Category Archives: Shooting hardware

Rifles and their parts

Colt M4 Carbine

October 11, 2022Product review, Shooting hardwarear15, colt, m4coldboremiracle

AR-15 History

The AR-15 is perhaps one of the most well known rifles in America, enough to even be known as America’s rifle. And of all the many different AR-15 configurations perhaps one of the most popular is the M4, or one of its clones. Colt has been one of the longest standing manufacturers of this type of rifle, so it feels a bit daunting to try and revisit this as a review. After all, what could I possibly have to offer that hasn’t been said a thousand times over the past twenty years?

The Colt M4 Carbine

The M4 Carbine I received for review is as familiar as Mom’s bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning. The rifle uses all of the standard features we have come to know, a mil-spec two-stage trigger, detachable Stanag pattern magazines released with the push of a button. Charging handle at twelve o’clock above the buffer tube, with a collapsible CAR type buttstock. A single sided safety operated by the thumb, and a bolt-release on the left side of the receiver.
This model came with a sixteen-inch seven twist barrel, threaded 1/2-28 at the muzzle and you guessed it; a bird-cage flash hider on the muzzle. Also included were sling attachment rings front and rear, as well as a fold down rear sight assembly to use with the gas-block mounted front sight.
This is almost exactly the rifle we have all seen in the movies and magazines since childhood, with its flattop receiver designed to take whatever kind of sight you’d like to install there. Commonly you’d see an Aimpoint, Eotech, or ACOG in this position. The only thing left to investigate was to see if it lived up to the expectation.
I prepped the Colt for a range trip, which consisted of mounting up a Trijicon MRO and some ammo to feed it.

Shop all Colt firearms here

On the Range

The M4 is configured for a fighting scenario. Or for civilians like myself lots of shooting and maneuvering at relatively close range. Surely it can be used at further distances but for the most part two-hundred yards or less are a most likely where it will be used. A red dot sight like the MRO works great for that scenario.

After sending a few test rounds, I zeroed the sight at 75 yards. Shooting for accuracy is a little easier for me to do with a riflescope, but I was able to shoot some inch and a half groups at seventy five yards. I don’t imagine it would open up too much more at one hundred yards, but it was certainly accurate enough for hitting forty-five percent IPSC targets all over the range. The XM193 ammo flowed through the rifle like a Vegas slot machine payout, and it felt just as valuable to watch it disappear.

Shooting the Colt M4 was as pleasant as you might expect. The mild recoil of the 5.56 cartridge makes shooting the rifle soft and easy to control. Muzzle rise is minimal and easily reduced by adding a different muzzle device.

The collapsible stock is easily adjusted to fit smaller statured shooters or to accommodate body armor. I’ve never envied left-handed shooters that had to operate an AR. And yet my oldest who has been given by Uncle Sam the opportunity to shoot the M4 extensively using his left-handed stance seemed to not have any issues. He even likes it to my surprise.

Accuracy

Hitting targets for both of us was great fun while using the MRO. I am definitely a scope kind of guy so using iron sights always comes with its contrasting results. It would likely serve me very well to spend more time shooting through these sights if only to improve my capabilities. The Magpul rear sight that came with this rifle was easily used through the Trijicon. I just need to up my iron game.
The M4 comes with pretty much no embellishments, a standard trigger, Magpul Pmag, single-sided safety and so on. That came as no surprise for a service-grade weapon, but I found it didn’t significantly inhibit the performance. Making shots and reloads went as smooth as I could go. And were only slowed by my skills, or lack of them anyway.

Continue Reading Here…

PROS & CONS

Colt M4 Carbine Rifle — The adjustable stock is also a classic design now, and makes the gun easy to adjust for different users or uses

What’s not to like about this rifle? It is the result of distilled revisions based on hundreds of thousands of users and decades of use both here and abroad. Any demerits or praise for the rifle or its features will likely bring out a chorus of people more experienced with the gun than myself contradicting my perspective. But I’ll do it anyway because that’s what you read this far for.

First, let me give my personal perspective. I’m more of a precision rifle kind of shooter, spoiled by good triggers and sharp-shooting rifles. So, keep that in mind and take my opinions with a grain of powder.

I felt the M4 was a bit mediocre, which may well be its purpose. The trigger was a bit “scratchy,” though not a significant issue when it comes to hitting what I aimed at. The features are also quite middle of the road: single-sided safety, mil-spec trigger, the same charging handle since 1981 (maybe), and so on. But this may all be by design and exactly what this rifle was meant to be.

Truthfully

Let’s be candid, it is an AR-15. So there isn’t a single thing about it you couldn’t change or adjust to better fit your preferences. I have heard reports of declining quality from Colt over the last decade or so. While I experienced nothing that would indicate any issues with this rifle. It is good to hear that CZ has taken the reigns over Samuel Colt’s rampant pony. Perhaps the Czech’s can improve the brand.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this rifle. I experienced no malfunctions of any kind, and the gun plowed through everything I fed it. While not stunningly accurate, it was more than suitable for a practical fighting or sporting rifle. There are cheaper AR-15’s out there these days, so I think it may be a little overpriced when compared to its competition for some people. That may come with the name, I guess.

CONCLUSION

If you are in the market for a simple and lightweight AR, I don’t think this one would be a bad choice. The AR-15 market is incredibly broad. There is quite literally something for everyone out there. And if you are one of those die-hard Colt fanatics, then this classic AR should serve your needs well.

-CBM

Christensen Arms Ridgeline 300WSM

October 7, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware300wsm, Christensen Arms, ridgelinecoldboremiracle

Introduction

I was born and raised in the dry desert state of Utah, as such I am no stranger to the fine firearms manufacturers in this state. One of the more famous firearms companies comes from the beautiful little town of Gunnison Utah, Christensen Arms. I have known of the company for some time, but several years ago I was offered tour of their facility. Their famous carbon fiber is just part of the whole Christensen production, titanium, stainless and aerospace technology are all part of Christensen’s multi-faceted production facility. Many manufacturers, particularly those with higher price-points source their barrel blanks from well known barrel producers. Christensen cuts their own barrels, and wraps them in carbon fiber before mounting to their custom actions. They are then married them to a stock or chassis that also might be built from carbon fiber molded right there in the factory.
Things may have changed even more since my visit to the factory, but ever since then I have been wanting to try out one of these rifles. Today is finally my first chance, as I have in my possession a Christensen Ridgeline 300WSM.

christensen arms ridgeline — the Ridgeline outfitted with a **US Optics TS20X** and **Desert Tech suppressor**

The Ridgeline

The Ridgeline from Christensen is built from a stainless steel action, which shares many dimensions with the Remington 700 pattern. This allows users to utilize the large aftermarket support enjoyed by the 700 series. The action features additional cuts to reduce weight and enhance performance, and things like an enhanced bolt release make it superior to other designs. The Ridgeline comes from the factory with a Trigger Tech trigger, which are very well known for their quality and performance. The fluted bolt uses an M16 like extractor, and a plunger ejector. The threaded bolt handle comes with a petite bolt-knob which you can change out if you desire.

The carbon wrapped barrel on this rifle is chambered in the powerful 300 Winchester Short Magnum, a cartridge I am quite familiar with. The barrel is twenty-four inches long, and features a one-in-ten twist, and threaded 5/8-24 at the muzzle where you will find Christensen’s radially ported muzzle brake.
The stock for the rifle is a composite construction, which uses a pillar-bedded design to improve the accuracy and performance of the rifle. A comfortable recoil pad and sling-studs are of course standard.

In the hands

As I lifted the Ridgeline from its box, the definitive feature of these rifles was immediately evident. This thing is quite light! A rifle this size feels impressively light at under seven pounds, very desirable for a hunting rifle like this. I ran the bolt a few times, and squeezed the trigger to make sure everything looked good. And then It was time to get thing thing ready for the field.
I installed a Nightforce 30 MOA scope base, that made mounting my scope easy. I used one of my favorite scopes, and one that I frequently switch back and forth between a great many rifles. The TS20X from US Optics is an excellent choice for a long range hunting rifle like this. The 2.5X is useful for an up close encounter should you be a stealthy sneaker, and if you get a shot that is way out there, 20X is plenty for making those long shots. I mounted up the scope with a set of 34mm rings, I would have preferred a bit lower set to better fit me but these would do for now.
I also attached a Harris bipod to the front of the stock, a good bipod almost goes without saying on a long-range hunting rifle. The three-round magazine looked rather vacant without anything to fill it, so it was time to find some ammo. As I mentioned I am no stranger to the 300WSM, I’ve probably shot several thousand rounds of it over the many years I’ve spent chasing Utah’s big game, and preparing for the hunt. So I had everything on hand to make my own ammunition for the Ridgeline, but I also wanted to shoot some factory produced ammunition for those that want to know. I had on hand some Federal Fusion 300WSM loaded with 180 grain bullets, a perfect representation of what a Rocky Mountain hunter would want to use for elk or deer. Besides that I loaded up some Norma Brass with my favorite load featuring a Sierra 190 grain Match King, a load responsible for dropping a dozen or so big game animals from my first antelope at 880 yards to big cow elk at 400 yards.

Let’s Hunt

The Ridgeline is a hunting rifle, everything about it is optimized for a hard-core big game hunter. I imagine it in the frigid cold hands of a sheep hunter in the Northwest Territories, or over the shoulder of a backcountry elk hunter leading mules to a distant basecamp. I wanted to see how it would do in exactly that situation, so I took it deep into the high Rocky Mountains. After zeroing the rifle at 100 yards, I wanted to see how accurate the rifle would shoot considering Christensen rifles come with a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee. The Federal Fusion 180’s shot a sub-MOA three shot group, but when I fired two more it opened up what I would call considerably. I assume this is likely to do with the barrel heating up from the magnum cartridges and pressure.

I installed a suppressor on the rifle, in my experience most rifles seem to shoot better when suppressed. And besides that, it’s just better. The Desert Tech Sound Suppressor (DTSS) was a perfect match for the lightweight Ridgeline, its titanium construction doesn’t add much to the rifle. And it easily handles the pressure of the 300WSM reducing the noise to a reasonable raucous.
I then stretched out the rifle to some more realistic distances, this open country allows for long shots. It isn’t uncommon to find big game from a mile or two away, and stalking into a closer distance. Its also not uncommon for the terrain to keep you from getting within a certain distance, so being able to make shots at long-range is helpful.
Making hits with this rifle at five and seven hundred yards was not difficult, but I again noticed that after a few shots my hits began to wander despite the nonexistent wind. Continue Reading Here…

PROS & CONS

The Ridgeline is a very handy rifle. Its lightweight makes it comfortable to carry and easy to manipulate. The smooth stainless action pumped cartridges with only a slight hiccup. On several occasions, I had some hang-ups feeding the fat WSM cartridges. I expect this is from running them in this very short action.

Shop Christensen Arms rifles at Eurooptic

The .300 WSM is a fantastic hunting cartridge and an obvious choice for a rugged hunting rifle like this. I did feel the chamber was so short-throated as to curtail the cartridge performance some. This is likely required in order to fit the very short magazine space.

The trigger and feel of the rifle are fantastic, and the balance is much better than rifles with all-steel barreled. I’m not sure if the carbon barrel is the culprit for the wandering accuracy, but it seems like a sound analysis to me. A significant amount of shooting would seemingly be a challenge with that issue, but if you make the first shot the only one, perhaps that might not be an issue.

Pros:

Extremely lightweight and wieldy
Great accuracy on first shots
Very nice trigger out of the box
Perfect for rugged backcountry hunting

Cons:

Action had some hang-ups feeding rounds
Accuracy loosened up after a few shots

CONCLUSION

The Christensen Ridgeline was a great experience to shoot. There were plenty of things I liked about it. Of course, there were some things I would change. Depending on your hunting needs, it may be just what you need or want. The great balance and lightweight were a pleasant change from other rifles I’ve hunted with before. I only wish it was a touch more reliable when it came to hitting my point of aim during longer strings of fire.

-CBM

Howa 1500 Kratos 6.5 Creedmoor

October 4, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware1500, 6.5 creedmoor, howa, kratoscoldboremiracle

Introduction

Howa has long been a trusted brand for affordable performance. In today’s article we will be discussing another model from Howa, a variant of the model 1500. The Kratos 6.5 Creedmoor is sold as a hunting rifle and introductory precision rifle, built on the durable 1500 action and placed in a synthetic stock ready for whatever activity you choose.

The Kratos

The God of war seems a bit off for the name of a hunting or match rifle, but here we are. The features that set he Kratos apart give it some excellent handling and performance. The synthetic stock feature bedded pillars in its composite structure to keep the action firmly stabilized. The model I received came with both a hinged floorplate and a detachable box magazine system that holds five rounds. The exterior of the stock features a very nice texturing that allows excellent handling, and the whole thing is finished off with an attractive camouflaged paint pattern.
The 1500 action and barrel are also Cerakoted in a tan color, which makes the whole thing quite handsome. Controls on the action include a right side safety near the bolt-shroud, and opposite that is a petite bolt-release lever. The bolt is a ninety-degree two lug type, it uses an M16 type claw extractor and a traditional plunger ejector.
The barrel itself is a twenty-two inch eight twist barrel of a fairly light profile. Nothing wrong with that for a hunting rifle, but it did seem a little light for even an entry level match rifle. This was of little concern to me, as the only plans I had for the rifle was as a hunting tool.
The muzzle of the rifle features a very slender muzzle brake with radial ports to reduce recoil. Underneath the brake were a clean set of 1/2-28 threads, perfect for mounting a suppressor. The rifle I received also came with a one-piece scope base, which would reduce the time needed to get a scope mounted and on the range.

Range Preparation

The first thing I wanted to add to the rifle was a good scope, I had a Crimson Trace Hardline 3-12 scope handy, and already in a mount. This made installing it a breeze, leaving me needing only to zero the gun and get shooting. But before that, I installed a Harris bipod and I also grabbed my Yankee Hill Machine R9 suppressor which would make a nice addition to the ensemble.

With several hunts coming in the next few weeks, I wanted to make sure the rifle was ready for anything. Both my wife and son would also be hunting this year, and I was going to see if either of them wanted to try the new Howa as their main gun. That being the case I grabbed a couple different selections of ammunition, a Hornady 120 grain Match Load, as well as my own custom hunting load featuring the Patriot Valley arms Cayuga bullets. I’ve used these bullets many times in the past to take deer and elk, and these 122 grain bullets loaded in the 6.5 Creedmoor have dropped elk with outstanding performance.

After packing up all my gear and accessories, I took the Howa to my shooting spot. With a target hung at one hundred yards, I laid down behind the Kratos and bore-sighted the scope. I zeroed the rifle using the Hornady ammo, and also tried some 130 grain Federal Gold Medal ammunition. They all shot equally, so I tried my Cayuga hunting load as well. They averaged right at one MOA with a five shot group.

With a little refinement I figured I could tighten that up before hunting season. I would prefer the rifle shoot half MOA groups, this better consistency is very handy when shots get longer.
One thing I noticed while shooting the rifle at one hundred yards was how much I liked the two-stage trigger. You could tell it wasn’t a seven thousand dollar sniper rifle trigger, but it still was a great little trigger and better than average for a hunting rifle. I also noticed just the slightest bind on the bolt when running it, but it was also dry. I added a touch of lube to the contact points and it ran as smooth as could be.

Check out this and other Howa rifles, you’d be a fool not to.

Now that I had the rifle zeroed, I figured I would do some real world shooting. My favorite part of shooting here in the mountains is that it allows me to practice in the same scenarios that I would during a hunt. I picked out a rock about the size of a deer’s vitals, I picked it because it had the right shape, and lay surrounded by nothing but dry dirt. I ranged it with my LRF, and the range came back at four-hundred-twenty yards. It was a steep canyon and my target lay deep below me, so I dialed the elevation correction, subtracting for the incline of course. I favored into the wind which was coming down the canyon, and took up the first stage of the trigger. When my hold was just right, I pressed harder and sent the shot crushing the thin rock into the dirt.
With a fresh sense of confidence, I decided to try another shot. This one was straight across the canyon, with a good wind blowing at full-value. The laser came back with six-hundred and fifteen yards, so I again corrected my scope elevation for the distance and evaluated the wind as I lay there. A full MIL into the wind seemed a bit much, but I’ve certainly misjudged the wind before so I held the full MIL. After breaking the trigger again, I watched my bullet impact a few inches downwind of where I wanted it too. Shoulda probably held 1.1 or 1.2 MIL, but that is exactly why I like doing this, to get more experience doping the wind. Continue Reading Here…

PROS AND CONS

Having taken the Howa Kratos into the field several times now, I have been able to form an opinion worth sharing. First let’s talk about shootability, the stock feels great in the hands and its handsome to boot. I already mentioned the great trigger, and I love a good two-stage. The detachable magazine did seem a bit janky, in that I would occasionally get a failure to feed from a nose-down cartridge. The magazine itself felt pretty thin, which didn’t fill me with confidence either. I will likely just run the hinged floorplate for hunting purposes.

The muzzle brake was surprisingly petite, but it did reduce some felt recoil. Though with a Creedmoor I’m not sure if its needed. I much preferred shooting with my suppressor, additionally I don’t care for radially ported brakes due to the dirt they kick up when shooting.

There were a couple issues feeding from the magazine but that could have just been our test mag. When we swapped out to the floorplate it ran much smoother

As far as accuracy is concerned, I found it to be plenty accurate for a general-purpose hunting rifle. For an entry level match rifle, I think it could shoot better, either purpose would benefit from better accuracy in my opinion. Before hunting season starts, I will be refining my loads to see how good the little Howa can shoot.One last point is that even for an entry level match gun, the Kratos could benefit from a heavier barrel. Thinner barrels seem to wander as shot strings get longer. Hopefully for hunting, we’ll only need to shoot it once.

Pros:

Handsome rifle
Very accurate for entry level rifle
Hogue pillar bedded overmolded stock keeps action firmly stabilized
Excellent two stage trigger

Cons:

Could be more accurate, especially for a match rifle
Would benefit from heavier barrel
Some issues feeding from the magazine
Not a huge fan of radial muzzle brakes

CONCLUSION

With an MSRP of $650 I think the Kratos is a safe buy. Its handsome looks and suitable performance coming from a reputable company like Howa is likely all you need to make a choice. In my opinion this is a great little rifle, I think if my son ends up using it next month he may fall in love and have to hold onto it. And that would be just fine with me.

Keltec RDB 5.56 Bullpup

September 29, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware5.56, bullpup, keltec, rdbcoldboremiracle

Preface

I’ve had a bit of experience with bullpups, some more than others. But if you’re interested enough in them to be reading this, you may want to read my last piece “Ode to bullpups” where we discussed bullpups in general. Today we will be speaking specifically about the Keltec RDB bullpup, a sixteen inch barreled 5.56 bullpup semi-auto.

Keltec Firearms

Keltec Firearms has been around since the early nineties, with a motto of creating original and innovative firearms in the state of Florida. An overview of Keltec firearms gives the impression that affordability, alternative designs and materials are all part of their operation. My personal experience with Keltec has been modest at best until this RDB came to me, so this review will represent a fresh look at the rifle.

keltec, rdb, bullpup, disassembly, — the stripped down RDB

The Keltec RDB

The RDB is a 5.56 nato chambered bullpup rifle, the action and magazine are located behind the pistol grip. This allows the rifle to present with a much shorter and well balanced platform than a traditionally configured rifle such as an AR-15. The RDB is fed by standard AR type magazines, and those cartridges are loaded by a piston driven bolt-carrier. The sixteen-inch one in seven twist barrel features a 1/2-28 threaded muzzle that came with a birdcage style muzzle device, as well as an adjustable gas block to meter pressure into the operating system. The cunning ejection system that sets the RDB apart from its competition is it downward ejection, the spent cases are pulled behind the magazine and ejected out the bottom of the rifle. The controls of the rifle are pretty standard, but not like you are used to for sure. There is a reversible charging handle that can be placed on either side of the fore-grip after disassembling the rifle. The safety is ambidextrous and located in the right position, right where your thumb would expect it to be. The magazine release and bolt catch are both located behind the pistol grip. The mag release is a stamped piece of metal that reaches around both sides of the lower-rear receiver, there is a push-pad at the front of this horseshoe shaped piece just behind the pistol grip to release the magazine. The rifles locks open upon emptying the magazine, and the bolt release is located on either side of the lower receiver, but uses a captured lever on the right side of the rifle to aid in leverage to easily release the bolt after loading a fresh magazine. There is a picatinny rail across the top of the rifle for sight mounting, and there are several points on the rifle for attaching slings with a hook or other attachment. The Defender handguard features M-Lok slots at three, six, and nine o’clock for attaching additional accessories.

First Impressions

I have seen Keltec firearms for years and had many opportunities to handle them. So when the RDB case arrived I wasn’t particularly surprised by its contents. I picked the RDB up from its case, and cleared it for inspection. I shouldered the rifle to give it a feel, it was then that I noticed it was lighter than I had anticipated, six-point-seven pounds according to Keltec. This was a pleasant discovery.

keltec, rdb, bullpup, suppressed, yhm r9, — shooting the RDM suppressed by the YHM R9 was a blast

I played with the rifle for a few minutes to get a full understanding of its operation and features, and then I stared at it for a bit. At first I thought it appeared like a high school or college engineering class had drawn this thing in Solid Works, but the more I looked the more I could see what they were working at. The bullpup balance was like most others I’ve held, balanced right at the grip area. I again ran the charging handle a few times, the handle can be pulled to the rear and lifted into a locked position to leave the action open. But the ejection port being on the bottom, there isn’t really a place to inspect. I wanted to try out the trigger, which for many bullpups is famously terrible. To my surprise the trigger was not bad, the first stage gave way to a solid wall that broke clean and firmly. So firmly in fact I almost immediately felt the desire to open up the rifle and see what was making such a significant strike when I pulled the trigger. Internal inspection showed a very curious design, both the hammer and trigger mechanisms were far from what I’d imagined.

The hammer itself is not unlike a turkey wishbone, with two legs coming together at the top to form a hammer anvil. The hammer splits around the magazine well, and the sear/connecting linkage travel all the way up to the trigger group itself. The whole thing is quite interesting, and explains why the trigger feels so good compared to other bullpups. While inside I noticed the very short bolt carrier. The bottom ejection requires the bolt-face to travel far enough behind the magazine as to allow spent cases to clear the magazine and trigger parts. The short bolt and firing pin are similar to most other semi-auto bolt designs, with a rotating bolt guided by a cam-pin that also locks into the receiver guide rails as it goes into battery. With fresh perspective, I reassembled the rifle and went to work preparing it for a range session. The rifle had come with set of Magpul flip up sights, but I also added a Sig Sauer Romeo RDS. I was surely going to try the rifle suppressed as well, to see how the adjustable gas system could accommodate the difference.

On the Range

Once on the firing line, with some thirty-round magazines I loaded the RDB and prepared to fire. Initial ergonomics were not bad, the rifle fit me well. The charging handle on the left side of the rifle was easy to find blindly and provided plenty of purchase. With an easy click of the safety I was in business. Recoil was just what I expected from a 5.56 caliber bullpup, not bad at all. The spent shells began to pile up neatly on the ground in front of me. When my first magazine went empty, it was time to try out the reloading controls of the rifle. Stuffing magazines through the rifle and doing lots of reload drills taught me a couple things about the RDB. It could use a more flared magwell, as it seemed a little bit of a stickler to get the magazine stabbed in properly. The magazine release worked better than I had anticipated, almost too good. I have long heard of people complaining that the mag release is too easy to inadvertently drop the magazine while maneuvering the rifle. And it proved to be so for me as well, a slight miscalculated move of the shooting hand can drop your magazine from the rifle. The bolt release took some time to get used to as well, reaching back and hitting it with my right thumb seemed to be the best option. I’m sure with some training it could become second nature. Cross training on different rifle platforms doesn’t hurt anyone, and its a bit of a pet peeve of mine when bullpup haters act as though a slight retraining in operation somehow renders a gun “useless” in their opinion.

Continue Reading Here…

Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor

September 19, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware6.5 creedmoor, go wild, ruger, ruger americancoldboremiracle

Background

Over the years I have had quite a few Ruger firearms and for the most part my experience with the company has been a good one. My first real rifle was a Ruger, and both family and friends have also used a bunch of different Ruger models over the years.

My opinion has been that Ruger produced a good firearm for the price. Today we will be taking my first look at the Ruger American line of rifles. I’m curious to see if they match up to my decades of experience with Ruger. Today we will be reviewing the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor.

Before you get too far, check out my review of the Ruger American Gen 2, click here to read that one next.

Go Wild, The Ruger American

There are many different Ruger American models, but the one I will be looking at today is the Go Wild model. This model comes with custom Cerakote and camouflage, and it’s chambered in the very popular 6.5 Creedmoor. As I opened the box I thought it had a handsome look to it, but looks don’t go very far in these mountains so I wanted to see how it performed more than anything.
Lifting the gun from the box, the first thing I thought was it seemed lighter than it looked if that makes sense. It was noticeably lighter than I expected it to be, and other comparable rifles nearby. This is obviously a good thing in my estimation, as I had planned on having my wife use the rifle during our hunting season. She is quite petite, so smaller and lighter is better.

With the gun shouldered, I ran the bolt a few times which felt better than I expected. The three-lug bolt of the American needs less lift to unlock from the breech, sixty-degrees of lift instead of the standard ninety-degrees. The smooth raceway had the bolt sliding very clean, and with the short lift it made it quick to reload.

Shifting my attention to the synthetic stock, it came as no surprise that the stock felt a bit cheap. Its unfortunate that many gun manufacturers are using these very flexible polymer stocks, but it is also very predictable. And to be fair, if the gun shoots well I probably wont be complaining about the flexible stock too much.

Burnt Bronze Cerakote protects the barreled action, that goes well with the camo pattern on the stock. At the muzzle of the twenty-two inch barrel its threaded 5/8-24 and comes with a radially ported brake to aid in recoil reduction. One in eight barrel twist is a pretty standard one and used here.

Feeding the rifle is done through a detachable box magazine compatible with AICS type magazines. This came as a pleasant surprise as I have an assortment of magazines I’d like to try in the rifle.
At the rear a tang mounted safety was easy to reach and manipulate. As was the bolt release on the left rear side of the action. With a simple design it was easily understood and in no time I was ready to outfit it. Ruger saw fit to include a scope rail already mounted which made mounting a scope much easier. To that I mounted one of my scopes in a pair of Warne low rings, the US Optics TS25X fit perfectly on top of the rifle. Though I think I will also add a stock-pack to get a better cheekweld.

Range time with the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor

After getting the rifle setup with a scope, bipod and some ammo, it was time to get it hot. I arrived at one of my shooting spots with an assortment of ammunition. Some Hornady Match 120 grain, as well as some Federal 130 grain Gold Medal ammunition. I had also brought some handloads of my favorite hunting load, which consisted of Cayuga solid copper bullets. I’ve used them several times in the past on both deer and elk, and if my better half was to use this rifle for hunting I wanted to see how it shot these bullets.
With a target set up at one hundred yards, I laid on my shooting mat to zero the little Ruger. Using the Hornady ammunition I zeroed the rifle, and fired a quick three-shot group.

After correcting the point of impact to correlate with my point of aim, it was time to have some fun. Followed by my other ammo selections, and all of them shot very comparable which is always nice. Then I turned my attention to the hill beyond my target, surely there was an opportunity to test this rifle at some longer ranges.

ruger american, us optics ts25x, yhm suppressor — the **US Optics TS25** was a great fit for this rifles capabilities

With my binoculars I picked out a couple targets that were about ten inches in diameter. One of them I ranged at four-hundred and sixty yards. Not too far but definitely something realistic for a deer in these mountains. After zeroing the turrets on my scope, I adjusted 2.1 MRAD of elevation to correct for the distance. The wind was dead calm, so I held center on the target, and pressed the trigger.

Since I hadn’t mentioned the trigger yet, it was better than I expected it to be. I’m not a big fan of blade safeties on bolt action rifles. But this certainly hasn’t prevented a clean and easy break on this rifle. The trigger had no discernable friction, the only movement I noticed was when it broke.

Long-Range Shooting

Observing the bullet impact my target a little high of center, I need to chronograph these bullets from this rifle. As I think they are flying a little faster than I expected. After firing another shot to confirm, I began a search for another even further target. One was found that measured eight-hundred yards away according to my rangefinder. This was a shot I was confident the little Ruger and I could make. With 5.2 MRAD dialed into the riflescope, I leveled up the rifle on my rear bag. Adjusting the parallax on my scope made a clear image of the target, all that was left was a clean release.

Shop Ruger firearms, because the ATF doesn’t want you armed…

I could do this all day. This Ruger American was just a hoot to shoot, I was impressed with how much I liked it. I made this and several other shots at similar distances, until I was quite sure that the rifle would be suitable for a spot on our hunting team. The fun factor doubled when I installed my Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20. The titanium suppressor added mere ounces to the rifle, and took away the need for hearing protection in this wide open country. Watching and hearing bullets impact at these great distances was very satisfying.

PROS & CONS

Ruger American Go Wild Rifle — The action is nice, but I do wish the gun had a more solid stock.

There was much to like about this rifle – the weight, reliable function, perfectly reliable detachable box magazine. A reliable accuracy on par with the price point, and a great trigger. It is just a handsome little rifle as well.

The strikes I might score against the American would definitely be the flimsy stock. While it wasn’t obvious that it reduced the shooting performance, I can’t help but think it would shoot better in a more rigid stock or chassis. I think this would be an excellent choice for a rifle with a very short barrel. It was tempting to cut it off at 16 inches to make it even lighter and more maneuverable. But obviously, that is my selfish purposes showing through.

FINAL WORDS

I was optimistic that this rifle wouldn’t let me down. After spending a good deal of time shooting it, I feel it has lived up to my expectations from Ruger rifles. The only thing I wasn’t able to test was the rifle’s durability over a few seasons of hard hunting.

For sure, the rifle will get at least one chance to go on a hunt, and I am really looking forward to it. I know I wouldn’t feel under-gunned with this rifle, so if the $769.00 MSRP is within your budget, give this handsome little Ruger American a try. With the release of the Gen 2 American, the price has come down on the first gen of the Ruger American. They can be had for under $500 many places.

-CBM

an unlucky hare, the American suppressed with a **YHM R9 suppressor**

2022 Update

We used the Ruger for a deer hunt this season, and managed to take these two little bucks with it. One shot was all it took for both of them. I also just reviewed the Gen 2 version of this rifle, you can read about it here.

Browning Citori Quail 16 Gauge

September 12, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware16 gauge, browning, citoricoldboremiracle

Introduction

You don’t need to be a shotgun connoisseur to understand a nice shotgun when you pick it up. I am neither a connoisseur nor even a serious shotgunner, but I’ve shot enough of the finer ones to know what it feels like. Today we’ll venture into to another story about a handsome double, the Browning Citori 16 Gauge.

browning citori shotgun — **Federal ammunition** was all we had available for the Browning

The Citori Quail 16 Gauge

The Browning Citori line of shotguns has long been famous for its quality and performance. A beautiful match of attractive wood and steel are the basis for the gun, matched with a pair of 28-inch sixteen-gauge barrels. The receiver has beautifully engraved patterns to match its clean and smooth lines. Like most over & under shotguns, the gun is opened with a lever on the spine of the action. The Citori features a full-width tapered locking bolt, this makes for additional strength in keeping the gun closed. The locking mechanism is also tapered, allowing it to seat ever deeper with the wear that will occur over decades.
Behind that, is the safety selector. Again, like most over & under shotguns, the safety doubles as a barrel selector. You can slide the safety left and right to choose which of the two barrels to shoot first, and fore and aft to select safe or fire.

The mechanical intricacies are beautiful, the ejector system utilizes a spring to drive up the impact of the ejector upon opening the gun fully. This ensures that spent hulls are thrown clear of the breach, allowing for fast and unobstructed reloads. The ejector springs are only actuated upon firing that chamber, so unfired shells are easily retrieved from the chambers.
This gun featured two and three-quarter-inch chrome-lined chambers, and an elevated rib for better sighting picture against the bead at the end.

Sweet Sixteen

I’d never been fortunate enough to play with a sixteen-gauge gun. I’d shot countless twelve gauges, twenties, .410’s and ten gauge shotguns. But the little sixteen was new to me, and new things are usually a little bit exciting. Being a little bit bigger than the twenty gauge, I figured the sixteen would be great for wing-shooting small birds like those portrayed in the little Browning’s engravings. Doves and quail seem like an obvious choice, but ducks and pheasants would also be a perfect target for this gun.
The first issue I ran into was ammo related, turns out that in our current ammunition situation, sixteen-gauge ammo is a little more difficult to find than others. But I was lucky enough to land a couple boxes of Federal ammunition, one was a fairly standard trap load of 1 oz 8 shot. The other was a hunting load, ideal for a pheasant hunt loaded with #4 shot loaded a bit quick at 1425 fps. I was going to shoot it all to see what I did and didn’t like about this little gun. Continue Reading Here…

grouse with a shotgun — a pair of Grouse taken with the Citori

A BOX OF ‘BIRDS’

With a box of clay birds in the back of the truck, I took the Citori into the beautiful green Rocky Mountains. Hand-thrown clays seem to be the most fun for me, surprises and challenges are much easier to present to the shooter. We began throwing targets among some aspen and pine trees to help add in a little bit of a hunting feel.

The first shots from the Browning were smooth and easy – It is after all just a shotgun. There was a noticeable difference between the two different types of ammunition, which was expected. The slower load was very pleasant shooting, and it would have been great for a young shooter learning the art of shotgunning. The faster load carried some more pep but still felt just like a normal shotgun push to me.

We hammered through the targets, scattering clay all over. The Citori was as smooth as could be, easy to open, and it fit me well enough to hit a pretty good percentage of birds. Everything about the way it worked just seemed so refined, from loading and shooting to ejecting empties. It all felt like it was on an assembly line timed with a chain.

The Invector choke system, like most others, is easily understood and quick to change for whatever your shooting regimen might require.

HUNTING REAL BIRDS

The upland game hunt had recently started here, so my next mission with the Browning was to find some upland birds. The cool air of a September morning always gets me excited, but I was even more excited as I crested the tops of the mountains and began spotting birds. It was a surprising number of birds, to be honest.

I worked my way into a little bowl where I had seen some large blue grouse working along a tree line. As usual, the birds are near invisible unless they move or pop out right in front of you with a startling outburst of feathers and noise. The Browning and I responded in kind, making our own outburst of feathers and noise.

We managed to take a couple of grouse and one dove during the hunt that day. The Citori was an excellent companion for such a hunt and granted a touch of extra class to it as well.

Browning Citori 16-Gauge Over-Under Shotgun — We were even able to bring down a speedy dove on our outing

CONCLUSION

Just as I suspected might be the case, I was quite enamored by this little shotgun. Despite not being a shotgun aficionado, I still greatly enjoyed my time shooting it. The 16-gauge chambering might be a little extraordinary for my high-volume taste, so perhaps another Citori with chambers for 12 gauge would better fit my shotgun needs. But if you like something different, this would be an easy bet to win on.

The flawless function of the gun, paired with the beautiful manufacturing and finish, make it an outstanding choice for those looking for a quality double. If I keep getting guns like this one, I may have to become a real shotgun aficionado.

-CBM

Laugo Alien 9mm Pistol

September 6, 2022pistols, Product review, Shooting hardware9mm, alien, alien pistol, laugo, laugo armscoldboremiracle

Laugo Arms

The Laugo Arms Alien pistol has been turning heads since it was first shown to the public, I myself remember working through the crowd at SHOT Show to get hands on it. My first impression was and still is impressed with the design, the odd shapes and lines are combined with some of the most familiar and comfortable pistol features that many of us crave. Today we’ll take a closer look at this Xenomorphic Czech wonder.

Laugo Arms got its start working with Česká zbrojovka (CZ) working on the Scorpion EVO. The stated focus at Laugo is to move beyond conventional designs and to innovate new and better ideas. Their first product is the Alien pistol, named I assume due to its appearance and similarity to the protagonist in the 1980’s horror sci-fi films of the same name. But does this odd pistol design actually deliver enhanced performance, or is it just another gun fit for “the company”.

The Alien pistol

From a very objective look, the Alien is a semi-automatic nine-millimeter pistol. But there is a great difference between the way the gun operates, and what you might be familiar with. If you are a bit of a CZenofile like me, the grip and angle of the pistol will feel quite familiar. The pistol frame is actually two pieces bolted together, and the feel of the grip in my hand is a perfect match. The texturing feels very good and allows better control of the pistol. The all-metal construction of the pistol makes it feel a bit heavier than most, and at 2.4 pounds you know you’ve got something significant in your hand. The 4.8 inch 9mm barrel is nested low in the frame, giving the Alien one of its innovative claims of the lowest bore axis available. The full-sized pistol uses seventeen-round standard capacity magazines, and they are fed into the magwell by a smooth and contoured flare making reloads quick and easy. Other familiar features of the pistol you may expect are quality adjustable iron sights including a fiber optic front sight, and a 1913 standard pic rail for accessories (like a flamethrower) under the front of the gun.
The features you may not know about are where it gets quite interesting. The Alien utilizes a gas-operated piston delayed blowback system, this combined with the extremely low bore axis keeps the Alien more on target during recoil than traditional pistols. In addition, the iron sights or red dot optical sight (both are included) are mounted to the non-reciprocating portion of the pistol which allows the shooter to remain focused on targeting while the Alien reloads itself.

On the Range with the Alien pistol

I’ve had a couple opportunities to shoot the Alien, and I found it to be very interesting and entertaining. The pistol comes as part of a complete kit from Laugo, a very high quality polymer case, that includes both sight rails with iron and optical sight, extra magazines, a custom holster made by Elornis Industry and a few more extras.

After loading some magazines and feeling the pistol weight in my hand, I actually felt like I liked it more. This may not be the perfect gun to carry around on a daily basis, but it feels great to have it in the hand. The grip fills the palm of the hand perfectly for me, and feels outstanding much like the high-end pistols from CZ. The next thing up for touching was the trigger, which is again all metal and utilizes a blade safety like many modern pistols. Pulling the trigger there was a short take-up and a very clean break. It felt outstanding, comparable to the guns of professionals I’ve been lucky enough to shoot. The recoil of the pistol wasn’t significantly noticeable at first, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it. But after shooting it for a while, I began to notice a different pattern. Also while watching others shoot the gun, it certainly seemed to have less muzzle rise than comparable pistols being shot side by side and using the same ammunition.

I did notice that after much shooting, the pistol did begin to warm up perhaps a little more than I had anticipated. Likely due to the gas being captured in the gas block and building heat. But it felt so good and was so smooth shooting I didn’t notice the heat for long.
With the pop of a single captured pin at the front of the pistol, the whole sighting-rail came right off, and it was switched out for the rail-mounted red dot. Easily switching back and forth between the two took only seconds. The removal of the rail allowed the shooter to see the cunning inner workings of the Alien, much simpler than a terraforming reactor. The hammer and sear are actually mounted in the bottom of the sight-rail, and swing down instead of up. The deeply mounted barrel was under the gas block, with the piston and recoil spring assemblies positioned in the block.
The pistol shot excellent with no failures, it was as pleasant to shoot as any pistol I’ve ever shot, I could feel a desire to keep it growing inside. Accuracy from the gun was what you would expect, easily stacking shots on top of each other up close. And predictably hitting targets further out.

Continue Reading Here…

PROS AND CONS

The performance of the Alien pistol in my opinion is outstanding, but with a street price varying between $5,200 and $6,999, it certainly better perform well. Varying configurations and included accessories determine those prices. It is obviously not marketed to your average gun owner, but more towards those looking for something unique and exceptional.

I found the claims of less muzzle rise and half the recoiling angle of other pistols to be well founded, though perhaps not as significant an advantage as it’s made out to be.
The trigger is excellent, and reloads were flawless because of the angles of the magazines and the flared magwell. The slide is serrated at both the front and rear of the chamber, giving you plenty of purchase, and the sight rail gives a generous sight radius for better acquisition. The magazine release is reversible, for those left-handed shooters, but the slide release is only on the left side of the pistol.

The only downside I can find to it is the cost, which is somewhat prohibitive to many. But once you get over that part of it, it is a beautiful piece of engineering.

CONCLUSION

The interesting design and inner workings make it an artistic piece as much as a shooting tool, and perhaps it will impregnate the minds of other designers with new ideas that will mature into aggressive new firearms designs. It certainly has a “cool factor,” but its distinctive design is not just for looks.

If you like guns that incorporate more than just function but innovation and a little bit of artistry, then the Laugo Alien will likely fit right into your collection.

-CBM

Smith & Wesson 629 .44 Magnum Mountain Gun

August 30, 2022pistols, Product review, Shooting hardware44 magnum, 629, mountain gun, s&w, smith & wessoncoldboremiracle

Introduction

I grew up watching 80’s films, so revolvers’ always seemed present in my gun repertoire. My father and grandfather both shot revolvers’ whenever they had occasion to shoot a pistol. My taste’s have changed over the years but I can still appreciate a cylinder with holes bored for six.
Today’s subject is one of those classic pistol designs that seem timeless in their execution, the S&W 629 Mountain Gun chambered in the admirable 44 Remington Magnum.

The model 629

Is a more modern version of the gun that made the 44 magnum famous, the model 29. The pistol features double and single action functions, one of the most simple and easy to not screw up designs ever. The cylinder has chambers for six cartridges, and is opened by pushing the left side release actuator. The gun comes with a rubberized grip making it easy to hold onto, and an adjustable rear sight to make sure you hit whatever you are aiming at. The four inch barrel was in very good condition, almost new to the naked eye.

The .44 Magnum

I’ve been loading .44 Magnum since I got my first wheel gun over a decade ago. I’ve found it to be a relatively easy cartridge to load, and in the interests of fun I’ve also loaded up a few .44 Specials. The .44 Remington Magnum offers big bullets going real fast, at least for a pistol. With bullets in the 200 to 240 grain class, you can shoot velocities near double that of the very popular .45 ACP.
Harnessing all this power has been the job of many strong revolvers over the years, but it has also been popular in some lever gun models. Perhaps the ultimate duo, a Henry Lever action rifle in .44 magnum with a S&W revolver to match.

Ammunition

Since buying ammunition these days is still as pleasant as washing stray cats, I decided to use some of my own rolled magnums. Several comfort loads that I’m used to would do the trick. The first is my old standby, a 240 grain cast lead slug with a grease ring. Loaded with some H110 it has always been a soft and accurate shooting load, I’ve been able to reliably hit targets at deer hunting distances in the past. The next load up was some Berry’s 240 grain copper plated flat-points, loaded again with H110 which seems to be the go to powder for many of these pistol cartridges. Once I had a box of each loaded up, I headed to the mountains to see how this Mountain Gun fit in to the scenery.

On the range with the Smith & Wesson 629

One thing I appreciate about the .44 Magnum is that even though it’s just a pistol, it still has enough energy to shoot further distances than one would typically shoot pistols. Not exactly long range, but I like the idea of a strong handgun that a guy could actually use to sneak up on a deer and take a shot.
I started out shooting at paper targets at approximately fifteen-yards, hitting NRA targets at that range was easy, so much so that I began to try shooting some groups to see just how accurate the gun is.
Once I had convinced myself I could shoot no better at that range, I decided to shoot at a steel target fifty-yards away. A full size silhouette was still relatively easy to hit, and I stacked a bunch of lead on the front of that target for the next few minutes. The 629 seemed to like the lead bullets better than the plated ones, but both loads shot well enough for predictable hits.

The .44 is no slouch, you are quite aware of its presence every time it goes off. The soft rubber grip was very comfortable to hold onto, and its sticky quality made it easier to hold onto under recoil. The short four-inch barrel sure loved to climb, I probably need to work on my pistol driving skills, but I think it wasn’t just me.
Perhaps the thing that impressed me the most was the clean and perfect trigger break. It felt so good it reminded me of a good rifle, I think this also made the pistol so easy to shoot well. I only needed to line up the sights, and apply a touch of pressure and watch the impact through a small cloud of smoke.

Shop Smith and Wesson Revolvers here

There is an allure to cranking the hammer back on these heavy revolvers, like reminiscing from one of those old 70’s movies imagining a quivering villain before you as a cunning threat rolls off your lips. The heavy feel in your hand, and the impressive recoil and noise seems to command attention.

Continue Reading Here…

For me, the best parts about these pistols are easily summed up. The quality finish and slightly petite build for a .44 Magnum make this an ideal gun to have along on an Alaskan fishing trip, not too heavy to make carrying it uncomfortable but still plenty of gun. The crisp trigger and clean sights are also very nice when it comes to shooting the gun, as is the aforementioned rubber grip.

If I had to mark it down for anything, it would probably only be due to my personal preferences. I like a 7-inch barrel better than a 4-inch one. I think it would make this gun just a bit more shootable. But understanding the purpose of this gun as a light and carry-friendly option kind of counters that point, or at least reduces its validity.

Conclusion

A Smith and Wesson Model 629 Mountain Gun would be an excellent firearm to have on your side for mountain adventuring. As its name suggests, the Mountain Gun is an excellent fit for when you may need a gun out of necessity more than by choice. It’s a fisherman’s friend in grizzly country, a cougar hunter’s perfect weapon for downing a treed cat, and a backcountry adventurer’s friend when heading out for the hills.

The great quality of this pistol’s construction as well as its perfect performance in the field would give me great confidence in these activities, so check one of these out and see if your collection needs a Mountain Gun.

-CBM