The Walther PPQ 5” is one of the coolest looking handguns I have ever held, at least in the scope of today’s fashion. It is basically the tricked-out black rifle of the handgun platform. From the squared-off pyramid-shaped slide that sports deep angled cocking serrations front and rear, down past the ambidextrous slide stop levers that are extra-long and can be operated by most shooters without having to alter their grip – to the oddly unique but comfortable backstrap of the grip – decorated in a paisley texture. The angles of the polymer frame that lead toward the front accessory rail look like they might belong on the newest Stealth aircraft. All that would be enough to qualify as “cool looking” in any showcase, but Walther had to go over the top. To maintain the weight of the slide so that the 9mm round would continue to operate the pistol reliably, it was necessary to take some weight from the front of the slide. This is nothing new, and we’ve seen Glock and Springfield Armory do the same with their long-slide match guns. Walther’s engineers cut ‘port holes’ into the top of the slide, three on each side. These oval slots in the slide reminded me of a classic old Buick Roadmaster the first time I saw one. They are there for an engineering purpose, but they turn the “cool factor” of the gun up to 11 on the dial. Finishing touches included tapering the nose of the slide in significantly where it overhangs the frame and cutting a large hole where the guide rod travels during cycling.
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Diamondback Firearms DB15 Pistol – New Gun Review
Diamondback Firearms, is a relative newcomer to the firearms market. The business, based in Cocoa, Florida, launched in 2009 as an off-shoot of the successful Diamondback Airboats business. Diamondback Firearms initially established its brand with the DB380 and DB9 micro-compact pocket pistols in .380 Auto and 9mm Luger. The company next firearm introduced a series of AR-style rifles in 2012. The DB15 rifle is made entirely in the USA with all the machining work done in-house by Diamondback. Diamondback recently added a series of AR-style pistols to its product line and provided one for evaluation and review.
Colt Mustang XSP .380 ACP – Range Report
In 1982, Colt introduced the Mustang—a lightweight, single-action .380 ACP with a design very similar to the Colt 1911. The Mustang was an instant classic and was extremely popular as a back-up or off-duty gun for law enforcement officers. For a long time, it was hard to even find one to purchase. Colt produced the Mustang in a number of different versions before ultimately discontinuing it in the late nineties, when the company shifted its focus to military sales. As the demand for small, concealed-carry guns has skyrocketed in recent years, the market for used Mustangs has been very strong. Many of us have wondered over the past decade—why doesn’t Colt bring back the Mustang? Then in 2012, after a long hiatus, the Mustang officially rejoined the Colt stable. The new Mustang Pocketlight was an alloy-frame Mustang that revived the model line. The new Pocketlight met with rave reviews, but Colt did not rest on the old-school design. In 2013, Colt innovated with the new Mustang XSP—a polymer-framed version of the classic Mustang .380 auto-pistol.
Adding Shell Capacity to Your Shotgun with the RCI XRAIL
Trends in today’s firearms market can sometimes be recognized early in competitive shooting sports. If you want the fastest and most durable add-ons for your rig, watch what the top competitors use. It costs a lot of money to attend matches, buy bullets, and keep up with equipment, so more often than not the professionals will use quality gear that runs reliably and holds up to the abuse of matches and travel. Although the XRAIL Mono tube has only been widely available for a year, you will find that most professionals shooting competitively are outfitted with a mono tube from Roth Concept Innovations that increases the shell capacity of their shotguns. The factory magazine tube found on most shotguns is typically one piece that goes from the receiver to the end of the forend. To add shell capacity, an extension must be placed on top of the factory tube. This design works, but XRAIL has a better solution that was made to win.
Testing the Meopta M-RAD Sight
Meopta’s sight called the M-RAD, or Meopta Rapid Acquisition Dot, reflex sight looks similar to many high-end reflex optics, but what stands out is that it is quite a bit smaller. At first glance, I thought it was a pistol sight but then realized it is a combat rifle setup. The M-RAD weighs 3.07 ounces (or 105 grams), compared to an EoTech XPS that weighs 8 ounces, but it is solidly made of aluminum. The unit is strong, and the reticle itself is surrounded by an aluminum frame for protection from being banged around. Weight is important because after hours or days of carrying a rifle around, you will find that trimming off every ounce you can is a huge benefit. It comes equipped with a picatinny mount that quickly attached with a lever/cam-style mount that was very effective and kept it on tight. It released easily, and seemed to keep zero well. The M-RAD is easy to operate with one simple button, and the system is waterproof and compatible with night vision technology. The extremely useful support package supplied with the sight holds everything, including tools, spare batteries and cleaning supplies for the optic. There are additional spacers to raise the sight higher for a proper sight picture, tools to adjust the sight and even a specially designed screwdriver for opening the battery compartment. Overall, this is a smaller unit that is both rugged and lightweight, and it performs well.
MyCaseBuilder.com Revolutionizes the World of Custom Gun Cases—SHOT Show 2014
The SHOT Show is literally acres and acres of guns. The physical space is comparable to a suburban mall made up of gun stores. With so much to see, so many triggers to fiddle with, some of the real innovation can be hard to see. I first ran into the geniuses behind MyCaseBuilder.com at last year’s NRA convention. I found them again at SHOT, and they’re showing off something truly revolutionary. You can now take a picture of your gun (or whatever you’d like) and their software will convert that photo into a 3D pattern that can be cut in foam.
Aimpoint Micro T-1 Now Available in a Ready-to-Roll with an AR Mount Package—SHOT Show 2014
The new package from Aimpoint comes with a Micro, the LRP mount (which pops on and off with a lever), and the Micro Spacer High to get that perfect AR fit. Rock it up on your shoulder, and the dot is there. It increases the speed of target acquisition, the mount and riser are as rugged as the T1 itself, and the whole combo makes shopping that much easier.
FLIR’s First Consumer Thermal Imaging Scope Is Here—SHOT Show 2014
The acronym FLIR stands for forward looking infrared. So does the company FLIR Systems, which until now has focused on thermal imaging systems for law enforcement and the military. Last Tuesday, however, the company announced its first thermal imaging system intended for the civilian market. If you’re not familiar with thermal imaging, it works by using temperature differences between various objects in the visual field to produce an image. The images that are produced are remarkable—you can see through haze, smoke, rain, even foliage, day or night. The big obstacle for us civies has been the astronomical prices. Fortunately, as in other electronic devices, prices are coming down.
Medford Knife and Tool: Quality knives made in America—SHOT Show 2014
I stopped at Medford Knife and Tool (MKT) at the end of SHOT Show, when many exhibitors were already tearing down their booths. The Medford booth, however, was surrounded by fit young men with short haircuts, talking about and ordering knives. There are two things I have to say about Medford knives: (1) they’re expensive – in the $400 to $1,200 range, and (2) they’re worth it! How can a knife be worth that much? That’s what I asked the owner and designer, Greg Medford. Greg is a prior US Marine, airshow pilot, airplane builder and master level Martial Arts and CQB instructor. Medford Knife is the culmination of all this experience.
Connecticut Shotgun: European Elegance Made in the USA—SHOT Show 2014
Connecticut Shotgun is here at SHOT Show this year with a nice selection of even nicer shotguns. As the name of the company implies, these shotguns are made in New Britain, Connecticut—right here in the good old USA. Just about every gun maker in the country used to make a side-by-side shotgun, but that era is long gone. Connecticut claims to be the only American shotgun company making side-by-sides here now, and I can’t prove them wrong. Will the company be able to hold its own with the foreign competition that dominates the high-end market?