Tactical Life May - June 2023

Unfortunately for Tactical Life readers, not everyone can go to the annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show held each January in Las Vegas. Fortunately for you, however, our staff and trusted contributors were among the throngs of gun lovers walking those nearly 14 “miles of aisle” and uncovering the good stuff. In this issue, you’ll find many of those products that you would have been searching for had you been able to attend yourself. In fact, in our special 38-page SHOT coverage section beginning on page 54, you’ll find detailed information on 28 pieces of survival gear, 20 new concealed carry pistols, 21 new defensive loads, 21 hot, new red-dot sights and 19 new suppressor models. Not from SHOT, but still worthy of mention, check out our 12-product…

Hello, my name is Fred, and I have a suppressor addiction. Few accessories in the firearms world impact your gun as much as adding a suppressor. The benefits of shooting suppressed are countless with the main ones being sound reduction and comfort. In most cases, suppressors are “hearing safe,” which means that you don’t generally need to wear ear protection while shooting. Of course, there is someone in legal right now clutching their pearls, so I will say that it is always advisable to protect your ears when shooting. One of the biggest hurdles in getting our beloved suppressors is the government. Suppressors fall under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and are regulated by the ATF. To get your tax stamp (and it literally is a glorified stamp), there is…

Most shooters regard .22 LR as a casual target round, something that is only capable of tin-can accuracy within 25 yards. While this represents the rimfire’s most common use, specialized versions are capable of accuracy that will surpass backyard plinking. In our Long Range course at Renaissance Firearms Instruction, we offer a .22 side challenge that involves hitting a 6-inch target placed at 300 yards. Most don’t believe it can be done, but to this day, we haven’t had a single student miss out on this achievement. The trick is to use the proper ammunition, and just like their bigger brothers, .22s all have a preference. Join us as we take a look at eight different rounds that need to make your test list for that high-end precision .22 LR.…

Dark Storm was born out of frustration by two people—Ed Newman and Peter Morrisey—who struggled to find local dealers that stocked AR parts and were annoyed with clunky websites selling parts with an unknown inventory. Hello, backorder. In 2012, they collaborated to open a business catering specifically to the AR platform modern sporting rifle enthusiasts. They offer a full range of rifles in various calibers and AR-style pistols while also selling DSI parts and accessories. Essentially, it’s a one-stop shop if you’re interested in a quality-built rifle or want to complete your own build. RIFLE SPECIFICS It is my opinion (and many others) that guns should come outfitted with ambidextrous controls. This isn’t just to appease left-handed shooters but to truly be prepared for any scenario you may find yourself…

The Alaskan360 suppressor is one of Rugged’s latest and greatest suppressors. The big selling point behind the design is that it is full-auto-rated for pistol and subgun calibers up to 9mm and rifle calibers up to .338 Lapua. The tube and baffles are made with 17-4 stainless steel with a titanium front cap and a U.S. Grade 5 titanium mount. The total length of the Alaskan360 is 6.6 inches and measures 7.5 inches with Rugged’s Universal Mount (R.U.M.). This can weighs in at just 9.4 ounces without the RUM and 11.8 ounces with the mount. The sound level of the Alaskan360 on the Variant 1 rifle is about 130.4 decibels. You can’t beat the universal use for this suppressor, and Rugged Suppressors stands behind their products with an unconditional lifetime…

From their red-dots to their scopes, I’m a big fan of Trijicon optics. As a competitive shooter who plays in 3-Gun, PRS and NRL22, a scope with a MIL reticle made sense for me to use across all sports. The glass is clear, the reticle is easy to hold for wind and elevation, and the scope is extremely durable. The Credo 1-8 is a first-focal-plane scope and features a 34mm tube and a dual red/green illuminated MRAD segmented circle reticle. For more information, visit trijicon.com.…