Tactics/Training | S.W.A.T. Magazine

LONG GUNS: Mossberg 590A1 Retro Combat Shotgun

Thompson became fascinated by trench shotguns with the Winchester Model 97 Trench Gun, and that has carried over to liking the Mossberg 590A1 Retro. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Service I remember buying my first trench shotgun, a Winchester Model 97. A local gun… Read More

THE FIRECLEAN GUN: Three More Years of Testing

Spoiler alert: Test rifle motoring along at just under 10,000 rounds. FIREClean is one of the market leaders in the new wave of high- performance, non-toxic firearm lubricants. In 2016, I wrote about a test where I took a milspec Bravo Company Mfg upper… Read More

LONG GUNS: US M4 Survival Rifle

M4 Survival Rifle with stock extended, plus ammunition and USAF Survival Knife. Photo: Jeff Moeller & Mike Spradlin When I first became interested in firearms over half a century ago, there weren’t as many gun magazines or gun books as there are now. As… Read More

APPENDIX CARRY: Keepers’ Concealment Triad

Spencer Keepers fires fast pair at target. Note control over recoil. Keepers emphasizes very strong grip. It’s been a long time since I was a student in a firearms class. My mavens were from the old school: Military, FBI, Cooper, Chapman, Shaw, Leatham, Rogers,… Read More

LONG GUNS: Maadi AK-47

Thompson fires Maadi from standing rest. For many who weren’t buying semi-auto rifles 35 years ago, it’s hard to imagine that the ubiquitous AK-47 was virtually unobtainable then. For those of us who wanted an AK-type rifle, the earliest choice was the Finnish Valmet… Read More

LONG GUNS: FN 15 Military Collector M4

Right side of FN 15 Military Collector M4. Profile is very similar to GI-issue M4. I took the vow not to buy any more AR-15s a couple of years ago. I had enough variants to fit any normal shooting/self-defense needs, plus a couple of… Read More

CHAIR QUAL: Barricade Skills Using a Folding Chair

Simple folding chair can stand in for a vehicle or complex barricade in the Chair Qual—a ten-shot, 50-yard carbine test of barricade skills. In many carbine classes, shooters are shown several ways to adapt their long gun to cover to make a mid-range hit. Read More

COOL ON THE RANGE, DEAD ON THE STREET: A Hard Look at Shooting Techniques, Part II

If you have read part I of Cool on the Range, Dead on the Street (June 2018 S.W.A.T.), you know I am not a fan of any techniques that may slow you down in a gunfight. I discussed why the power stroking method is the slowest method for chambering… Read More

LONG GUNS: Rifle-Caliber Pistols Without Arm Braces

Rock River LAR-PPS/PDS. With AR-15-based pistols, it is sometimes more difficult to hit the bolt release with the palm, as the weapon is less stable. Last month in this space, I wrote about the trend of using rifle-caliber pistols with arm braces. I pointed… Read More

KNOCK, KNOCK: Ballistic Breaching with Shotguns

Marines with Special Reaction Team breach entryway using M1014 joint service combat shotgun at Camp Hansen. Through continuous training, team maintains readiness required to respond to wide range of emergencies with speed, proficiency, and effectiveness. Photo: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jose D. Read More