Sig Sauer MCX 5.56

Product review, Shooting hardware, ,

Introduction to the MCX

You may have been hiding under a rock if you’ve not heard of the new Sig Sauer MCX Spear, the MCX family of rifles has been a popular stalwart in the Sig Sauer lineup for some time. The industry giant has been bringing all kinds of developments over the decades they have been manufacturing firearms, and the MCX is one of them. At a glance, the Sig Sauer MCX appears to be just an AR-15, but a deeper look into the rifle will show something quite different.

The Dawn of Modern Sporting rifles

Since the first Stoner variant of the AR-15, a buffer tube protruding from the rear of the lower receiver has long been commonplace. The buffer tube serves two purposes; first it houses the buffer and spring which are vital parts of the function of the action, and second it serves as the base structure for the buttstock of the firearm. Buttstocks are typically attached around or to the buffer tube itself, which has dominated the design of all the various available buttstocks for AR patterned rifles.
The design of the MCX migrated the buffer spring and its associated hardware into the upper receiver, an in doing so has changed several aspects of the platform itself. Gone are the days of fitting your buttstock to the tube, in fact, you don’t even need a stock with the MCX. There are “pistol” configurations that don’t even utilize a buttstock.
This tubeless design makes the MCX stand out from the AR crowd, but there is more to this gun than just the buttstock.

The Sig Sauer MCX

The MCX shares a great deal of parts with most AR-15 style rifles. Magazines, triggers, and such are compatible, but there are also plenty of differences. The bolt carrier in the MCX is driven forward by a pair of springs that ride just above the carrier inside the receiver. The charging handle also sandwiches into the same area as the recoil springs and bolt carrier. The handguard is attached to the upper receiver and features a very skeletonized keymod attachment section, newer models also have MLok compatible handguards. There is a small window in the front of the handguard to access the two-position gas valve.

Bolt carrier and receivers detail


The lower receiver is very similar to traditional AR lowers except where the buttstock attaches, and additionally features an extra magazine release on the left side of the receiver. There is also a small spring plunger mounted behind the trigger, it appears to be an accurizing add-on to reduce the play between upper and lower receivers. The buttstock itself is a skeletonized design with a built in folding hinge allowing the stock to be stowed to the side of the rifle, this of course doesn’t effect the operation of the rifle. All the mechanics of the operating system are contained within the receivers, so the rifle can fire regardless of the stock position.

Rangetime


As soon as I could, I prepared the MCX for the range. I mounted up a fresh Tango MSR scope also from Sig Sauer, the 1-6 power scope would be an excellent compliment to the MCX. I also grabbed a suppressor because I wanted to see how the rifle functioned suppressed. I packed up some PMC Xtac 55 grain ball ammo to shoot in the rifle, as well as a Magpul MS4 sling to use on the rifle. I also brought a couple assorted P-mags and GI magazines to try in the rifle.

After boresighting the scope, I cracked off the first few rounds and they were quite close to my point of aim. It only took minor adjustments to get the scope zeroed and then it was go time. Shooting the rifle at a hundred yards I quickly gained familiarity with both the rifle and scope, hits came easily as the MCX churned away smoothly. The weight felt surprisingly light, I believe they were advertised at six pounds though I think that is a little under what this one weighed naked.
The three-pronged flash hider seemed very effective at reducing muzzle flash, and the recoil of the 5.56 cartridge is very easy to handle in a rifle this size. The rifle was very comfortable in maneuvering and made for a very enjoyable time spending my money. I stretched the rifle out to the three-hundred yard line where I found it to be still quite accurate, I imagined an errant coyote who might have wandered into range would have been easily dispatched.
Shooting from P-mags and GI metal mags both functioned flawlessly as I would expect from this rifle, I figured it was time to install my suppressor to see how the rifle performed suppressed. This required removing the factory flash hider, and installing my suppressor mount. Sig uses a taper on many of their muzzle devices to aid in alignment, since I wasn’t using a Sig suppressor the taper was unneeded. I mounted up my Yankee Hill Machine Turbo 556 suppressor and went right back to town on the targets.

note handguard and gas valve detail


Suppressed shooting made the MCX really shine. The increased weight seemed to calm down the recoil impulse even further making it easy enough to spot my own hits at 200 yards. The reduced noise is always welcome, and hearing steel targets ring without hearing protection is always better.


Accuracy


Accuracy shown here from the MCX wasn’t spectacular, but I can certainly explain that. The included picture shows five shots from 55 grain PMC Xtac ammunition, it shot much better with Hornady Black 75 gr match but I didn’t get it on paper. Shooting from bags at one-hundred yards with an eight-power scope shivering in below freezing temps may not have given the MCX a fair shake. Continue Reading Here…

Pros & Cons

It was easy to find things about the MCX that I liked. The controls were all comfortable and smooth. There is a little bit of noticeable refinement with many of the little things on this rifle. The reliability and flawless function are definitely at the top of my list, as is the lightweight of the rifle. I really prefer accurate rifles, and this one seemed to have a very acceptable level of accuracy. It seemed enhanced when used with a suppressor. It was perfectly familiar and uniquely exceptional.

Now for the things I didn’t like. These were few, and I’m sure I could probably live with them if needed. The skeletonized buttstock was perfect except for a good cheek rest. It seemed a touch low. In this winter weather, it was way too cold to be resting your face on. It seems like it would be really easy to fashion a simple polymer snap-on cheekpiece that would be unobtrusive and serve that purpose.


Also due to the cold temps, I considered some synthetic material to add to the handguard. Obviously, this could be overcome with gloves, as I imagine the same problem is to be had in the extreme heat.

Pros:

  • Comfortable and smooth controls
  • Low recoil
  • No buffer tube
  • Reliable
  • Lightweight
  • Accurate
  • Suppressor ready

Cons:

  • Could use a better cheek rest
  • Furniture can be cold/hot depending on temps

FINAL THOUGHTS


It came as no surprise that I really enjoyed the MCX from SIG Sauer. I have long been a SIG fan, and the MCX fits perfect into my collection of carbines.

The reliable piston-driven and bufferless system seems to have worked out perfectly for SIG, at least the next-generation MCX Spear would suggest so. This rifle would make a fine addition to your collection if your tastes are similar to mine. It has certainly driven my desire to get the next-generation MCX even more.

-CBM

Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan

pistols, Product review, Shooting hardware, , , ,

Big wheelguns

Powerful revolvers carry more than just a cylinder full of cartridges, they also carry some mystique. The hero of every old Western film always had a big iron to deal justice. While that may not be our purpose here today it’s nice to keep it in mind. Today we are taking a closer look at the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan.

Alaskan?

The Super Redhawk line of pistols from Ruger has a long history of performance, but what does the Alaskan do you might say? I suppose the Alaskan model was purpose built thinking of those who might spend time up north. Folks who prefer not to be without six doses of bear medicine. The Super Redhawk Alaskan is a stainless steel double-action revolver, a hammer forged 2.5 inch barrel. It comes with a Hogue Tamer grip to keep a good hold of the gun. You’ll need a good grip because the Alaskan’s robust cylinder has holes bored for six cartridges in only three calibers; .44 Remington mag, 454 Casull, and .480 Ruger. These powerful choices in chambering are nothing to shake a stick at as my father would say. And certainly enough to make even a brown bear reconsider you as a snack.

Loading 300 grain .454 Casull rounds

Considerable size

Despite the large chamberings for the Redhawk, the pistol isn’t so big as to be cumbersome. The short barrel makes it a reasonable gun to carry in a holster, even if you are engaged in other activities. The Alaskan would be a great choice for fisherman who anticipate potential close encounters with awnry eight hundred pound salmon fishermen. Or just someone who is out in rough country and wants to be safe.
The Alaskan is big enough to stand up to the tasks of bear country, and yet small enough to bring along on a fly fishing trip. And even if you aren’t in the cold white north, it alway gives some solace to have a good strong pistol close. I’ve spent enough time in the incredibly dark and remote forests of northern Montana and Idaho to appreciate the comfort of that heavy steel piece riding on the hip. The extra 2.75 pounds is worth having to me.

A pair of Super Redhawks, note fluted cylinder of .44 Mag model

Shooting time

Shooting the Super Redhawk Alaskan was going to be expensive in today’s market. Especially since I had both the .44 Magnum model, and the 454 Casull to feed. Both pistols are dual chambered to allow for shooting lighter loads with .44 Special and .45 Colt cartridges. But I didn’t have any of those, so it was full house power loads from Hornady to test these guns.

I have shot plenty of .44 Magnum over the years, so shooting the Redhawk wasn’t significantly new. Noticing immediately the comfortable grip, which allowed me excellent purchase to control the pistol. The 454 Casull pistol had a bit more power behind it, and you could feel it. Recoil and muzzle blast from the two are fairly comparable, with the Casull showing a bit more unsurprisingly. I was shooting 225 grain Horandy FTX ammunition in the .44 Magnum model, and in the .454 I was shooting Hornady’s 300 grain flat point.

Evaluating the Redhawks Power

Considering the purpose I initially mentioned for these pistols they shoot quite well. A dangerous game defensive pistol like this certainly needs to hit what your aiming at. I found both pistols to be easy enough to control despite the significant recoil from the heavy loads. Obviously that would change if an angry sow was charging at me. But I’d like to think I could shoot them well enough to hit a moving target at danger close distances.

The impressive power of the Super Redhawks wasn’t the only thing that stood out when shooting them. Both models felt fantastic in the hand, the soft rubber Hogue grips made them very comfortable to shoot. The quality of the operation also struck me, smooth controls and very clean breaking triggers added to the superior feeling of these pistols.

Shop all Ruger revolvers here

The adjustable sights of the Alaskan aren’t exactly huge, they come across as pretty simple and no nonsense. That said I found them to be more than adequate for the purposes of relatively close shooting. That is to say anything inside of fifty-yards or so that rivaled the size of a paper plate was bound to be perforated with a big hole.

Ammunition for this article was supplied by Gun Mag Warehouse

Pros and Cons

Pros

I have always been a fan of Ruger’s revolvers, so it should come as no surprise that I found a great many things I like about the Super Redhawk Alaskan. First of all, it’s just a plain handsome design. It has all the classic and sexy features of the hero’s gun from the old westerns we watched as kids. And yet it has just enough modern flair to make it appealing as a modern firearm as well.
The simplicity of the Alaskan’s design also makes it very quick to put into service. It’s double-action design makes it ideal for a gun that needs to be jerked from the holster and immediately fired at inbound danger. The reliable operating system rolls the next chamber full of wrath right into position to deal one blow after another of heavy hitting power.
A quality finish of the pistol also makes it built to last. The Alaskan is built from stainless steel to protect it from the rough weather you’d be sure to encounter up north. Features like the clean breaking trigger, triple locked cylinder, and modern transfer bar allow the gun to serve its power with finesse, precision and safety.

Cons

I had a really hard time coming up with cons for this pistol. It has a fairly specific purpose and it serves that purpose extremely well in my opinion. Perhaps it wouldn’t be ideal for day to day carrying in places where dangerous predators over five-hundred pounds aren’t expected. It might be a bit heavy for a purpose like that. Though I won’t deny having conceal carried one of the Redhawks on multiple occasions.
There is the obvious downside of having to feed these large and expensive cartridges to such a large pistol. But if you truly need a pistol like this I’d wager you are willing to pay quite a randsome to ensure it has plenty of ammo.

Continue reading here…

Conclusion

I have really enjoyed shooting the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan pistols. Despite the impressive power, they are still very fun pistols to shoot and can serve you well as a defensive firearm. Perhaps the most important aspect of the pistol is that it is pleasant enough to shoot that you won’t be afraid of it if the time ever comes that you need to use it. Having enjoyed shooting the pistol as much as I have, I think it wouldn’t be hard to gain a level of proficiency suitable for shooting it well under pressure.

If you need a defensive sidearm for dangerous animals, or if you just find yourself enchanted by the big bore of the Super Redhawks, this is a great option to buy.

-CBM

ATN THOR 4 640 2.2-25X thermal riflescope

Optics, Product review, , , , ,

Thermal Optics

Being in control, or at least feeling like you’re in control of a situation seems to give us satisfaction in our outdoor adventures. Being prepared with weapons and the tools needed to go where we want, and do what we chose are a large portion of that feeling of authority over our immediate surroundings. Until the sun sets, when much of our dominance goes out the window. Today we are going to take a look at some equipment you can add to your arsenal that will keep you on top of things in pure darkness. ATN Corp has been in the business of manufacturing low light sport optics for nearly 30 years now. They have been innovating night vision and thermal devices in every imaginable way. Today we are going to speak about one product in particular, ATN’s THOR 4 640 2.2-25X thermal riflescope.

The THOR

The ATN THOR 4 is much more than just a low light thermal imaging optical sight. It also has an incredible array of smart functions like built in GPS, blue-tooth connection to apple and android devices, video and photo recording, and even ballistic solver built into the riflescope.
There are other more simple features that will enhance your experience with this scope as well. Rings to mount it come included with the scope, low battery consumption make the power last longer than anticipated. And you can even get it in one of your favorite camouflage coatings. There is much more to get into on the features, so I’ll move along.

Unboxing

When I opened the box to see the scope inside, I was a bit surprised. The THOR appeared to be a complete unit, sealed and ready to go. I pulled out the instructions because I’m an idiot when it comes to tech. The directions were easy enough to figure out, but for added help for those of us who struggle they even added some stickers in various locations indicating the purpose and function of each control.

Control panel on top of the housing, note charging port and SD card slot

There was also things such as a charging adaptor and the mounting rings to install the scope on your rifle. After a few hours good charging time, I took the THOR outside to see what I was missing in the darkness. I have used other thermal optics before, and I was perhaps expecting a little bit more because of my previous experience. But to be fair, the units I was comparing to this ATN cost three to four times as much. So there is certainly a grain of salt to take with my expectation.

Browse ATN Riflescopes here, because you’re already this far…

The THOR was excellent for identifying small animals around the neighborhood inside 300 yards. I zoomed the power in and out using the power wheel on the left side of the housing, and then focused using the rotating objective housing. The resolution was more than adequate for identifying and targeting potential animals.

In the field

I wanted to get this scope mounted and into action as soon as possible. Using the provided rings, I mounted it up on my Desert Tech MDRX 308 winchester.
It took some getting used to, but after a bit I had the THOR figured out. I managed to get it zeroed, though it took me more shots than it should have. The “Nuc” feature was an important one to figure out quickly. As far as I can tell, it seems to calibrate the sensor according to the current field of view. I found that significantly changing your field of view would cause some of the resolution to vary some, and by cycling the Nuc feature on the new viewing area would bring back the image. There is also an “Auto-Nuc” that you can set in the controls to have the device re-Nuc itself every so often.
The display was full of information, possibly more than some folks may want to see. It kinda made me feel like I was looking through the heads up display of an F-18. Angles on both vertical and horizontal plans are displayed, as well as a compass heading. There are an assortment of reticle choices you can choose depending on your needs, as well as a simple menu that can be cycled through quickly using the buttons on top of the housing. I had already installed a micro SD card that is used to store images and video clips recorded through the scope.

The Obsidian 4 Application

It was time to get the Obsidian 4 application connected and running, this app is made and offered by ATN for the owners of their products. It allows details entry and customization for some of the more tedious bits of data you definitely want right.
It took a minute to figure out how to properly get it connected to my phone, but after watching a helpful video on ATN’s website I was in business.

The Obsidian 4 app allows you to customize the data used in the ballistic solver that comes in the scope. You can change calibers, bullet weights, velocities and other pertinent information used to calculate the corrections for distance. You can also watch through the scope remotely which is also pretty cool, there is a slight delay in transmission but you can see everything you need to see and record it to your phone if you like.

The app was easy to navigate, and update the information. To be completely honest I found it to be an incredible amount of customization, I am barely smarter than most primates and I was beginning to worry I was going to screw something up faster than anything. But in a short time I had it setup to my liking, and ready to shoot. Continue Reading Here…

THE THERMAL DIFFERENCE

As far as thermals go, I was quite pleased with this one. I could see myself using it quite a bit more now that I am familiar with its functions and features, which are far more than I had anticipated.
Battery life was impressive, even in the ice-cold Rocky Mountains. I could leave the Thor powered up for hours at a time for most of the day’s shooting activities. With a full charge after leaving it in the cold garage for two weeks, it still powered right up to about 90%. The actual optical controls (focus, zoom, etc.) were a little more sensitive than I’d have liked, but I guess I can live with it given the thermal advantage the scope offers.

I didn’t use the ballistic calculator much, but I don’t really use them much inside of 300 yards anyway. The pictures and video taken from the Thor were fantastic and easy to get and upload where I wanted them.

CONCLUSION

Thermal and night vision products are not for the faint of heart. Companies like ATN are doing their best to bring the price down and present options to the general consumer. Nonetheless, it will take a level of dedication and funds outside the normal gun enthusiast. Think of it like NFA items. The added cost and a little more diligence are needed, but the results are too cool to not have. I certainly don’t mean to put you off getting into thermal sight like the Thor, just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.

My only concern with this scope is about longevity, it does come with a 3-year warranty, which certainly assuages some of that concern. I do look forward to spending some more time with this scope and hopefully getting some good video of coyote hunting.

-CBM

Century Arms WASR 10: an AK-47 for the streets…

Product review, Shooting hardware, Uncategorized, , ,

The Kalashnikov

century Arms WASR 10
On the range with American Eagle ammunition

Few firearms are more recognizable than the Kalashnikov family; in this article will be looking at a descendant of that family, the WASR 10. It is a Romanian-made AK-47 imported by Century Arms for the American market.
The formidable AK-47 design is the blueprint for the WASR 10; Century Arms manufactures them from Romanian parts kits. The post-Warsaw Pact production of rifles in Romania created a vast number of highly sought-after imports that are still coming into the US distribution circuit.

The WASR 10

Much like its Kalashnikov cousin, the WASR 10 uses an extremely simple and robust construction. The receiver is made from stamped steel, folded neatly into the proper shape, and fitted with the barrel and trunnion. The bolt carrier and piston assembly ride on two rails fit into the receiver, with a captured operating spring assembly fit into the rear of the bolt carrier and secured into a blind slot at the rear of the receiver. The gas tube is secured between the gas block and the trunnion with a cam pin.

century arms WASR 10
straight outta Moscow

The barrel is chambered in the 7.62×39 Soviet cartridge, the hitherto low cost and proliferate supply of this ammunition is also an attractive aspect of the rifle.
Wooden furniture is used in both the foregrip area and buttstock, though the pistol grip is a polymer blend. To be honest, the whole thing gives the feeling of an infantry weapon in post cold war Soviet states, which makes a lot of sense…

The finish is almost non-existent, particularly on the wood, and you can tell that the original manufacture of these guns wasn’t exactly focused on luxurious looks. I’ve seen a great many of these types of rifles, and there is quite a variation in the grading of quality, at least from an aesthetic perspective.

What makes them special?

All that aside, these AK rifles and their extended family are famous for being incredibly reliable, like a lead pump that knows no defeat. All over the world, they can be found in terrible conditions and disrepair yet still functioning.

The availability, low cost, and that incredibly seasoned service record make these rifles very popular and favorable to American gun owners. For all the pitiful parlance I’ve mentioned regarding the WASR 10 so far, this is the part I love the most about gun reviews. The WASR 10 is exactly what I expected it to be, a lightweight, fast-moving mag siphon.

And just like every other similar AK variant I have shot, this one is an absolute blast to shoot. Low recoil, easily aimed, and way too easy to use up all your ammunition.

Shooting the Century Arms WASR 10

century arms wasr 10 suppressed ak-47
Ready to make slightly less noise

The 16.5-inch barrel makes the overall length of the gun quite short and easy to maneuver. The iron sights are straight out of Moscow with no frills, just the traditional adjustable ramp sight hilariously incremented out to a thousand meters. That said, while I have always found it relatively easy to get hits on target with these sights, I really wish I had an optics mount to try using a small scope on the rifle.

Reloads are not as simple as AR-type rifles; perhaps the only flaw in Mikhail’s design was the lack of a lock-back mag catch. This requires you to remove the magazine and insert the new one, followed by drawing back the bolt to chamber the first round of the new magazine. It’s not a huge deal to me, and if you look on Instagram you can see a whole bunch of tier-zero dudes running the drill faster than I can spill my coffee.

The magazines themselves are another great part of the design. Seated properly in the rifle, they feel almost like a solid piece of the receiver; you can hold the gun by the mag and shake it violently with no concern for failures of any kind. The WASR 10 now comes with polymer magazines, nothing wrong with that, but I do prefer the old steel stamped ones that I used to be able to buy for $7.00 each back in the 90s. Continue Reading Here…

WASR-10 Pros And Cons

  • Reliability – Unbeatable reliability with zero malfunctions.
  • Compatibility – Aftermarket accessories fit without issue.
  • Fun – I mean, c’mon, it’s an AK.
  • Maneuverable – Lightweight and easily manipulated.
  • Inaccurate – Not a particularly accurate platform.
  • No bolt lock-back – This in my view is a design failure.
  • Wood finish- Roll the dice, see what you get.
  • Controls- Could use some modernization.

Either way, you probably ought to get a bunch of ammo if you purchase one of these rifles, as they are just too fun to shoot. For the most part, I run the lacquered steel case ammo through my rifle. Some say it’s not optimal, but…you do you.

Ammunition Selection

Both the 122-grain FMJ and the 122 hollow point ammunition I fired through the gun functioned flawlessly. And the accuracy of both loads was very comparable. The platform isn’t known for its accuracy, so I wasn’t surprised to see groups averaging in the 2-3 MOA. I am quite confident I could shoot it much better with a good scope adequately mounted. But I would be surprised if it shot much better than 2 MOA. Additionally I  shot some American Eagle 124-grain FMJ ammunition with great results.

After another afternoon of shooting, I was just as happy as ever with this rifle. It is comfortable and a joy to shoot; its lightweight and easy handling make it a walk in the park. You can definitely feel the Soviet roots from this rifle. This is not a Gucci AR.

Close-up of the WASR-10. But it still feels like a fantastic shooting tool, despite not having many of the newer style controls we have become so used to. Some nostalgia perhaps influences my feelings for the gun. The slow cyclic motion of the bolt feels like something from an old ’80s action film.

Happily, I happened to have a thread adaptor from 14X1 LH to a standard ⅝-24 which allows the use of muzzle devices with a more common thread pitch. That made it possible to install my Yankee Hill Machine R9 suppressor and a Lantac Dragon muzzle brake. Both worked great on the rifle using that adaptor.

Without an adjustable gas system, the AK family can be slightly finicky with suppressors. But this configuration worked out pretty well.

Conclusion

The AK design is a very hard one to beat, and the WASR 10 variant seems like a perfectly useful version of the venerable design. Its reliable, and fairly inexpensive compared to some other options. And it still brings that famous AK-47 looks with it as well.  Get yourself a WASR 10, its an AK for the streets.

-CBM

CMMG Dissent 5.56 Pistol

pistols, Product review, Shooting hardware

Introduction

I recently wrote a review of the CMMG Banshee, and I was very impressed with nearly everything about it. So I decided I wanted to try another gun from CMMG, and reached out to see if I could get my hands on one of the CMMG Dissent 5.56 pistols. After some waiting, I was happy to see the little CMMG box show up at my desk.

The CMMG Dissent

The Dissent is not your typical AR-15 type pistol, it utilizes CMMG’s buffer-less compact action. This means that it doesn’t need the bulky buffer tube that comes standard with most AR-15 patterned rifles. The compact action instead utilizes a dual spring pack that runs right above the bolt carrier itself, it carries in between the spring set a rubberized stop if the carrier should reach a full stroke to the rear. The two uneven spring guide-rods are keyed into a steel boss at the back of the upper receiver, but remain independent of the receiver itself. The front of the two springs are captured in a T-shaped housing that appears to be part of the bolt carrier itself.
From there the Dissent is almost the same as a standard AR, using what appears to be a standard bolt, cam pin and firing pin parts. I say almost because there are a few other differences.

Because the spring assembly sits where the charging handle would normally be, they had to move the charging system to the front of the action instead. There is a steel charging block that rides in a groove inside the handguard at twelve o’clock, the charging handle itself slides in from the side of the handguard and rides in its own grove from there. A claw is attached to the front of the charging handle to keep it from reciprocating, and as far as I can tell it is reversible to either side of the handguard but requiring you to purchase a right-sided charging handle. The charging block only pushes on the bolt carrier when pulled to the rear, but remains captured during the cycling of the bolt carrier.
The Dissent is available in 5.56, 300blk, and 5.7.

Initial impressions

As I pulled the gun from its packaging I have to say I was impressed. The Dissent came to me in a handsome charcoal green Cerakote sporting CMMG’s muzzle device and a pair of Pmags. The buffer tube hole at the back of the lower receiver had been covered by a vertical pic rail, to allow for a brace or stock installation should you choose to be infringed upon by the NFA.
The Dissent comes standard with a Trigger Tech AR-D two stage trigger which was crisp as the air on a December morning. I found myself triggering the gun over and over in anticipation of shooting it. Fairly standard controls, with a 45 degree safety and ambidextrous mag release buttons. I found the left side mag button to be a little close to the bolt release for my taste, it seemed like it might be too easy to drop the mag when your trying to drop the bolt. But we’ll see about that at the range.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber 5.56
Capacity 30 round P-Mag
Weight 4.8 lbs
Length 14.7 inches
Barrel Twist 1:7
Barrel Length 6.5 inches
Operating System Compact Action Direct impingement
Muzzle Threads ½ x 28
Trigger Trigger Tech AR-D

PROS & CONS

PROS
  • No buffer tube required
  • Picatinny rail for easy stock or arm brace installation
  • High quality upper and lower with flawless union
  • Fantastic Trigger Tech trigger from the factory
  • Very reliable functioning operating system
CONS
  • Must purchase separate charging handle to run on right side of firearm
  • Awkward shooting without a buttstock or arm brace

FIRST RANGE OUTING WITH THE DISSENT

I was excited to get the Dissent out into the open where I could shoot it. It was a beautiful winter afternoon, with temps in the teens. Not exactly a perfect day, but close to it. I did nothing to the gun as far as lubrication or anything like that. We just started loading P-mags and went to it.

My very first impression was, how am I supposed to shoot this thing? AR pistols are small enough that you can shoot them like a pistol, but it feels awkward and silly to me. So we tried several different ways of holding the gun and ended up with one hand on the pistol grip and the other on the magwell or handguard area.

I had mounted my US Optics TSR 1X red dot for a sight, and lucky for me, it was near perfectly zeroed at about fifty yards. We went through several magazines of American Eagle 55 grain ball ammunition, and the DIssent kept plugging away.

Most things inside 50 yards seemed fairly easy to hit, I’m sure it would be useful at further distances, but something was going to need to change first. It was difficult for a guy who mainly shoots precision rifles to properly steady the rifle without having a rear point to anchor to the shoulder.

This is certainly not the fault of the Dissent, just something I’m not used to. Before testing any accuracy with the gun, I wanted to get a proper brace or buttstock to shoot it right.

Even so, we had a great time shooting the little charcoal green pistol. At no time during testing did the firearm show any malfunctions or issues, and it was fun to shoot.

I decided to throw a suppressor on the gun as well, to see how it did as a host. I had my Yankee Hill Machine Turbo 556 suppressor handy and spun it on after removing the CMMG muzzle device.

The Dissent doesn’t have an adjustable gas block, but it didn’t seem to matter. It kept banging along, suppressed, which was obviously more pleasant for the user. Slightly more noticeable gas was felt for the shooter, but not something I would be too concerned about.

RELIABILITY

The Dissent showed no malfunctions during my testing. It was using P-mags, metal GI mags, and an assortment of ammunition. Besides the American Eagle 55 grain ammo, we also shot some Frontier 55 grain hollow point ammunition and a handful of others that had collected in the bottom of my range bucket.

The seven-twist barrel of the dissent also had no trouble shooting some 75-grain loads that worked without problems.

ACCURACY

The short stiff barrel of the Dissent worked great for keeping shots consistent. Once a brace was added, I found it was easy to keep groups under 2 MOA at one hundred yards.

As the Dissent is more configured as a personal defense weapon (PDW) or something of a short sporting arm, I found this level of accuracy to be perfectly acceptable.

OVERALL FEEL

The Dissent definitely feels like a quality-made firearm, as with other CMMG firearms I have shot before this one. The fit and finish are top-notch, as are the CMMG furniture and accessories that come with it.

Everything from the Cerakote finish to the engraving looks very well done and justifies the rifle’s price point.

THE BUFFERLESS OPERATING SYSTEM

The best feature of the Dissent is its bufferless operating system. It utilizes two springs and guide-rods that are housed above the bolt carrier in the upper receiver. They are captured at the rear with an aluminum block and pass through a T-shaped boss on top of the bolt carrier.

This design allows the Dissent to be more compact than its buffered competitors.

FORWARD CHARGING HANDLE

The charging handle for the Dissent is mounted in the handguard in front of the upper receiver. There is a steel charging block that slides in its own keyed slot of the handguard, and the charging handle slides in from the side. The whole assembly can be drawn to the rear by the left hand to operate the action.

The charging block isn’t attached to the bolt carrier itself. It simply pushes back on the front of the carrier. This makes the charging handle non-reciprocating, for which the engineers at CMMG added a claw capture to the front of the charging handle to keep it in place.

The forward charging handle makes a lot of sense for a gun like this; having the traditional top-rear of the upper receiver charging handle would be very awkward.

The only downside I can see is that the charging handle isn’t reversible, it can be switched to the right side of the gun, but that requires purchasing an additional right-side charging handle.

STOCK/BRACE PIC RAIL MOUNT

Since the Dissent has no buffer tube, CMMG has installed a vertical pic rail in place of the buffer tube to add either a sling mount, arm brace, or a stock.

I tried mounting an arm brace from a Sig MCX Rattler that I had, but it wouldn’t slide over the Picatinny rail section. The only option I found worked was one clamped over the pic rail.

TRIGGER

The Trigger Tech AR-D trigger was a fantastic addition to the Dissent. It had a very clean pull and crisp break. The reset felt slightly different than I expected, but I wasn’t sure if that was by design or simply my lack of familiarity with it. Regardless, it is a fantastic component of the gun.

BACK TO THE RANGE

After installing an arm brace, I wanted to further test the Dissent and see how much better I could do. Additional accuracy testing proved the rifle to be very capable of 1-2 MOA depending on ammunition type. And I felt much more comfortable with the gun, shooting it as a rifle vs. a pistol.

The very short Dissent is extremely agile when moving through a course of fire. The short length makes the rifle quick to get on target and easy to maneuver. In my opinion, the addition of a suppressor is almost a requirement, as the gun is so short that one can easily get the support hand into the extremely dangerous muzzle area. Adding a suppressor greatly reduces the likelihood of your fingers’ proximity to gas and bullets being expelled from the muzzle.

I found myself really appreciating the enlarged magazine release buttons on the Dissent. They did make it easy to perform reloads quickly. The bolt release did end up being a touch obscured for my taste. After reloading, it took a little bit more attention than normal to ensure the bolt release was depressed acutely.

I was again impressed with the trigger, as I always have been with Trigger Tech products. It made a significant improvement, in my opinion, in my ability to accurately shoot the Dissent.

Continue Reading here…

AMMO USED

The Majority of ammunition used for this review was American Eagle 55 grain ball ammo. There was a significant amount of the Frontier 55 HP and PMC X Tac ammunition. But from what I witnessed with the Dissent, I would feel confident shooting most any ammunition.

CONCLUSION

I’ve said it already, the CMMG Dissent is a great option if you are looking to SBR or quasi-SBR an AR-15 type rifle. If you enjoy shooting AR pistols then I figure you can certainly do that with this one too. The gun works perfectly either way, and it is compatible with all the best options for either direction.

For me it is an excellent option with flawless function and a well executed design. CMMG has obviously put a lot of thought into their design, and added quality accessories to go along with it. Little things like their 60/90 degree safety that allow you to adjust the throw to your liking bring great value to the Dissent and other CMMG products as well.

If you are in the market for an AR pistol, do NOT overlook the Dissent, or at minimum look at it and the other pistol offerings from CMMG as they are hard to pass up.

-CBM

Lever guns and revolvers: Perfect Pairs

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Gun owners chose their firearms depending on many differing criteria. Size, looks, caliber and so on can all be the deciding reasons why someone selects one model over another. Today I wanted to go over a subject that will help narrow some of the selections and make it easier to pick out your next firearm, or pair of firearms; Lever guns and revolvers.

my Marlin 1894 chambered in 357 magnum and Ruger LCR also chambered in 357 magnum
A handsome pair the Marlin 1894 and Ruger LCR

Consistency

I have several firearms chambered in the same cartridge, if you are reading this you probably are in the same boat. Having multiple firearms chambered in the same cartridge simplifies a few things for gun owners.

The most obvious way that occurs is through uniformity. Instead of buying ammunition for each individual firearm, you can buy for two or more guns. If you have an AR-type rifle for defense training, and a bolt action varmint gun both chambered in 223 Remington its easy to feed them both from the same box.
Today I want to specifically take that thesis out of your gun room, and into the wide open spaces where your guns are likely to be used.

Paired Up

Identically chambered guns can simplify things when in the field. If you are a cowboy, or perhaps just a modern rancher you might find yourself frequently armed with both a pistol for short work, and a rifle for more significant things.

Having a pistol on your hip is a valuable tool for many of us, but it’s often not enough in big open country. Having a rifle or carbine on your horse or ATV in case a pesky coyote should give you an opportunity can be a lifesaver.

If both of these firearms are chambered in the same cartridge it will simplify and speed up your daily loadout. A .357 Magnum chambered revolver is more than enough for pistol range shots. As well a handy little lever-action rifle chambered in .357 as well is certainly enough for dispatching the occasional errant coyote.

Ammo was courtesy of GunMag Warehouse

A handy little pistol like the Ruger LCR .357 magnum is easily carried and less intrusive for someone with work on their mind. And to go with it, a short and quickly fired lever gun like the Marlin 1894 gives more range and power for things that are beyond pistol distances.

The two of them together make a great pair, giving you options without complicating things with multiple cartridges, magazines and such. Both firearms could also easily shoot .38 Special ammo, to further lighten the load for someone with a job to do.

Shop Marlin Lever Guns Here

A Bigger Set

ruger super redhawk alaskan .44 Magnum
Shooting the Super Redhawk Alaskan in 44 Magnum

Perhaps you don’t live in flat Texas ranch country though. And maybe you have bigger worries than two and four legged coyotes. Suppose you live in the cold north, where bears and wolves roam as freely as you and I. For such an outpost, I think I’d be a little more comfortable with something a bit more stout than a .357.

Keeping the theme of our first pair, I would feel much better with something like a .44 Magnum. The heavy hitting magnum loads carry more energy should you need to defend yourself. Or if you happen to get the opportunity to take a game animal unexpectedly.

I love the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan for this role, its short, robust and carries enough power to kill just about anything. It’s also comfortable as far as big revolvers go, which is a must if its a firearm you intend on having on you at all times.

Shop Ruger Revolvers HERE or HERE

winchester 1894 .44 magnum saddle carbine
The Saddle Carbine 1894 in .44 magnum is a blast to shoot

As a companion for the Redhawk, I chose the Winchester 1894 Saddle carbine chambered in the same 44 Magnum. The short and quickly pointed rifle is easily brought along on most any activity where you’d want a rifle. Its easily kept in a vehicle or stashed on an ATV. Whether you are guiding a river fishing trip or cutting firewood the little rifle can provide an extra measure of security. As with the .357, the .44 magnum can be downloaded, or even shot with .44 Special loads for increased economy. Continue Reading Here…

THE PERFECT PAIR

These perfect pairs don’t have to be all wheels and levers, there are other cartridges and firearms that can make a good match as well. It just depends on your specific application for your firearms.

These are just the ones that I thought of, and their convenience as it applies to things. I can see myself doing. As if you didn’t need one, it could always serve the purpose of adding another gun to your collection. With the added benefit of running on the same ammunition as guns you already have in inventory.

FINAL WORDS

If economic and convenient shooting is something you find yourself thinking about, pairing up your firearms may be an easy way to reduce costs and streamline your daily shooting logistics.

Buying fewer differing cartridges in bigger numbers is something we can all appreciate in today’s ammunition market. I suggest you put together your own perfect pair. Or perhaps even a trio of firearms to see if it improves your shooting bottom line.

-CBM

ATN BinoX 4T 2.5-25X thermal binoculars

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Thermal Weapon Sights

Thermal weapon sights have become extremely popular over the last decade or so, I’ve had the good fortune to play with a few of them. Today we are going to talk about a supplemental thermal device, one I think is just as useful as a weapon sight; the ATN BinoX 4T 2.5-25X thermal binoculars.
I say just as useful because whenever I find myself in the dark looking for potential animals to hunt, looking around through my riflescope is not only cumbersome but dangerous. The BinoX binoculars allow the user to safely scan the surrounding environment to identify potential targets, and it also gives you additional information that will help you make a better shot when the time comes.
The ATN Binox incorporate a rangefinder, variable power settings, video recording and image capture, and even GPS location that can be used to keep track of fellow hunters in the area. An IR illuminator is also part of the device, which allows you to illuminate targets when using in conjunction with night vision optics. It also incorporates wifi that can be paired to your ATN riflescope through the ATN Ballistic Information Exchange (BIX). Using the connection you can also stream to a paired device for additional viewing while recording the stream to the SD card inside the unit.
The ATN Binox uses an armored housing with a control pad on the top with various buttons to cycle through the menus and activate the different functions of the binoculars. At the rear of the binos you have an adjustable diopter to focus the image of the display inside. The front of the sensor lens can be rotated to focus the thermal image of the target, the right side is for the thermal sensor, the left side houses other sensors and needn’t be adjusted for image focusing.
The Center button doubles as a “Nuc” button that resets the sensitivity of the sensor based on the current field of view, as far as I can tell anyway. You can adjust the power magnification of the binoculars by using the arrows on the control pad, and the power button doubles as a rangefinder trigger when the unit is powered on.
The display inside gives you quite a bit of information, with actual readouts of both incline and cant as well as a compass bearing. You can select to use different widgets such as compass and angle displays, or if you like you can keep it simple and see just the image. There are many different settings that you can adjust to better fit your needs such as different shades for showing heat, you can select different colors or shades of black and white. There are different reticles you can use for measuring targets and distances and such, and of course you can change the units from yards to meters and MOA to MRAD if you like.

Curious already? Check for you new thermal optic here.

The Binox come with an extended life battery, which I was happy to hear. Most thermal devices I have used in the past burn through batteries far too fast. There was also a neck band to carry the BinoX with, it was also easy to adjust the two ocular lenses to fit your particular eye width.

Into the darkness

After confirming a bunch of settings around the yard and making my dog uncomfortable with shouting commands into the dark corners of the yard, I decided it was time to take the BinoX into the hills and see what I could find. It took a few minutes to find a contrast setting that I preferred, but I settled on the “Glowbow” setting. As you’ll see from my pictures I neglected to set the time and date.

a deer as seen at around 20X magnification from approximately 250 yards

Once I got into the mountains I began scanning where I figured I would be able to find a deer or two, or perhaps even a unsuspecting hiker. I did find something that quickly became frustrating. There were plenty of rocks in the hills that appeared to retain a bunch of heat, this inevitably gave me too many false ID’s of potential life. When I actually did see something that was clearly alive and warm, it was pretty clear. But often times I would have to watch at some of the more distant targets to see if they moved before I could confirm their identity.
I spent some time getting used to the imagery through the binos, and testing out the different functions. It did take me a minute to get used to some of the controls and understand everything, but soon enough I was finding things and measuring their distance with the rangefinder and even snapping pictures and videos of them. Much like properly viewing an ultrasound image, it seems there is a bit of a learning curve with looking at images like this. Oftentimes it is easy enough to make out trees, rocks and so forth. You can even make out sunny spots and shadows in the images taken during daylight. I have seen better imagery from other thermal units, but to be fair they cost significantly more than this one.
Finding animals in complete darkness turned out be be everything I hoped it would be, it reduced the eeriness of the darkness. Thermal optics have the benefit of being useful in the daylight just as complete darkness, which is a leg up over night vision optics. I found that using the BinoX during the daytime was also helpful in finding things that were alive in a sea of ambient temperature trees and hills. Continue Reading Here…

SOME DRAWBACKS

I’ll go over the negative things first, as I’ve mentioned I have used other high-dollar units so take my opinion with a grain of salt. One of the most significant things I didn’t like with the BinoX was that things that weren’t warm showed up as if they were. This is likely technological ignorance on my part, it appears that the sensor shows differences in temperature more than anything. For example, the deer I was looking at are surely warmer than anything else on a sub-freezing mountainside with scattered snow at 6:00 AM, but even so many of the rocks on that hillside looked as if they were warm in the BinoX.

The rocks were a whole other color/shade than the ground and trees but were clearly discernible as well. I guess I was just hoping that only warm things would show up as such on the display, but to be fair I got used to it fairly quick, and it ceased to be as difficult.

The rangefinder works, and I tested its accuracy alongside another comparably priced unit. I like rangefinders that reach the two kilometers or more, but for use in the darkness it’s probably better to stay fairly close. Ranging targets inside 1,000 yards seemed to be easy with the Binox, but I didn’t care for the large opening in the ranging reticle, I think it could use a more precise aiming point.

I am not sure what the laser divergence is for the rangefinder, but perhaps the reticle size is based on the beam divergence.

I was unfortunately unable to try the Obsidian APP that I downloaded to view images from the BinoX, I wasn’t able to pair the device and the live chat support on ATN’s website was unable to help me as I wandered around in the darkness.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE BINOX

Now for the good news. I was very excited to be able to see so many things in the dark that were previously unknown. These Binoculars are an awesome tool if you are trying to locate animals in the darkness, or very low light. I suppose you could even use them in the daylight to locate animals. The zoom function is pretty easy and quick to increase your ability to identify targets, and I was pleasantly surprised that resolution wasn’t lost as I zoomed them in.

I was certainly impressed by the battery life, particularly in the cold sub-freezing temperatures in the high Rocky Mountains. The unit has a standby/sleep mode to help conserve the battery, but I wanted to see how long it would last without it. On multiple occasions I would fire the unit up an hour or so before daylight, and I would use it until the deer would begin to bed down around 10-11 at night and the battery was still chuggin’ along!

The photo/video feature is very handy, it was as simple as tapping the button to get saved images of the animals I was watching. Almost too easy in fact, as on several occasions I found I had bumped the video record button and had filled my card up with videos of my feet.

The image quality was as good as I had expected it to be and it gave me an incredible feeling of dominion over the darkness before me.

CONCLUSION

Thermal imaging is definitely not for the penny pinchers out there, there are a variety of BinoX models available but the most affordable chimes in with an MSRP of $2,699. Needless to say, it can be a hard pill to swallow for most. Though you might find it extremely fun to prowl the darkness, you won’t be able to occult such a purchase from your spouse without risking your own body heat. But if you have the ability to buy products like this, then you will surely enjoy them as I have.

The ATN 640 4T BinoX will take your hunting to a whole new level, and the features make it a pleasure to use. Watch for my next article about the ATN THOR 4T HD Riflescope.

-CBM

Minute of Angle: what is it? and how to use MOA

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If you spend any time in the precision rifle shooting world, it won’t be long before someone mentions MOA. We’re going to dive into a full guide on minute of angle.

Introduction

Some people call it weaponized math, which I like. But MOA is a shortened acronym used to describe a Minute Of Angle.

A minute of angle is an angular measurement similar to a degree. We know that there are 360 degrees in a circle, and we can use a compass to pan a certain amount of degrees right or left, just like when you learned orienteering in boy scouts as a kid.

A Minute Of Angle (MOA) is 1/60th of a degree, so it’s just a finer scale of measuring an angle offset. An MOA can be cut up into sixty seconds of angle, but that is getting so fine we probably don’t need to go into it.
As an angular measurement, shooters use the fine-scale to adjust their sights. In the same way pilots use degrees to adjust their flightpath, we use MOA to adjust the flight of our projectiles. I’ve been playing in that realm for a few decades now, so I’ll do my best to explain this dangerous math as best I can.

What Does MOA Mean?

As I mentioned, MOA stands in for the mouthful; Minute Of Angle. There are several other ways that shooters measure shooting corrections and deviations, the more popular being MRAD (abbreviation for Milliradian) and IPHY (Inch Per Hundred Yards). But let’s not muddy the water and stick to our subject, MOA.

MOA and Target Distance

As an angular measurement, the size of a minute of angle gets bigger as it gets farther away from you.

Imagine it like a very long orange traffic cone. When you look through the hole at the small end, it may only be one inch in diameter. But the same cone at the big end, maybe ten or more inches wide, the angle of that increase IS an MOA.

So keeping with our example, if the small end of the cone was two inches in diameter, then to maintain the same angle at the other end, it would have to be twenty inches in diameter.

Back in the old days, before laser rangefinders, people with less hair than me would use these mathematical calculations to estimate distance. If you know an average male is about six feet tall, you can use an MOA scale built into your riflescope reticle to measure how many MOA tall he is and reverse the math to figure out roughly how far away he is.
Once you know your target’s distance, you can use the exact same measuring scale to correct for the drop of your bullet at that distance. Now you might understand why they call it weaponized math.

Accuracy Measurement

MOA is the most common method of measuring or stating the accuracy potential of a rifle. If your rifle shoots five shots at one hundred yards that measure one-inch center to center, then you can call that group a 1 MOA pattern. If your group measures 1.5 inches, you could call it a 1.5 MOA pattern.

As I mentioned before, an MOA is an angular measurement that increases with distance. One MOA at one hundred yards is about an inch, but it measures over ten inches at one thousand yards.
To be precise, one MOA is not one inch. One MOA is actually 1.047 inches at one hundred yards. And 10.47 inches at one thousand yards, but until you are shooting well enough to notice a ½ inch difference in your groups at one thousand yards, you can just work with the inch measurement.

How to Use Minute of Angle While Shooting

As soon as a bullet leaves the muzzle of a rifle, it begins to drop due to gravity and aerodynamic resistance. The further away the bullet travels, the more it drops, which requires corrective action to “hold over” the target high enough to hit it. But how much should I hold over, you might ask?

Long-range rifle scopes have corrective mechanisms to adjust for that drop. It is accomplished by either holding over the target using the same MOA scale you used to measure this guy, or you can use the turret of the scope to dial the corrective angular adjustment. Continue reading here

How Many Clicks Are In An MOA?

Riflescopes that use MOA adjustments typically use turrets that are marked in either ¼ MOA per click or ⅛ MOA per click. One is no better than the other; you just need to know what you have. If you need to correct three MOA for a distant shot, it would be twelve clicks for a ¼ MOA scope turret vs. twenty-four clicks for a ⅛  MOA turret.

The same goes for reticles. Some scope reticles have half MOA markings or whole MOA markings. You need to familiarize yourself with whatever it is to ensure you make the right corrections.

moa on target sheet

Example: The above image shows a .569 MOA five-shot group. That measurement comes from the center of the two furthest apart bullet holes.

If your point of aim was the center of this target, and you wanted to center it up, you could measure the distance (approximately one inch left) and correct it by adjusting your scope one MOA or four ¼ clicks to the left.

Minute Of Angle Formulas

There are several MOA formulas that you can use to estimate the distance of a target, as well as measure the size of the target. I’ve tried several of them over the years, and the one I find easiest to use is a set of binoculars called the Kilo 10K, which comes from Sig Sauer.

But seriously, if you want to learn the different equations, I recommend you study it online because I could go on for three more pages just about that subject. Here are a few resources I’ve found helpful, including a video:

MOA Vs. Mil

I mentioned Milliradians or MRAD earlier. MOA and MRAD are the two most prominent units of measure for shooting. The difference between the two is like the differences between feet and meters. They are two different scales to measure the same thing.

Personally, I prefer MRAD because it is a little more coarse, and it works on a base-ten scale instead of quarters, halves, and such. So instead of correcting six and three-quarters MOA, you could use one point nine MRAD. Either one works fine. Pick the one that works for you and run with it.

How To Calculate 1 MOA Size At Your Distance

As I mentioned earlier, one MOA at one hundred yards is 1.047 inches. So to figure out one MOA at any given distance, you can simply multiply that number by the distance.

For Example: If the distance is 793 yards, you take 7.93 X 1.047= 8.3 inches.

How To Calculate The Bullet Drop

Every bullet drops at a given rate based on its velocity and the atmosphere it has to fly through. Ballistic calculators have made this part of weaponized math very easy. Without them, you need to either do a whole lot of math beyond my proficiency level or go out and shoot to figure out how much elevation correction it takes to hit at each given distance.

trasol ballistic computer
a good smartphone based ballistic computer like Desert Tech’s Trasol makes it easy

The latter can be very expensive with today’s ammo prices, so you’d be much better off spending 10-20 dollars to download a ballistic app. My personal favorite is.

Tips For Using MOA

Besides knowing the basic numbers like the 1.047 and such, it would be a good idea to know how to convert your MOA to MRAD in the likely event you are shooting with other shooters using the MRAD scale. You can go back and forth by multiplying or dividing your number by 3.438.

Example: 21.5 MOA divided by the 3.438 gives you 6.2 MRAD. You can quickly use these equations to go back and forth if needed. But if you’re terrible at math like me, it might be easier to make new friends with the same MOA type of scope you have.

moa red dot

Conclusion

Hopefully, I’ve helped shed some light on this subject. At least enough to have a basic knowledge of the subject and something you can start learning.

MOA is an angular measurement suited for measuring ballistic corrections and deviations. It’s ideal for measuring these things because bullets travel and disperse in the same pattern. That is, they spread apart more and more as they travel away from their origin.

MOA has been the rule of ballistic measurement for much longer than I’ve been around. There is a great wealth of knowledge about the subject all over the internet. You’ve read what I’ve shared here. If you want more explanation on the subject, feel free to follow me or ask questions to start a conversation.

-CBM