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cutaway of a lead core bullet with a red polycoat sheath

Ammunition

Review: Federal Syntech Ammunition

Syntech uses a total synthetic jacket, termed the TSJ by Federal Cartridge Company. The lead-alloy core is covered with a red polymer coating. No lead, which is termed a heavy metal, is exposed. From the company that gave us Nyclad ammunition, this is just another step but a different and important one. This isn’t really a coating, but more of a durable sheath or shield.

Glock G17 Gen 5 pistol with American Eagle ammunition box

General

Range Report: Glock Gen 5

Glock’s introduction of the Generation 5 pistol has been much anticipated. The new pistol offers significant changes—more so than any previous generation. The first change to the Glock was the addition of a light rail. Next, came the finger groove frame and the rough texture frame later. Read the full review for other changes as well as range performance.

Federal American Eagle .410/.45 Long Colt ammunition combo pack

Ammunition

.410 Loads for Self-Defense — A Carjacker’s Worst Nightmare and More

I have always loved the .410. At a young age, I was introduced to it as an alternative to the .22 long rifle for rabbits and squirrels. Due to the shot pattern, it was easier to harvest the fast moving little critters. Later, I was introduced to bird hunting and quickly realized those old men were not shooting the .410 to gain an advantage. Instead, it was a show of skill on fast-moving Bobwhite’s. However, it was when I was first introduced to the .410 for self-defense that I gained a respect for the cartridge.

Expanded Hornady Flex Lock bullet

Ammunition

Ammo Testing is Complicated

Over the previous century, tests have been conducted using dry cadavers, pine boards, European glue, wax, water, wet newspaper, and most famously and recently ballistic gelatin. There are many factors to consider when choosing ammunition. The following traces the history of ammunition testing and factors you should be considering when choosing a new ammunition. Be informed. Make a smart choice.

Female hunter scaling a mountain side carrying a rifle

Ammunition

Choosing the Right Caliber for Deer

If there is one way to get folks talking off the cuff, it is to broach the subject of deer rifles and calibers. Everyone has a favorite that their dad, granddad, or aunt used to tame the Wild West and deplete the Elk herds in downtown Burbank. The problem is what works for one doesn’t work for the other, at least it doesn’t work as well. How will you pick the right caliber?

Ruger SR1911 10mm handgun left profile

Firearms

Range Report: Ruger SR1911 10mm

Ruger’s latest SR1911 is a bold step. The 10mm auto cartridge is a powerful number that gives handgunners a viable cartridge for long-range use and hunting of medium-sized game. It is suitable for defense against animals and a viable service and personal defense cartridge. The SR1911 differs considerably from previous pistols and may arguably be one of the best 10mm 1911 handguns ever built.

GLock pistol atop a box of 9mm ammunition

Firearms

Range Report: Glock 17 Vickers Tactical

Larry Vickers is a respected trainer, soldier, and gunsmith. His name on a handgun means a great deal to many of us. The Glock 17 was the original Glock pistol, and the one on which Glock’s reputation was built. It is fair to say that there is no more proven reliable handgun on the planet. How do you make the best even better? By combining the two of course. Read the full review of the Glock 17 Vickers Tactical to discover the details for yourself.

Canik TP9SF Elite S pistol left

Firearms

Range Report: Canik TP9SF Elite-S 9mm

A few years ago, the CANIK TP9 pistol was introduced in America. A product of the Turkish arms industry, the pistol was a credible but not exact clone of a Walther design. The pistol has proven reliable and accurate enough. The price point is attractive and the pistol is well established. The TP9SF Elite-S is an improvement over the original in many ways and is designed as the top of the line pistol among the CANIK polymer frame pistols.

CZ P10-C pistol right side over a used paper target

Firearms

Range Report: CZ’s Polymer Pistol — The CZ P-10C

I have considerable experience with CZ pistols, from the original CZ 75 to the CZ P-01 and other variants. But nothing prepared me for the experience of handling and firing the newest CZ pistol, the CZ P10-C. It isn’t radical in design and technology, but it is different from anything CZ has done before.