xi is built very well, everything about it seems quality sourced and made. From it’s 416R stainless materials out to it Nitride finish the fit and feel is tight and smooth. Its heavy ultra-match barrel shoots very well and again fits into the pistol as though it was hand-fit.

a pause between shooting, if you like those WGE Razor Slim ear muffs, read about em here

Easy controls are pretty standard with 1911/2011 pistols, and these ones are no exception. The trigger is crisp and clean, the safety has just the right amount of resistance. And the extended slide release was a favorite, making me want to add one to my other pistols.

**WGE Suppressor ear buds** are a fantastic hearing protection option, you cant tell in this picture but I am jammin out to my favorite tunes

The accessories you can add to this gun also add some value. Optics cuts are becoming more standard, and I am quite pleased they included on here. Perhaps in the future there will be other footprint options but I’m good with the Holosun one for now. The full length picatinny rail allows you to choose where to mount your weapon light, an option some other pistols don’t have. And flawless function with all kinds of magazines is yet another feather in the cap for the M2Xi.

looking down on the optics cut, also note extended slide release

My Conclusion

The Bersa M2Xi has done a lot to change my mind about the brand, what I once considered a bargain import brand. If they keep producing products like this, I expect they will continue grabbing more customers and market share.

Bersa’s introduction to the 2011 game is a great start, with an MSRP of $1475 it is not unreachable by many. And with street prices hovering closer to $1300 I would consider it a great value. I would love it if they produced a comped model like the ones I saw in the Bersa booth at SHOT Show 2026, but I suppose that’ll come in time.

If you are in the market for a pistol like this, I would count the M2Xi into the mix. It has great performance with accurate shooting and the aftermarket compatibility American gun owners crave. All together in a handsome, well-built pistol that feels as good as it shoots.

-CBM

Charging Against Gas: The Breek Arms Omni-Buster Charging Handle

April 22, 2026blog, Product review, Shooting hardwarebreek, bteek arms, charging handle, omni-bustercoldboremiracle

Intro

The AR15 rifle has become the most popular and widely adapted rifle in the US. Countless variants of the rifle are available from innumerable manufacturers. Its original direct impingement design that is still used by many manufacturers pushes high pressure gas from the barrel directly into the action. As suppressors become more and more common, more folks are finding issue with the design. Suppressors add backpressure, and that means even more obnoxious gas being pushed into the action and your face. Our topic today is the Breek Arms Omni-Buster charging handle. A new product designed to reduce the gas blowback into your face while shooting.

breek, breek arms, sledgehammer, omni-buster, charging handle, ar15,

Charging Handle Design

DI charging handles have a hook shape at the front that allows the bolt carrier to be drawn to the rear. There is a hole in the front, where the gas tube that pipes the pressure directly into the bolt-carrier.

One of the many causes of unpleasant gas in the face is caused when the bolt carrier begins its reaward movement. As it disconnects from the gas tube, whatever remaining gas flow continues out the gas tube. Which is shot right down the upper receiver and into the face of the shooter. As I mentioned, adding a suppressor only exacerbates this problem.

The Omni-Buster

Breek’s Omni-Buster charging handle is designed to reduce this flow of gas into the shooter’s face. Using different geometry on the charging handle optimized for reducing the gas coming at you.

This is done with several different design features; inside the stem of the charging handle, scalloped cuts are made that work like baffles in a suppressor to slow the movement of gas. And the stem itself is shaped to reduce gas flow coming at the shooter, feeling a slightly tighter fit as well. Additionally, the raised shelf at the back also closes space where gas traditionally would flow out towards the shooter.

the Omni-Buster shown next to a competitors charging handle

It does all this while offering oversized dual handles that lock the charging handle when not in use. The two handles are interlocking with each other, to actuate the locking jaw. This also keeps the tolerancances tight to prevent gas flow through the assembly.

But Does it work?

I do a lot of shooting, and most of it is done outdoors with not a particularly high cadence. With that kind of shooting practice, I usually don’t have a problem getting gassed out. I have noticed that I dont really need low backpressure suppressor designs in these scenarios. So in order to actually see if the Omni-Buster works, I would have to change it up a little bit.

breek, breek arms, sledgehammer, omni-buster, charging handle, ar15, goyojo thermal, — this rifle features a Goyojo thermal scope, you can read more about those here

With the rifle suppressed, I would swap between charging handles before shooting some long strings of fire. Different suppressors also create different amount of back pressure, so that was part of the shooting as well. And shooting indoors would inhibit natural air currents from taking gas away, which would make it easier to notice differences. For the most part, we used the same ammunition. But that too could vary the amount and volume of gas noticed by the shooter.

for much of our shooting, we used the Banish Speed K suppressor

Results

After shooting quite a bit using the Omni-Buster, I can say I definitely like it. Not only for its tight fit and reduction in gas coming in my face, but also because of the large handles. Overall it felt like there was less fumes coming out of the rifle in my face while shooting. And depending on who you are and your shooting practice, even a small reduction might be worth the upgrade.

The Test Rifle is a build featuring a Desert Tech Quattro15 lower, and **Aero Precision upper**

Particularly for those who shoot suppressed direct impingement rifles, this seems like a worthy upgrade. Improving the overall experience while shooting. The Omni-Buster seems to be an even better improvement over Breek’s previous designs. Its not going to completely stop the issue of gas in the face. I’m not sure that anything truly can without changing the rifle and how it works. But little improvements are how we eventually reach perfection.

-CBM

First Shots with the Charles Daly 301 12-gauge Shotgun

March 16, 2026Product review, Shooting hardware12-gauge, charles daly, model 301, shotguncoldboremiracle

Prologue

Charles Daly has been manufacturing firearms for over a century, importing a variety of firearms to the United States market. And recently they have even moved to begin manufacturing some of their products domestically here in the US. Today’s topic is one of the company’s meat and potatoes products, we will be reviewing the Charles Daly 301 shotgun, chambered in 12-gauge. One of many different firearms including various shotgun types and handguns patterned after the 1911 and other 9mm firearms like their PAK-9.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun

Charles Daly 301

I purchased the Charles Daly Model 301 pump as a gift for my son; every kid needs a pump-action shotgun. As I was looking at the gun,, it looked like it was very closely patterned to the Remington 870 I bought as a kid myself. With hopes of a similar good experience in mind, I figured it was worth a try.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun, disassembly, field strip, cleaning, — the Stripped down model 301, note choke selection

The Model 301 uses a pump-action design to feed cartridges from the tubular magazine into its 3-inch chamber. It’s vented-rib barrel is 28-inches long, and compatible with the WinChoke system. At the tip of the rib there is a brass bead for aiming. Included with the gun is a set of three chokes (IC, M, F).

The shotgun is stocked with synthetic polymer furniture and features a rubber recoil pad at the back. The controls are all located in the trigger/sear assembly pinned into the receiver. There is an action-unlock button on the front of the trigger guard, and the safety is behind the trigger.

Locking the bolt closed is much like the 870 design. The bolt rides on top of a wedged carrier, and when the bolt meets the breech of the barrel, the wedge pushes a locking lug up through the 12 o’clock position. The locking lug engages a reciprocating cut in the barrel extension.

Specifications

Caliber:	12GA-3”
Action:	Pump-Action
Barrel Length:	28” (711 mm)
Capacity:	4+1 Rounds
Feed In:	Magazine Tube
Trigger System:	Single
Stock:	Chk. Synthetic – Black
Forend:	Chk. Synthetic – Black
Safety:	Manual
Chokes:	Beretta/Benelli Mobil Choke Threads, MC-3 (IC, M, F)
Total Length:	48.25” (1226 mm)
Material:	Aluminum Receiver, Steel Barrel
Net Weight:	7.40 lb
Finishing:	Matte Black
Extraction:	Auto Ejection
Ships Loose:	Manual
Ean/Upc:	8053800941037
Note:	Receiver Grooved For Scope Mount

Shooting the Charles Daly Model 301

Our initial test of the shotgun would be shooting clay targets thrown by hand in the nearby mountains. Anticipating a great deal of shooting, we brought a case of shells and clays both. Initial impressions of the Model 301 were like this; it seemed a touch bulkier in the grip areas than other shotguns. Not a big deal unless you have tiny hands. There was a ever so slight zipping sound when you run the pump back and forth. I attribute this to tiny tooling marks on the sliding surfaces of the magazine tube and action. A very small issue, and as far as I can tell it has no effects on function.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun, clay target, clay pigeon, — Junior had a great time shooting the 301

Swinging the Charles Daly 301 felt very familiar to my old Remington 870. The textured rib stands out against the dull sky, and the brass bead gives a clear aimpoint. The controls too are very familiar and worked flawlessly. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that a gun at this price point has many plastic parts, but I was surprised to see the trigger/sear pack was made of plastic.

As I disassembled the gun for cleaning after a range trip I did notice how strikingly simple the design is. It was easy to take it down to component pieces for easy cleaning and lubricating.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun, shooting, ejection, — positive extraction and ejection were the norm

Our Experience

Both my son and I went round after round shooting clays in the clear mountain breeze. For me it was like a familiar memory shooting my 30-year-old Remington, and for my son it was his own beginning to a similar memory.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun, ammunition, shells, — we shot a variety of ammunition from **Federal**, Remington and **Fiocchi**

Both of us are around average height, and we found the length of pull to be forgiving. And the reach required to operate the gun’s action was also average. As usual, it took us a little bit to figure out the lead and feel for this gun, it was a little easier when we swapped out the Modified choke for an Improved Cylinder.

Operation was flawless as you might expect, I’ve found that pumps either work or they are visibly broken. With little room in between. The model 301 had no problem shucking shells through the action, with excellent extraction and ejection throughout our shooting. We shot a variety of ammunition from Federal and Fiocchi, both 1-1/8 ounce as well as some 1-ounce loads. We even shot a box of Remington steel loads to see how this gun would do for waterfowl hunting next fall.

charles daly, model 301, pump-action, 12-gauge, shotgun, loading, magazine, — feeding the magazine was a little touchy, but once you figured it out everything went smooth

Pros and Cons

Charles Daly’s Model 301 does a fine job of fulfilling our purposes. As I mentioned I think it’s a crime for a young man not to have an inexpensive pump-shotgun to follow him through life. This gun for sure will spend some time in this alpine wilderness pursuing grouse and other game. The operating action of the gun seems reliable and solid; I am unsure if it is a direct copy of the 870 or just similar. But it does have many of the same functions and features, and even has a couple things I wish my 870 had. The barrel-nut has a nice ball-detent, with a broad surface for turning by hand. The inclusion of a set of three chokes was a nice addition that not every shotgun at this price point offers.