tobystactical.com

Remington 700 SS 5-R Milspec

2007-11-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check out the Shooting Results page, for my new records. Three groups under .2 MOA at 200 yards - and my latest record group: 3 shots measuring .5 inches from edge to edge (.192 center to center) - .091 MOA!Also, Remington just released 5R versions in .223 and .300 Win Mag! This is VERY cool news. So far, I know the rifles are similar in looks to the .308 model 5R, both 24" long, the .223 has a 1:9 twist rate, and I think the .300 is 1:10.
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The mysterious "Remington 700 5R" .308 rifle that (for good reason) generates so many questions within the .308 bolt rifle community.

I first came across the Remington 5R two years ago, when a co-worker mentioned witnessing an unfathomable single hole 5 shot group at 200 yards. To be fair, it had been shot by an active duty SEAL sniper, but regardless I had to learn more.

I was hooked when I read the following review: http://www.snipercountry.com/InReviews/Rem_M700_StainlessSpecial5RMilspec.asp. I put my name on hold for the once-a-year allotment at snipercountrypx. In the meantime, I researched as much as I could about the rifle online. Here is what I learned:
First, the details were vague, many of them were opinions from discussion group forums, most with disagreements to the specifics. Second, you won't find the rifle on Remington's website. It is a special yearly production in the neighborhood of 500 per year, that Remington produces for a few resellers. I spoke with representatives at Remington, as well as a few of the resellers. I was able to confirm that the rifles exist (a start I guess...) but no one could tell me the history or the exact specifics of the rifle itself.
Scott does a great job of explaining the specifics of the barrel in his article (see above link), but again, speculations remained about this rifle vs. the Army's M24, also made by Remington (see http://aspiringtech.net/nobull/M24SWS.html). As near as I can figure out, the 5R is not the M24, nor is it made from discarded M24 barrels that may not have met tolerances. That said, the "Milspec" designation is there for a reason; the barrel is 24" long, and (importantly) it has a faster twist rate of 1:11.25 not often seen in .308 rifles (the 700 Police models all have a 1:12 twist). Given the faster twist rate, this rifle does a better job shooting heavier bullets, like the 175 grain Sierra, where the standard 700's prefer 168 grains.
At the time, I owned a 6 month old 700 Police model with a 26" barrel and (as above) 1:12 twist. It was a nice rifle, and was capable of half inch groups, but I felt like I had to "force it", and one inch groups were more typical. I was sucked in by the hype and mystery surrounding the 5R and knew I would not be content until I "traded up".
Two things were holding me back though. The 5R comes only in stainless (I'm a fan of flat black), and the stock is a slightly smaller, less "overmoulded" version than the Police stock. The stock is also black, but with a slight green spiderweb pattern that looks cool with the stainless, but was not my favorite look overall. I had to decide if I was brave enough to swap stocks, and paint a brand new rifle (more precisely, to take sandpaper to a brand new rifle...). I guess I was.
The official name for the rifle (from the packaging) is; "700 Stainless Special 5-R Milspec Barrel". The label then says "Model 700 Stainless, 24" Barrel .308 Win", "Order # 29662" Here is what it looks like out of the box:
Continue to Part 2. Part 3 (shooting results) or go to Pictures, or Resources

Remington 700 5R Milspec - Part 2

2007-11-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

Continued from Part 1:

As I mentioned before, these rifles are produced in limited yearly quantities. In the spring of 2005 I had my name on a waiting list at snipercountry. I was late getting in line, and while several people I know ended up getting one from that batch, I did not. Dissapointed, I bought a 700 Police model from snipercountry.

To be clear, I was not unhappy with the 700P. It was a solid sub MOA rifle, I had multiple targets like this: half an inch at 100 yards with 168 Sierra BTHP match.

For a while, I figured I'd just keep the stock rifle and be content. These shooting results were very good, and I figured the rifle would outshoot my abilitites, but I wanted it to stay that way. I also continued to read about finer details of accuracy shooting, as well as military sniper rifles, and I was always drawn back to the 5R. I didn't care as much about the "easier to clean" benefit, but I really liked the ability to shoot a heavier bullet, and everywhere I turned I was reading about match rifles with 1:11.25 twist rates. Finally, for some reason, I'm a huge sucker for the term "milspec".

At this time, I'd "discovered" http://www.gunbroker.com/, and while there were no current auctions for 5R rifles, I saw that there had been some recently. I kept checking back, and bid on the next one that came along (only a couple weeks later).

One thing of note here - the company I bought the rifle from had just done an inventory and discovered that they had several 5R's which had been on layaway, and never paid for. I mention this because it was right at the time that Remington started selling their "X Mark" trigger systems. While a bit that I read seemed keen on the new triggers, it was clear that they were not to be as easily adjustable as the old 700 triggers. I had modified the trigger on my 700P (*voids the warranty - do this at your own risk) and was easily able to take it from the very heavy 7 or 8 pounds, to 3 pounds exactly, with no takeup and no overtravel. I wanted to be able to do the same thing with the 5R, so I was happy to have an "older" model. Your preferences may vary here. All that to say, keep your eyes on gunbroker for good deals on 5R's - if there is not one for sale now, there will be soon.

I had also called HS Precision to make sure that both versions of their stocks were interchangable. I was assured that they were exactly the same. I ordered a Wheeler FAT wrench to make sure I could measure the torque settings correctly (Stock screws are to be set to 65 inch-pounds).

When the rifle (finally) arrived, I was ready with a game plan: Dissasemble, adjust trigger, swap stocks, reassemble, temporarily mount scope, break in the barrel, dissasemble again, paint, reassemble, DONE! Phew, if that's not self-inflicted punishment, what is? Well, choosing the perfect bullet I guess...

Thankfully, due to the magic of the internet, you don't have to live through that with me. If you want the details of the DuraCoat process, though, see this article.

If not, here is the setup after all the work - please note though, that none of this work "accurized" the rifle any further, so for all intents it is cosmetic:

Stock - swapped with larger black HS Precision Police stock.
Bipod - Harris benchrest model with swivel
Scope base and rings - Tactical Precision steel, 30mm short, mounted on zero MOA solid picatinny base.
Scope - Supersniper 10x from http://www.swfa.com/
Stock pad / pouch from http://www.eagleindustries.com/

There you have it, a fully built, broken in .308, ready for accuracy tests. Here are a couple pictures:

Yet another side note - the reason these shots are taken in the back of my truck, is because I treated parts of the stock with Herculiner - a super cool stock treatment that worked great.

Back to Part 1, forward to Part 3 - shooting results or to Pictures
or Resources

Remington 700 5R Milspec - Part 3 - shooting results

2007-11-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

6-05-2009: Another dream group at the range this morning: .5 inches at 200 yards, from outside edge to outside edge. Subtracting .308 gives me .192". At 200 yards, that is .091 MOA - how about that!!

01-02-2009: Today I beat my record of .237 MOA with a new bullet; the Berger 185 grain VLD (42 g Varget, 2.810 OAL). a bit later, my faithful Sierra 175 grain Matchking reclaimed the throne, (41 g Varget, 2.810 OAL). Both were three shot groups, at 200 yards. Sweet! Later in January, I shot another .190 group, using Sierra 175 Match, this time in Black Hills brass, with Fed GMM primers, 41 grains of Varget, and seated at 2.855 OAL (I read that the M118LR is seated to 2.855, will validate that soon). I'll be sticking with Fed brass, but it's good to know that Black Hills can produce similar results.

--------------------Main Article--------------------

Ok, the moment of truth (for now that is):

As of this article, I've shot and recorded around 200 rounds through the 5R. I can confirm that it shoots like a dream, and is definately easy to clean. I won't say that there is zero copper fouling, but compared to my other rifles it is noticably less.

The factory brands of ammunition I've shot to date are as follows: Federal Match 168 and 175, Black Hills Match, 168 and 175, HSM 175, and a few boxes of M118LR, the military match grade 173 grain ammunition, sometimes available on http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/.

Lately, I've also been experimenting with handloading, primarily due to the rediculous cost of and avalability of ammunition in the last year.

My local range unfortunately only goes to 200 yards, which is my default shooting distance, but I hope to provide some longer range results at some point soon as well. (Update - I just got back from Boomershoot 2008, and had a great time...)

To cut to the chase, the 5R is a shooter. I am very pleased to agree that this could quite possibly be the most accurate production rifle on the market today. I'm not sure how to best categorize all my results except to say that hardly any of the groups so far have been over 1 MOA, and I'm sure they were due to lack of concentration on my part.

Here is my best group so far:

.238 MOA. Half an inch at 200 yards. If you can't tell, that is a dime, not a quarter. This is with (ironically) the M118LR surplus ammunition purchased online. I tell you, you wouldn't believe it looking at the ammunition. This stuff was headstamped 2003, and did not look great. Certainly Not as shiny and new as the Federal or Black Hills match.

It's also fired from the bipod, with a sandbag under the stock, on a bench at the range. No rifle rests, vices, etc.

Here are more results, and remember, the rifle is still practically new - only 200 rounds fired:

Federal 175, 3 shot group at 200 yards - .297 MOA, 5/8 inch. Another group, same day - .56 MOA.

8 groups of M118 averaged .642 MOA, including mistakes that I know I made. At least 60 rounds of Federal 175 averaging .699 MOA. Again, including mistakes.

And most recently, 5 shots at 100 yards using handloaded ammunition - .357 MOA. Black Hills brass, Sierra 175 bullets, and 42 grains of Varget... 2500 fps.

(Update, 12/15/2007 - here is another great group at 200 yards with 175 Sierra BTHP Match, 42 grains of Varget, loaded at 2.80 OAL):

That dime was hit at 200 yards.
I'm telling you, this rifle is not a range queen. I lug it around, toss it into the back of the truck, mess with the scope, etc. The 5R is simply a natural shooter, I can't imagine how well it would shoot in the hands of someone who had more time behind a scope than me.

To wrap up, if you are considering one - do it! You won't regret it, and if you don't buy one, you'll always "wonder". Call snipercountry, or keep checking gunbroker. Those are the only reliable sources I've found for the 5R. As of today, there are 2 new ones listed for under a grand.

That said, it took me a couple months to get up the guts to customize it like I have. If you're not thrilled with the factory stainless look, you'll have to do the same. Once you do paint it, it's a very liberating experience. I'd not hesitate to give my rifle a coat of camo paint because I've taken the big first step.

Take care, and keep me posted!

3/31/2008 Update:
First trip to the range in over 3 months. Check out the coldbore shot (#1)from a clean, cold barrel, only 1/4" low of the very center at 100. That red circle is an inch across:

Then, my best group of the day at 200 yards - 5 shots The center triangle is 1/2 inch...:

Continued from Part 2
Back to Part 1, Part 2, or forward to 5R Photos or Resources

5R Resources

2007-11-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

With all the interest in the Remington Milspec, I figured I'd put together a resource page with two parts. First, links to specs, history, and any information I've been able to find to date. Second, a list of any current rifles I can find with 5R barrels. I'd love to add additional comments, anecdotes, and details anyone else has, so post a comment, and I'll make sure it gets added.

Information:

Care and feeding doc, from Remington: http://usarmorment.com/pdf/DA%202005.06MH.pdf

http://www.snipercountry.com/InReviews/Rem_M700_StainlessSpecial5RMilspec.asp

http://aspiringtech.net/nobull/M24SWS.html

some discussion here (be careful, some facts, some... not so much):

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=110755
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-89345.html
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-121175.html

Comparisons (other 5R rifles and prices):

GA Precisison: http://www.gaprecision.com/content/rock.php $2900

Remington M24: http://www.snipercountrypx.com/pc-117-835-remington-m24-rifle-only.aspx $3685

Accurized 700P (non 5R) http://www.impactguns.com/store/product57.html $1299

Texas Brigade Armory (various) http://texasbrigadearmory.com/pricing.htm $2900 base

Tactical Intervention Specialists: http://www.tacticalintervention.com/specialsniperrifle.html $2900

Thompson / Center ICON (more of a hunting rifle, but has 5R supposedly): http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/icon.php $800

Many AR-10's / SR-25 come with 5R barrels and are known to be super accurate: Search for GA Precision, JPRifles, Accuracy International, etc.

Back to Review

Knight's Armament SR-15 "E3 IWS"

2007-11-05T23:09:00.000-08:00

"The epitome of Eugene Stoner's design magic"

I sold my Rock River M4 to buy a motorcycle. I know, I know, not smart. I thought I could live without an AR, because I primarily focus on accuracy shooting. I missed having one.

When I read that Knight's just released the new edition of the SR-15, I lucked out, and found a company on Gunbroker that happened to have 10 ordered from shotshow 2007. Mark Gale, from USAutoweapons gave me an amazing deal on an SR with GG&G scopemount, and a Leupold 1.5-5 MRT SPR scope.

Here's the deal (I'll summarize now, and try to expand later): this thing is like no other AR I've ever fired. It's light, way light - 6.5 pounds. Super balanced. the flip up sights and monolithic rail platform are wicked cool, and the SOPMOD stock is awesome. Perfect cheek weld, very comfortable.

Shooting this gun is a pleasure. I was always dissapointed at the "bang-clang-clunk" of my Rock buffer spring compressing, and then working the bolt. This rifle obviously works the same way, but has none of that - it feels like firing a bolt gun. Solid.

The scope is not quite as geared towards close quarters as an EOTech, but for shooting from 100 to 200 yards, it's simply fantastic. at 1.5x the view is "almost" the same as normal vision, and the field of view is quite high. at 5X, my 2 inch circle targets at 200 yards were clearly identifiable, and easily chosen.

Accuracy so far is right around 1 MOA, but since the twist rate is 1:7, I'm needing to experiment a bit more with heavier bullets.

Again, stay tuned for more info, but so far, this thing is an absolute dream.

EOTech 512 A65 Rev F

2007-11-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

Setting the standard for holographic weapon sights, the EOTech 512 is the AA battery version, and with over 1,000 hours of battery life, it is hard to beat for use in CQB through 2-300 yards.

I'm a perfectionist. I love research, and I agonize over most of my purchases. The EOTech sight had been out a while by the time I decided to buy one (I was able to get the noted "revision F" which I guess solved a few of the glitches they had in earlier models. Now that I've had the scope for more than a year, I by no means regret the purchase, but I will be honest and say that I don't think a perfect AR-15 weapon sight exists today. What I will say is that (since I can only have one) I honestly believe the EOTech comes closest.

Here's what I love:
- Super bright, intensity adjustable, easy to understand reticle.
- Durable, lightweight, low profile design.
- Unbeatable field of view with minimal edges, providing amazing "both eyes open" shooting experience
- Solid factory mount, maintains zero, and returns to zero after removal and re-installing on the gun

Here's what I still want
- Magnification, without a second, 1 pound magnification device.
- Elevation and windage controls, that don't require a screwdriver, and that have setting markings.
- No batteries? Dead in the water... Requires back up iron sights for emergencies.

Here are the competitors I've tried:
- Trijicon ACOG: Great reticle, 4x magnification is nice, but I'd much rather have 1x for offhand shooting up to 200 yards. 4x is great if you have some kind of rest, but makes offhand shooting harder. I love the concept of the zero battery required, but field of view is tricky, and fixed 4x isn't for me.
- Aimpoint: Great battery life, super durable, super simple red dot. I don't like the dot to be more than 1 MOA though, and $800 for a red dot sight? Why??
- Leupold CQT 1-4x: Great concept, great glass etched reticle, very close to my ideal "wants". It is heavy though, and not nearly as nice as the EOTech for both eyes open close up shooting. It is also very pricey.
- EOTech flip to side 4x magnifier: Nice, and the reticle looks super crisp at that magnification. It's heavy though, and forces me to mount the EOTech further forward that I would like... Also, it's another $500. Ouch.

All that said, I'm sticking with the EOTech, solo, for now, unless anyone can suggest a leading competitor that I missed.

One other FYI - even though the 512 is not listed as a "night vision capable" model (nearest one is $100 more), it definately works with night vision. Here's the only difference. The night vision models come with one extra button labeled "NV", that simply turns the scope on at a very low intensity. All you need to do with your 512 is turn it on, and dial it down by hand several clicks, and presto - night vision capable...

Remington 870 Express HD

2007-11-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

The Remington "Home Defense" version of the venerable model 870.

If I had to choose only one long gun, it would be a shotgun. I love precision target shooting, and I love my AR, but nothing beats the versatility, reliability, and long lasting tradition of the shotgun. Remington takes this tradition to heart with its longstanding standard, the 870.

The Express HD, is simply an 18" version with a magazine extention allowing for 7 shot capability. I'll admit, it's basic, but for $350 and a $30 mail-in rebate, it's hard to go wrong.

Off the bat, the first thing I was hooked on was how lightweight and simple this shotgun is. No rails, no scopes, or lasers cluttering it up - I did mount a Surefire to the magazine tube, and sometimes think about taking it off, but it's a basic mount, with a Surefire G2 which is fairly lightweight.

Shooting has been so much fun, our whole family has shot clay birds, and I've enjoyed testing patterns with everything from 000 buck, to birdshot. Get this - with rifled slugs, I hit a steel gong at my rifle range, offhand, from 200 yards, on my second try. Just a little holdover (and a bit to the left if I remember right) and THUNK - direct hit at 200 yards. Very cool.

Remington has several lines of their 870 shotguns, and I must admit I don't fully understand the exact details. They make 870 Wingmaster, Express, and Police (if not more). Each line has tons of sub models underneath. My understanding is that the Wingmaster and Police lines share a few higher quality components not present in the 870 Express models - if someone has more specifics, feel free to correct me.

Regardless, in my research, I found that the Express components are more than adequate, not to mention the availability of aftermarket components and accessories - thousands.

I've had one problem, and that was with a box of fancy see-through buck shot not extracting properly. It was when the shotgun was new, and I bought another box which shot with no trouble at all - either the ammo was bad, or the shotgun was not de-greased enough when I first bought it. Other than that - zero problems.

Like I said, hard to go wrong for a $350 gun, that is this versitle.

SWFA's Super Sniper Rifle Scope

2007-11-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

High Quality, Low Cost, Ultra Durability - I guess cutting out the middle man really does work sometimes:

I bought the Super Sniper 10x42 rear focus model from www.SWFA.com for my Remington 700. Retail price is $299, and you can only buy them one place - SWFA. (In fairness, they do appear on ebay and gunbroker occasionally, but sometimes even then, it's SWFA who is doing the posting...)

Now, I'm not going to go into a ton of detail here, as there are many very well written full reviews available - some linked directly from SWFA. What I will say is that as much as I'd love to have a Leupold Mk4 or a Nightforce, or a US Optics, by the time I'd invested in my rifle, base, rings, etc, there was no way I could spend another $1,200. For 1/4 of this price, the Super Sniper does not dissapoint.

What I will say is that this scope unquestionably holds its zero. I've adjusted the dials hundreds of times, checking it's end to end range, confirming my zero settings from 100 - 1000 yards, etc. I am never "wondering" if a click is a click, or what setting the scope is on exactly. The dials are very clearly marked, and the sides of the dials have hash markes to easily indicate settings. For example. my zero setting is 3/2 on the hash marks (3 horizontal lines on the left, two on the right) and "0" on the elevation reading. My zero setting for 200 yards is 3/2 and "2 1/4" on the elevation reading. I can count 9 clicks up, or I can consult my data card, and go straight to the right number - either way. Very easy and well thought out. (If anyone wants a copy of my data card for scope clicks, let me know).

Parallax adjustment is easy, but I like to fiddle around from the bench, and make sure I've dialed out as much parallax as possible. Lining up the dot with the 200 is not always where I end up. To this point, I wish I'd spent the extra $100 on the side focus model.

I'm not worried about mounting at all, because I bought a Tactical Precision base and ring set. They are roughly half the cost compared to Badger Ordnance, and solid steel - these things are not going to budge an inch.

I also bought the Blackhawk combination scope and muzzle cover for carrying the rifle around. This cheap accessory does a great job at keeping the scope from getting banged up in transport.

To sum up - I'm very pleased. I wish SWFA would design a 6-20x model, that would be fantastic.

Night Ops Gladius Flashlight

2007-11-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

Is any handheld flashlight worth nearly $200? The Night Ops Gladius (by Blackhawk) comes as close to answering "yes" to that question as possible.

I wanted an LED flashlight with more than 60 lumens stock. I didn't want to have to worry about a 20 minute battery life, and the cooler the light, the better.

First, let me start by saying that I didn't spend $200. At first, I didn't spend a dime. When Blackhawk first partnered with Night Ops (or bought them, not sure which...) they had a link for requesting demo units so they could field test the lights. I signed up for a free, 30 day trial, thinking if I provided specific key feedback, perhaps they'd let me just keep it... Not so much. :-)

What happened instead was I got hooked on the light, and they told me thanks for the great feedback, and that I was welcome to keep it, they'd just have to charge me $275... Oh well. Needless to say, I sent it back.

About a year later there was a very short lived sale at Botach Tactical, where they were selling the lights for $129 with free shipping. By the time I heard about it, Botach had either learned they were losing money on each of these deals, or was informed by Blackhawk that their prices were below cost, and undercutting other dealers. My $129 was refunded before the light was shipped. Strike 2.

I ended up buying it from another online dealer who had a combo light and light holster deal for around $149, and I sold the holster on ebay for $15 0r $20. Finally!

Rock River Arms Entry Tactical AR-15

2007-11-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

A solid, lightweight, super popular AR-15 from Rock River Arms:

I've had two AR's from Rock River, and both have been fantastic. The Entry Tactical is a great combination of weight, options, and performance.

I started out with a Midlength version - 16" heavy barrel, with an aluminum quad rail (made by Yankee Hill Machine). It was the "Elite" model. Nothing wrong with the rifle at all, I just realized that I wasn't looking for sniper grade accuracy out of it, nor was I going to mount a million different accessories to the rail, so the heavy barrel and full quad rail were just adding to the weight of the gun.

I found someone more interested in that configuration, and swapped uppers with him. He had the "Entry Tactical" model which was very similar, except it has the M4 contour barrel, and a shorter (carbine length) quad rail. All in all, I probably only saved half a pound, but it feels noticable, and the swing weight feels better as well.

Rock River guarantees their rifles to shoot minute of angle accuracy at 100 yards. I can confirm, that with match ammo, from a rest, this claim is valid. They are very accurate rifles. They are also very smooth, and forgiving. I've probably shot close to 2,000 rounds all in all, with not one jam - none. No cycling errors, no stovepipes, nothing.

As I mention in the EOTech review, this is all I keep on my AR. I've had it decked out with a flashlight, bipod, scope riser, 10X scope, etc. In the end, I like it with the EOTech, and a good sling.

I did buy the Badger tactical charging handle, which is nice, especially with the EOTech mounted near the back. I also need to look around at some of the newer flip up rear sights. I tried a Yankee Hill version that I didn't really like, and have nothing behind the EOTech currently.

Other than that, I'm not exactly sure what to say. The gun is super reliable, versitle, and tons of fun to shoot. I'd buy from Rock River again without hesitation.

Sig Sauer 232 .380 Pistol

2007-11-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

The .380 p232 from SigArms:

Ultra concealability with the reliability of Sig Sauer, in .380 with a 7 shot single stack magazine. This is a slick little pistol, especially for those James Bond fans among us. 007 didn't carry a Sig, he of course carried the Wather PPk, but the styling is very similar.

When I chose the 232, I was looking for a reliable carry pistol that was as small and light as possible (within reason). I've shot a Kel Tech pocket gun, and that was smaller than I was willing to go.

Couple interesting things about the 232 that I'm not thrilled with: First, it uses the old German style of magazine release - from the back of the magazine at the bottom of the grip. I much prefer the traditional magazine release button of my Sig 226 and 220. The reason this is not a "deal breaker" is because as most would agree, the .380 is not in any way an "offensive" weapon. I don't carry it with an extra magazine, and I only expect to have to use it as a last resort.

Second, the gun has a fixed barrel, making field stripping an interesting chore. It is not difficult per se, but there is no slide lock, and once the slide is removed, there are a couple parts exposed that could easily fall out of place. Again, chalk that up primarily as a difference that merely takes getting used to.

On the plus side, at 17 ounces, it is very pleasant to carry. I use a De Santis "IWB" holster that looks like this:

I've never loved inside the waistband holsters, but this one is by far the most comfortable. I wish it had more cant to it, as it would fit to my waist a bit better if it could tilt forward a bit.

Shooting the gun is a pleasure. The trigger is smooth, the rear sights are adjustable (and nice three dot white). I had to adjust the rear sights a couple bars to the left, but once I had it dialed in, it's proven to be a solid shooter even up to 15 or 20 yards, which I did not expect.

.380 ammunition is not as readily available as I would like, and it is expensive, because all I've been able to find is self-defense specific brands.

I bought the Hogue wrap grips that are very popular with this gun, but I took them back off. They are a bit wider than the factory grips, and I've always liked Sig's factory grips. Also, I bought a Fobus paddle holster that I will probably never use with this pistol. It fits so well in the IWB holster, that I actually think it feels bulky outside the waistband... Go figure.

In summary, I'm pleased with this pistol as a small, easy to carry "be prepared" pistol. It's size make it such that it is more likely to be carried because it will not be a burden. In that vein, it is much more valuable than any giant pistol that is left at home due to weight or bulkiness, and that is probably the best compliment a gun like this could get.

Shooting the 5R at Boomershoot 2008

2007-11-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

What could be more fun than long range shooting? Long range shooting where the targets explode when you hit them!

This was my first trip to Boomershoot (www.boomershoot.org). I'm not able to shoot past 200 yards at my local range, so I was really looking forward to shooting at 1 MOA (or smaller) reactive targets from 400-700 yards. It was a great trip, but very challenging for me for several reasons:

Temperatures ranged from 35 to 75 degrees, the wind fluxuated at around 5mph, changed directions, and then died down, and finally, I simply did not have enough time to accomplish what I wanted.

That said, it was TONS of fun. My highlights were blowing up a boomer (obviously), but I think what I enjoyed even more was having three successive shots hit a steel target center mass at 600 yards. Watching the bullet impact the steel, seeing the mark of the bullet on the white paint, and then hearing the ping of the shot, almost 4 seconds later, was too cool.

I was not able to shoot at paper, which I would love to do at distance soon, but hey, watching a 75 pound anvil launched 150 feet in the air with black powder was awesome.

Pelican 1750 Rifle Case

2007-11-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

Waterproof, lockable, floats, and practically indestructable, the Pelican 1750 Rifle Case is a great option for transporting weapons, or simply keeping them safe, and secure.

I'd seen Pelican cases before, mainly in production studio type environments, used for shipping expensive camera gear or electronics. When I learned they made rifle cases as well, I was intrigued. The only hard cases I'd really been exposed to, were the cheap flimsy models that did the job, but did not inspire much confidence. The 1750 is awe inspiring.

With three layers of removable foam, the idea is you have a solid top and bottom to "sandwitch" your gear, and the middle layer can serve as a template for you to cut out, so your rifle (or rifles) can fit snugly into place.

It is important to note that if you've seen the smaller cases with the "pluckable" square pieces of foam - the 1750 foam is not like that. Each layer is a solid unit that you will need to trim with a knife. I used a new, sharp razor knife.

Here is the configuration I used:

Pretty nice, but here's the trouble:

First, this thing is HEAVY. Just the case is 25 pounds. I like knowing that a Hummer can drive over it, but man, with that gear inside, it's probably 50 pounds.

Second, what you see is what you get. The ultra tailored foam interior will keep your gear safer than any other option, but - those guns are the only things in the case. No room for holsters, or ammunition, or range equipment, or clothing, etc. Pretty limiting.

The case is great for secure, ultra protective storage (of the weapons only), but it is so heavy and limiting, that I've moved to softer cases like the drag bag mentioned here, for more flexibility.

Leupold Mark 4 1.5-5x20 SPR

2007-11-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

The Leupold Mark 4, 1.5-5 x20 Special Purpose (illuminated) Reticle:

I took the plunge, on my first Leupold, when I bought the Knights SR-15. I figured it just wasn't right to have anything but a Mark 4 mounted to that gun.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I loved my EOTech. But aiming an EOTech at a 3 inch circle at 200 yards is almost impossible (for me anyway). I wanted something that would take advantage of the SR-15's accuracy, without sacrificing CQB potential as well. I've added some pictures of the reticle, as well as a usefull flyer from Leupold. If you want a more detailed copy, they are available for download on Leupold's website.

I mounted the scope, with a GG&G 30mm Accucam scope mount which they claim to be repeatable to 1/2 MOA - nice! It's a great companion to the low profile flip up sights, standard on the SR-15.

My only trouble, thus far, has been finding the perfect focus setting on the rear of the scope. I've researched this a ton, and can't get a consistent answer on how to find the exact correct focus (besides just pointing at the sky and winging it).

I love this scope. I'll admit, it's not *exactly* 1 power, so it's not as light and versitile as an EOTech at the low setting but dial it up to 5, and all of a sudden, the targets at the 200 yard line are easily spotted. The Mark 4 1.5-5 makes a great SPR rifle out of any accurate AR-15.

Surefire X200(b) Weaponlight

2007-11-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

Looking for a nice LED light for your pistol rail? the Surefire X200 is a great choice:

I'm a huge fan of flashlights, especially the new LED models. I have several Surefire incandescent models (G2's, and a 6p), and I also have the Blackhawk Gladius LED, which is a very cool light.

I was very excited when I bought the Blackhawk, but a trip to the range with my Sig 226 NAVY quickly proved that holding a flashlight while shooting, no matter what style you adhere to, is far from ideal. When I bought my Sig 220 which came with the integrated rail, I was anxious to pick a good light for it.

The first light I bought was the Streamlight TLR-2 - a fairly cool light / laser combo, but pricey, a bit bulky, and (I was disappointed to learn later) not a bit waterproof. I exchanged it for the Surfire X200. Surefire now makes the X300 which I have not seen in person, but there were actually two versions of the X200. The X200(a), and the X200(b). The "B" version, which is what I have, emits a broader beam, while the "A" model is more concentrated like a standard flashlight. I actually really like the B model, because it is blindingly bright, but also illuminates what in total darkness would be lost periphrial information.

Operating the light is fairly easy, there is a paddle style rocker switch that can be moved up or down to turn on the light. If you are looking for a momentary switch, you merely push in against the switch, and that will activate the light as well. The only thing that took me a while to get used to is that I usually wrap the index finger of my weak hand around the trigger guard - that is obviously not happening when a rail light is mounted. Instead I basically end up indexing the left side of the rifle, just as I index the right side...

The light fits great on my Sig, is easy to use, and looks and feels bulletproof.

One side complaint I have is that there are almost no holsters on the market today that will take a full sized pistol with a light mounted. I bought the Blackhawk Omega IV drop leg holster that works great, but it is expensive ($100), and I ended up removing most of the drop leg platform and using just the holster on a belt. It is comfortable, and protects both the weapon and the light, but it is far from concealed. I only use it while at the range, but it would be fine for a policeman, or for one of our soldiers.

Here are a couple more pictures, one from about 5 feet away from the wall so you can see the distinction between the bright center of the light, and the clear periprial ring. The second picture is about 20 feet away, with the same emphasis.

Finally, a close up of the "business end" of the light and the pistol. You can see that that it does add a bit of width to the gun, but not too bad for something that takes two lithium 123 batteries, and is almost 100 lumens.

DuraCoat rifle paint

2007-11-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

Are you brave enough to paint your rifle? DuraCoat is a great option:

As I mention in my review of the Remington 700 5R, one of my main hesitations for buying the rifle was that it is only available in stainless. Don't get me wrong, the stainless looks great, but I wanted matte black. I was planning on following the advice of many shooters out there and simply painting the rifle with Krylon and using acetone to wipe it back off if I changed my mind. The more I thought about it though, the more I wanted something more permanant. The 5R is a match rifle, and I would be using lots of fairly abrasive chemicals on a regular basis. I didn't want the paint around the muzzle to be eaten away every time I cleaned up after a trip to the range...

So I tried Krylon (and Duplicolor, and Rustoleum, and every other matte black paint I could find at the hardware store) on test scraps of steel. I even tried Brownell's bake on enamel. None of them worked well enough. Even the "high heat" ceramic paints that state they are highly resistant to chemicals. Most would break down and leave black stains on a rag soaked in a little bit of powder solvent. Surprisingly, the real strong ammonia copper solvents didn't seem to bother the paint as much.

The trouble with Brownell's wasn't as much its chemical resistance, but that if the surface wasn't absolutely immaculately prepared, the paint would crack in the baking process and flake off. I decided to invest in DuraCoat.

The first thing I'll mention about DuraCoat is there are a million colors to choose from. I was painting a stainless rifle, and I chose a color called "Stealth Gray". It's hard to choose from the color swatches on the website, and the color I picked ended up a bluish tint of gray - not what I was hoping for. Thankfully, I had ordered the starter kit, and all I needed was one small jar of new paint, which was cheap. I went with a much safer "Matte Black".

Backing up though, the DuraCoat instructions are solid, and gave great information on how to prep the rifle. Sandblasting is ideal, I had to scuff up my rifle by hand - a gut check, let me tell you! I used 100 grit wet/dry sandpaper and acetone to get the job done.

I then took detailed up-close pictures of the trigger before removing it from the action (a life saver for putting small parts back together), taped off the trigger housing, as well as the face of the bolt. I also put a foam earplug in the crown of the rifle, and some paper towels in the chamber.

My plan was to paint as many of the internal parts as I could - the internal box magazine and spring, the stock screws, the bolt, trigger, etc. I was also going to lightly coat the entire stock, as I had treated the palm grip and forend in Herculiner using leftover paint from refinishing my truck bed. The 4 ounce jar of flat black, was just enough to cover all of those.

I followed the DuraCoat instructions as best I could - I did use my air compressor instead of the small jar of compressed air that came with the starter kit though. Here are a couple mistakes I made that you can easily learn from:

First, my original starter kit had a bad airbrush. the nozzle would not open correctly, and I had to keep shaking the jar to get paint to flow. Bad idea. Shaking the jar would initiate the flow, but a couple times too much was shaken out, and I got a bad drip on the rifle that needed to be sanded later. I called DuraCoat and they immediatey sent a replacement airbrush.

Second, I put too much paint on the bolt. Too many coats resulted in too tight a fit, that I had to fix later with sandpaper and bore paste. Go easy on the bolt.

Finally, I was using a hairdryer in between coats to make sure the paint was setting and wouldn't run. On my last pass, I was kind of "misting" the rifle to get out any unevenness, and I think the paint was drying a bit in the air before contact. The result was a finish that was a bit gritty. As I was using matte black, this was easily fixed later by buffing the rifle with 1000 grit sandpaper. I had plenty of coats, so this slight sanding was no problem at all, and really smoothed it out.

One other thing though - DuraCoat states that it will dry enough to use in about 48 hours, but will not be fully cured for 6 weeks. When I spoke to them, they advised to really leave it alone for as much of that 6 weeks as you can - that's a long time!

That said, the rifle has been great. There have been no dings, chips, or flaking, and the paint is totally resistant to any cleaning solvents I have used so far. If you want a really professional look in a do-it-yourself package, DuraCoat is a great option.

Tactical Operations drag bag

2007-11-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

The "Tac Ops" version of a sniper drag bag that is a worthy standard to be measured against:

After finishing my sniper rifle project I was looking for a good solid range bag that could hold not just the rifle, but various equipment as well. I'd been using the Pelican 1750 which is a super nice lockable hard case, but it is heavy and not super practical for range trips.

Here's the deal about this bag; try to find a padded, durable rifle case, that has a shooting mat integrated, as well as TONS of storage for things like dope books, sand bags, bipods, rangefinders, etc. This bag has them all. It even has a special compartment for a suppressor.

The first bag I tried was the Blackhawk "Long Gun Pack Mat". Great bag, don't get me wrong, but there was almost no room for anything but the gun, and what bothered me the most was that when folded up into the gun case, the top remained open (folded together and clamped, but open). If I had my scope cover on, this was "OK" but if not, the top turret of the scope would poke out and be subject to banging around, etc.

I was going to buy the Blackhawk "Sniper Drag Bag", when I came across a review here for the Tac Ops bag, and since it fit my 24" rifle exactly, I had to buy it. Not only does it completely enclose the rifle, but there is a thick tongue of padding that completely covers the whole thing as it is being zipped up. (The top is as padded as the bottom as a result).

I have used the bag primarily on range trips, but it has by no means been babied. I toss it (ok, maybe not "toss") into the back of my truck, drag it out and I shoot prone from the mat often. I do wish the mat was 6 inches wider, because my elbows are usually off the edges, but elbow pads are a great solution for that, and help with grip and stability as well.

Two issues you do need to be aware of though: First, with all those pockets, this bag can get stuffed and when it gets stuffed it gets HEAVY! I actually wish the outside pockets were made maybe a third smaller. The straps for the backpack are on the back of the bag, against the compartment for the shooting pad which also adds to the width. Nice to have the backpack option though, and if you don't like it, easy to take them out, they simply unclip.

Second, my shooting partner is a big fan of cheaperthandirt.com, and he's found a very similar bag for the amazing price of $71. To be clear, the Tac Ops bag is not $71, it's more than 4 times that expensive. Now, my bag has really nice oversized zippers, and every detail is well thought out. We'll see whose lasts longer, and he has had to make his own shooting pad, but there is something to be said for 4 times cheaper - yikes.

To wrap up, I love this bag. I've carried my 700 in here a ton, and even doubled it up with a Remington 870 shotgun for a couple trips with no trouble. It will more than protect your rifle, and is a great transport option.

5R Photos

2007-11-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Benchmade 530 Mel Pardue

2007-11-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ultra lightweight and sharp as a razor, this is by far my favorite pocketknife:

The Benchmade 530 Pardue (http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=530) is a really cool knife. It is not what I was looking to buy, but when I picked it up, I was so amazed at the weight and feel that I came back the next day and bought it.

The knife is wafer thin, I usually keep it in my front pocket with the clip removed. A super handy tool set for Benchmade (and other) knives is the little blue service kit. It's one of the few places you will find a hex head small enough for pocket knives.

Anyway, back to the knife - I've honestly never seen a knife this sharp from the factory. Shaving hair off the back of my hand was no problem. Benchmade also came up with a very cool blade lock system they call the AXIS, which took a couple days getting used to, but I am hooked on it now. Basically, when depressed, there is effectively no drag on the blade - it can be flicked in or out with no effort. Once released, though, the blade is either locked open, or held (fairly tightly) closed. This AXIS system works just as well on my larger 550.

About the only thing I wouldn't use this knife for is serious carving or heavy cutting. It is sturdily constructed,but both the blade and the handle are very thin, and I'd worry about bending it out of shape.

No bends thus far though (about a year), and I don't leave home without it.

Sig Sauer 226-NAVY

2007-11-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Sigarms' joint project with the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, featuring official Naval Special Warfare serial numbers, and 1,000 pistols produced to the exact specifications as those provided to the SEAL teams:

If I could only have one pistol, this would be it.

I'll say honestly that I had a hard time believing that todays SEAL's aren't issued sidearms with tactical rails and night sights from the factory (though they probably carry whatever they want), but Sig assured me these pistols are exactly the same. It's also important to know that Sig moved from the limited production to a normal production run also called the 226 NAVY. These pistols are offered in 9mm, .357 Sig, and .40, and they do come with a rail (probably night sights too, if you order them). While they feature the stamped anchor on the slide, they do not have the official NSW serial number as the above limited run. I spoke with Sig recently about the new Sig Navy pistols that offer rails and night sights. The customer service rep told me that these are options offered to the public (because of their popularity) but the official Navy weapons are ordered with no rail, and no night sights. So the certificate of authenticity that came with my NSW serial pistol likely does not come on the new ones - not positive of this. That said, I still see originals pop up on GunBroker once in a while.

Regarding the differences between a standard 226 and the NAVY version, they are probably minimal. I have to take Sig at their word that all the "internals" are coated with the Nitron finish to make them more impervious to the elements.

Shooting the 226 is smooth, and amazingly accurate. I don't like the two post sights, compared to three dot, but they line up well. Single hole groups are easy at 20 feet, and I'm dissapointed if I don't get them at 40. The trigger has great feel, and the action is smoother than any pistol I've shot. I've shot most production pistols; Glock, HK, 1911's, nothing has the feel of this Sig.

I'll even say that while the other Sig's I've shot (220's, 229's, 232's) are equal in accuracy, none seem as smooth or balanced as my 226.

Finally, since the promotion donated $100,000 from sales to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, it's practically "blessed" right? :-)

tobystactical.com reviews

2007-11-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

All Reviews:

Firearms:
Remington 700 5R "Milspec"
Sig Sauer 226-NAVY
Sig Sauer P232 .380
Remington 870 HD
Rock River Arms Entry Tactical AR-15

Equipment:
Tactical Operations drag bag
SWFA's Super Sniper Rifle Scope
Surefire X200b weapon light
Pelican 1750 Rifle Case
Night Ops Gladius Tactical Flashlight
Benchmade 530 Pardue
EOTech 512 A65 Rev. F
Accessories:
DuraCoat rifle paint

Knights SR-15 E3 for sale

2005-07-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Purchased in the fall of 2008, from US Autoweapons. Less than 250 rounds fired, properly cleaned every time. This rifle is flawless, perfectly matched with a Leupold Mark4 1.5-5 SPR illuminated reticule scope, via a GG&G accucam mount. Shoots 1 MOA consistently, with 77grain match ammunition.

All detail on this rifle can be found here: http://www.knightarmco.com/images/sr15_2.html
All detail on the scope can be found here: http://www.leupold.com/tactical/products/scopes/mark-4-mrt-riflescopes/mark-4-1-5-5x20mm-mrt-m2-illum-reticle/
All detail on the GG&G mount can be found here: http://www.gggaz.com/index.php?id=166&parents=69,128

Below are all the accessories included in this package:
Knights SR-15 E3 rifle, with all documentation, and factory included accessories (forward hand guard, manual, sling swivels, etc).
Leupold scope, original box, cleaning cloth, scope covers
Magpul MIAD grip, full option, including original grip.
GG&G accucam mount
Condor carbine discreet carrying case (black) – as new.
Condor XL black assault vest – as new.
20 Magpul magazines, 9 with Ranger floorplates (all original floorplates included)
2 of the above magazines are joined with a mag coupler, for a double mag setup.
4 Magpul 20 round magazines
2 Knights 20 round magazines
1 original 30 round magazine, included from the factory.
Tactical Tailor sling
Knights Armament rear quick disconnect swing swivel, mounted to the LMT SOPMOD stock.
Full glossy Knights Armament catalog detailing the SR-15 E3
Tipton deluxe carbon fiber cleaning rod

This rifle is in ‘as new’ condition. I am selling it only to pay some bills, and because I feel guilty having this just sitting in my safe…

Please email me for more pictures, or for more information. I’ve set shipping at $100, because it will likely require 3 or 4 heavy boxes. I’ll only ship the rifle to an FFL, but all other boxes will ship to you directly.