Feature Articles

Break out the calculators–we’re doing some math. This isn’t count-on-your-fingers math, either. We’re talking about the Mil-Dot reticle scope and its use. And this is valuable information for anyone who shoots long range. This isn’t Mil-Dot Made Easy–we’ve done that one already. This is the advanced lesson.

When deciding how you want to build an AR-15, the lower often takes center-stage. The lower receiver ties the whole rifle together. And it is a popular stating point for most builds, which means there are numerous options for material construction, style, and how much effort is required to finish them.

SIG’s P320 platform is a frontrunner in the upcoming modular handgun trials. The new .45 ACP version is a full-sized pistol that performs like the rest of the P320 line, which is winning people over. But this P320 has a couple of surprises. How will the .45 ACP version stand up to the modularity standards that define the upcoming tests? Read our review.

If there is one thing I have learned since starting this column, it is that survival is very detailed. The byproduct of this is that survival can also be very expensive, because the cheaper options, while they look viable, fail in the details. To stay on the topic of bugging out which I started three weeks ago with pack basics and essentials, I got to thinking about family tents. In any disaster scenario, a large percentage of those who survive will end up displaced, and third only to food and water is shelter. And while small tents may be the way to go if you are lighting out alone or as a couple, if you have a family, with supplies, being able to drop everybody and everything into a dry single secure shelter is going to be a very big deal.

In our continuing coverage of the ins-and-outs of AR-15 construction, we’re going to break it down. The rifle, that is–and the tool box. Ever seen a list of all of the parts of an AR-15? It is long. So put together a checklist, and make sure you have all the tools. If you are going to build an AR-15, you will need to be at least somewhat organized.

So why would we or you want to do something like this? Well, contrary to what a lot of people think stainless does not mean rustless. Stainless steel will, can, and does rust. Now it is not as prone to corrosion as regular steel, but it will happen. Coating a stainless gun might be the equivalent of putting on two condoms, but sometimes its better to be have a little extra protection. See what WMD can do.

Black Aces Tactical’s take on the pump scattergun is pushing the limits. The DT has an 8.5″ barrel, and a folding stock. There are very few functional guns in this class that are more ergonomic and effective. Yet this 12 gauge beast is not a shotgun, and it is not an AOW, and it is not a short barreled shotgun. It is a firearm, and perfectly legal–and functionally perfect. Read our review.

Nikon has taken a different approach to solving the challenge of quickly finding the right scope adjustments for a given cartridge and rifle combination. Rather than forcing the shooter to use an “average” ammo load and hoping performance from their specific rifle matches the ballistic drop reticle, they’ll customize a scope for you, your rifle, and the exact type of ammunition you like to shoot. Read our review.

I love finding useful things that handy people can make themselves, and that the rest of us can buy cheap. If you follow this column, you already know that I fell in love with the StoveTec “Rocket Stove.” I still see them from $75 to $150 on Ebay all the time, and as a stay at home stove, I don’t think you can beat it. But as I discussed last week in my overview of bugout bags, if you are stuck on the road, the StoveTec is just too big and heavy. I have been on a quest for some time for a smaller, lighter, more portable contraption that does the same thing as my StoveTec. Right now I have a few products on the way, but in the meantime, I’d like to share a cool stove I got a few months ago that I just tried last week. It is made from square tubular steel, and the guy who makes them on Ebay adds legs, as well as a baffle, so that the stove burns reliably.