Tactical Life March - April 2023

’Twas the week after Christmas, as we closed out this issue,Keyboards were clacking, this was no time for tissues; Gun spec charts designed, all photos cropped nicely,Editors triple-checked copy, gotta make press precisely; Corrections and cover blurbs, dancin’ ’round in our heads,With SHOT Show just weeks away, office air thick with dread; Sure it’s last minute, but that story must get nixed,If we don’t run the SCAR piece, readers will be pissed; Emails flying about Dead Air, Nighthawk and Leapers,Barrett and Springfield, Demo Dick—jeepers creepers; Yarns ahead from Rendezvous, about targets getting toasted,While Chad, Ben and Josh prep web stuff, that’s about to get posted; There’s also Duncan and Chesnut, Cernauskas, Ortega,Slifkin, Allocca and Nino the elf who might save ya; Our crew isn’t big, but they work hard for…

GARMONT TACTICAL T4 GROOVE G-DRY BOOTS If you’re ready to run and gun on the range or around town, look into scoring a pair of Garmont’s new T4s. These comfy and stable outdoor-derived waterproof boots are designedd to allow you to move confidently over mixed terrain. Features include G-Dry waterproof membrane, 1.6 mm suede leather upper, thermoformed Lycra collar and dual-density A.C.E. mid-sole for extra stability. Garmont is a proven leader in military and LE sales, and with an MSRP of $165 these boots won’t destroy the family budget. (garmonttactical.com) GOAT GUNS No, they don’t make flintlocks—yet—but the folks over at Goat Guns are definitely onto something fun for the gun hobbyist or for those firearms fanatics who live in “heavily (and unconstitutionally) restricted freedom states” like NY, CA, CT…

Handguns chambered in .22 LR are the second most popular made, trailing only the 9mm. And because .22 pistols are available in entry-level to competition models, there’s a pistol or revolver for everyone from the Lilliputian revolvers that easily fit into the palm of your hand from North American Arms to the 10-inch-barreled Ruger MK IV for hunters and silhouette shooters. Several caliber conversion kits also allow you to change your 1911, Glock, M92 Beretta or Springfield XD into a .22 LR. Though more 9mm handguns are made, the .22 LR’s mild recoil and far less costly ammo make it unquestionably the best choice for beginners. If you want to introduce a newcomer to shooting, that first experience is critically important, and a .22 LR pistol with at least a…

SPEC BOX BORE SIZE: .22 CALIBERS: .22 LR, .22 Magnum, .17 HMR, .17 WSM and 5.7x28mm OAL: 5.1 inches WIDTH: 1.07 inches WEIGHT: 6.6 ounces CONSTRUCTION: 17-4 stainless steel baffles, titanium 3Al-2.5V Grade 9 Tube FINISH: Nitride and Cerakote ACCESSORIES: End cap wrench MSRP: $469 Dead Air Silencers’ Mask-HD is constructed with a titanium tube and 17-4 precipitate-hardened stainless steel baffles, mount and end cap. This 5.1-inch long, 1-inch diameter can is designed for .22 LR, .22 Magnum, .17 HMR, .17 WSM and 5.7x28mm calibers and is rated by the company for full-auto fire. The Mask-HD uses nine baffles, eight of which are shielded K-type baffles that snap together tightly. The shielding feature is common among rimfire cans and contains combustion gases and vaporized lead inside the baffle’s core to…

FOR MANY, there is no debate over choosing a personal-defense handgun. Any discussions of preferred weapons start and stop with John Browning’s .45 ACP 1911. The association between the .45 ACP cartridge and the 1911 platform is seamless. Few remember that Browning is not only the architect of what many feel is the ideal handgun form—the 1911—but also the originator of the perfect personal-defense handgun cartridge—the .45 ACP cartridge. Nighthawk Custom has created a loyal following due to its quality and grounded approach with its contributions to the 1911 design lineage. Not so long ago, Nighthawk collaborated with Thunder Ranch training legend Clint Smith to create a fighting 1911. Clint’s Thunder Ranch is a mecca for people/groups interested in serious training. The Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special 1911 embodies…

One of the unspoken benefits of choosing a 1911 for use is the plethora of aftermarket accessories available to support your decision in the form of holsters. The Versacarry Compound and Decree OWB holsters along with the Versacarry Double Stitch gun belt were used with the Nighthawk Thunder Ranch 1911. Versacarry continues to innovate beyond its initial ZeroBulk offering from 10 years ago. Versacarry’s new hybrid Compound series takes their known use of premium water buffalo leather and combines it with Kydex by infusing it between leather layers. This offers better support and retention for your handgun. The holster is built with a recessed area in the Kydex to keep the front sight from snagging when the firearm is drawn. The draw tension is adjustable to give owners the flexibility…