All ArticlesShow More
-
.50-CALIBER AR: Big Horn Armory AR500
The AR-15/AR-10 platform has been chambered for more cartridges than any other firearm in history. It’s time to add another to the list—the 500 Auto Max used in Big Horn Armory’s AR500. Now and for the foreseeable future, it is the most powerful short-range semi-auto in the world. AR500 Based on a .308/AR-10 lower receiver,
-
OFFBEAT: C’mon Baby, Light My (Survival) Fire
The ability to start a fire is a key factor in surviving in the wild. It can mean the difference between life and death. The conditions won’t be ideal. You need redundant ignition methods to ensure at least one works in any environment. THE SURVIVAL LIGHTER A good lighter cannot be matched for its all-around
-
STREET SMARTS: Tactical Subterfuge, or the Art of BS
Once again, I’ve had a weird idea for a column. This one might be unique because I’ve never seen anything similar in print, and thus our discussion might be a World’s First. I’m going to talk about bluffing, or more pedantically: Tactical Subterfuge. This concept is a strange idea to examine because of my foundational
SurvivalShow More
-
OFFBEAT: C’mon Baby, Light My (Survival) Fire
The ability to start a fire is a key factor in surviving in the wild. It can mean the difference between life and death. The conditions won’t be ideal. You need redundant ignition methods to ensure at least one works in any environment. THE SURVIVAL LIGHTER A good lighter cannot be matched for its all-around
-
AGAINST ALL ODDS Long-Range Throwsticks
The use of sticks to hunt small and medium game is thoroughly documented. Throwstick variants have been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs but were truly made useful by many native tribes, especially the Australian Aboriginals. Throwsticks and rabbit sticks are variations of the more advanced kylie. While these hunting tools have been discovered
-
AGAINST ALL ODDS: Shomer-Tec Travel-Ready Gear
A company that has caught my eye over the last couple of years claims to specialize in “merchandise for those looking for law enforcement and military products, as well as spy and revenge products.” This got my attention, and soon I was talking to Jeff from Shomer-Tec about some of these items. Previously, I’d seen
WeaponsShow More
-
.50-CALIBER AR: Big Horn Armory AR500
The AR-15/AR-10 platform has been chambered for more cartridges than any other firearm in history. It’s time to add another to the list—the 500 Auto Max used in Big Horn Armory’s AR500. Now and for the foreseeable future, it is the most powerful short-range semi-auto in the world. AR500 Based on a .308/AR-10 lower receiver,
-
LONG-RANGE PERFORMANCE: Christensen Arms CA-10 G2
Photos by Ethan Burgreen Any mention of Christensen Arms brings forth an association with their precision bolt-action hunting rifles featuring carbon-fiber-wrapped barrels. This is understandable, as these were the initial product offerings. Various models of Christensen weapons have been brought forward since Dr. Roland Christensen (Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering) saw a way to apply his
-
SUB MOA—GUARANTEED: Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC II
At the SHOT Show four years ago, Dwight Van Brunt, who headed up media relations for Kimber, showed me a new tactical rifle Kimber was introducing. I placed an order for a T&E (test and evaluation) rifle. But Dwight retired from Kimber before the order went through, and I forgot about the rifle. While fact
Tactics & TrainingShow More
-
LONG GUNS: Savage 110 Scout Rifle
In the 20 or so years I’ve been writing this column, this will be the fourth one I’ve done about a Scout Rifle. That should indicate that I like the Scout Rifle concept. If I had to explain that appreciation in one word, it would be “versatility.” When Jeff Cooper developed the Scout Rifle concept,
-
GET THE LEAD OUT: Lead Faucet Tactical Pistol Course
“If at the end of the next three days of pistol training, you’ve learned one or two good take-aways, I will have done my job.” Dan Brokos began his Training Day 1 brief with this humble statement. He didn’t promise any magic and honestly shared with us the evolution of fighting with a firearm based
-
MENTAL TOUGHNESS: Fighting Edge for Women
This year in the White Mountains of Arizona, a 43-year-old woman was killed by a 14-year-old boy. The boy had broken into the woman’s home. She confronted him with her pistol and proceeded to call her lawyer husband, who was 200 miles away, on her phone. While he listened helplessly, his wife attempted to talk
GearShow More
-
THE CUTTING EDGE: SOG Strat Ops Auto
SOG Specialty Knives & Tools was founded in 1986 by designer and toolmaker Spencer Frazer. Named after the elite Vietnam-era Special Forces military group known as the Studies and Observation Group, the company’s first knife was a replica of the original SOG Bowie knife. The SOG Strat Ops Auto is an impressive recent addition to
-
OFFBEAT White Light Performance Redefined
The use of a remote tape switch allows for optimal placement of a weaponlight without compromising light activation, a major benefit especially with SBRs and PDWs. A tape switch also provides an optimal method of light activation under stress. In the past, poor mounting solutions, cable management issues, increased potential for negligible light discharges, and
-
LAWFUL CARRY Alien Gear Driver Defense Holster
While driving, I either have on my duty holster and belt or a strong-side holster. Neither can be presented with any alacrity while seated. For that matter, almost no method of carrying a handgun on your person—with the possible exception of a crossdraw holster—is very quick if you are seated. I tried mounting under my
More from S.W.A.T.Show More
-
STREET SMARTS: Tactical Subterfuge, or the Art of BS
Once again, I’ve had a weird idea for a column. This one might be unique because I’ve never seen anything similar in print, and thus our discussion might be a World’s First. I’m going to talk about bluffing, or more pedantically: Tactical Subterfuge. This concept is a strange idea to examine because of my foundational
-
GOOD GUYS WIN! Second Amendment in Action
He Kicked the Wrong Door In the wee hours of a Monday morning in July, the quiet of a St. Louis, Missouri home was disturbed by the sound of someone violently trying to kick in the front door. One of the four residents, a 21-year-old male, retrieved a firearm and moved to the sound of
-
FRONTLINE DEBRIEFS: Millennials in Law Enforcement
I entered the LAPD in 1976. During this epoch, the prevailing philosophy was, “If it happened to me, it will most definitely happen to you.” To clarify: If others had been treated like @#*%, then quite logically, you were going to be treated like @#*%! Fair enough. This meant you sat in the front row
