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Colt Lightweight Commander Review Part 2 The Accuracy Test

September 8, 2017 Shawn 10 Comments

I know it seems like it’s been forever ago since I did the first part of this review , but a lot has happened. Sorry about the delay for those of you waiting on this.

In the time between these sections I have had a lot of time with this gun. It has taken over duties as my every day CCW piece, replacing the XSE Gov model I carried for the last 11 years. That is how much I have grown to love it and trust it. Believe me, replacing the Colt XSE was not an easy thing to do. Besides the quality and accuracy of that gun, there was a lot of memories and sentimental value that went with it. Maybe that was the final reasons I did put it in semi retirement as a constant carry gun.

While shooting it these months I really appreciate the new dual recoil spring system colt has started using in all of their pistols. No, it’s not some complicated thing if that’s what you are thinking, just a spring in a spring that can be easily taken out for cleaning just like normal. Its the same setup in the M45A1 and Delta Elites. It does really well softening recoil on hotter rounds like the 10mm, and on the light weight frame commander it helps a lot with hot rounds I like to use for carry like the Corbon +P solid copper hollow points.

I fired all my stand by accuracy loads in the commander to test it for groups and one ball round loading just to see,

Groups were fired from a bench with bags, slow fire as is my usual method. I fired five rounds groups other than the 10 round group in upper right using ball. Only did this cause I had a wilson 10 round mag loaded with ball in my pocket when i went to do this. The ranger T load is upper left

These three groups are my carry load in upper left, my back up carry load upper right, which is the winchester DPX . Bottom group is the excellently accurate hornady 185 match semi wadcutters. A load me and a friend have been using for years for the most accurate handload we can come up with.

As requested recently, I have started shooting extended ranges ( for handguns) as part of my standard test and review. This request was made by a reader curious to see what modern handguns could do if needed to shoot beyond distances most think of as normal handgun ranges in the event of active shooter or terrorist attack. The idea being you HAVE TO made a longer shot for some reason, Maybe because the nut bag is wearing a vest that may explode and kill you if you are too close or the bad guy has a rifle and has ballistic advantage over you. Either way, the testing has led to some pretty surprising results. I may be paranoid and crazy but this has made me think it would be wise to start integrating longer shots into regular training to prepare for that potential since modern handguns and ammo are up to the task with a shooter who can milk it.

First I need to say I did shoot at a man shaped paper target at 75 and 100 yards and thought I took pictures of it. Apparently I didn’t because I am an idiot. Even more so because I burned the paper targets to clean up the area at the strip job we shoot longer ranges at. So , trying not to litter means I can’t even go back and get the target.

I did take pictures of the 200 yard target. Luckily. The groups at 100 were so encouraging it made me try 200. Bare in mind, it took me 20 or more rounds to get the right hold on the target, I didn’t just walk back 200 and fire for record. It took some careful hold and fire and see,kinda thing. It is doable though and once I had the hold over figured out, it was repeatable. I used a steel gong to get the range down and after the record target we all took turns hitting the gong at 200. This was a real revelation to a couple of the guy who thought a 45 ACP round from a pistol wouldn’t even travel that far.

I used a 200 yard NRS bullseye rifle target. Twenty rounds were fired and I got 8 rounds in the black. I only managed 14 hits total on the paper in the black and white. Still pretty good I think if I do have to say so myself.

Obviously all shots were from a bench and bags not off hand. But with enough practice I’m sure a man sized target could be hit with a pistol off hand or from some kind of support like using a car hood or truck bed.

Selection of round used would make it harder or easier as well. A hotter and lighter 165 or 185 would shoot flatter than a 230 grain bullet fired from a walmart plinking loading.

Making these longer range testings part of the review process has really got me thinking though. I have in mind to try some 9mm handguns with some of the hotter self defense loads to see what can be done I think the lighter faster round may show some impressive results and a future article will definitely be a test of various handguns and rounds at 100 yards and beyond to see the absolute limit to what you may be able to hit if you really need to.

To wrap up, Colt LWT Commander is super nice and as I said is now my standard carry gun. It’s weight and handling make it a real joy and it’s got all the accuracy I need. It has had 1876 rounds through it this summer of all kinds of ammo with no problems. It has lived up to be everything I asked out of it and more.

Reviews

Inland MFG/Bond Arms “Liberator” Test & Review

September 8, 2017 Shawn Leave a comment

Earlier this year I received the Inland/Bond Arms “liberator” derringer pistol. With Inland making a lot of WW2 era guns over the last few years and them teaming up with other companies like Ithaca to make others, it isn’t a surprise the name was brought back as a homage of the old single shot pistol dropped in occupied areas for friendly underground forces to use to get something better.

So now we have a sort of tribute to the idea. You can see the liberator is still quite big for a two shot pistol. Here is is beside a Colt Defender, sub compact 1911. This being the first bond arms pistol I had done more than look at as I walked by a display, I was not prepared for how heavy duty this things are .

Inspecting the piece you can see that they are made very well.

Above is the roll mark and name. A moniker that pays tribute to the original cheaply made junk gun that was a single shot. No doubt the Inland’Bond Arms is made to a much higher standard to say the least.

The wooden grips have a nicely engraved Inland Logo. Though the down side side is , the grips making shooting sustained fire painful. The beauty is, if you fire your two shots, the guns are strong and tough enough to beat some one to death with it.

Attention to detail is impressive on these pistols.

The trigger is as heavy as you probably guessed considering the type of gun this is and what roles its meant to fill. I tried on and off for a few months to really master it off hand. The idea was to get as good as I could with it and fire it like I would if I had to in a life threatening situation. I did manage to keep all the shots on a FBI Q target, at the ranges you would use a gun like this after much practice getting use to it. But that didn’t demonstrate the accuracy of the pistol so i went to the bench and punished my self.

Above is 4 shots of federal HST from 10 yards off the bench. The trigger is tough to master so it takes a lot of concentration to shoot a type group but the gun can be accurate.

This is a 5 shot group at 15 yards from a bench. I would have done just four rounds but I pulled one and though I could do better, so I fired an extra round to make up for it. Easy to get tired with this gun as it is punishing to shoot and the trigger is like bending a nail.

Last we have 10 rounds fired off hand at 15 yards. This was still slow fired. I never could get the hang of doing the two fast shots like the guy on the TV commercials. I squirm at the thought of having to shoot that gun enough to be that good with it.

Bottom line is, the gun is very well made. The company takes pride in these pistols and their skill at making them. You can tell that by a close inspection. While had to shoot fast, they can be accurate. This one showed much potential and if I was the kind of guy who is used to bog bore revolver recoil, I’m sure I could have done better for everyone with it. I’m not though, and the wooden grips and recoil of such a small gun firing full power 45ACP rounds was more than I could take for long period. I do see why the bond arms guns are popular with a lot of people though. They are nostalgic and certainly finely made.

Reviews, Scattered Shots

Gen5 Glock Stripped / Internals

September 4, 2017 Duncan 3 Comments

We have been lucky enough to get several of the brand new Gen5 Glock 17’s and Glock 19’s, as the Gen5’s have been highly anticipated. This will be one article in a series on the new Gen5’s. Now that we have them, let’s strip one of the Gen5’s all the way down and look at the new parts.

The new Gen5’s have several unique, redesigned, internal components that are very different from all other Glock’s. You can see it is a 2 pin design, like the old Gen1 and Gen2 Glock’s, with a Gen4 magazine release and stippling. I have completely stripped this Gen5 G19 to give you an idea of what the new internal parts look like. When completely stripping the Gen5, you will notice some of the parts are similar in design to the single stack G42 and G43, just beefed up for the larger Gen5’s. Other parts are totally new and uniquely design for the Gen5 Glock’s. This makes the Gen5’s a completely redesigned Glock, that has very few part compatibility with the Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 models.

Below are the parts that are shared with previous generations. Some of this may change in the future as some parts are on the fence for now. I will list these to get them out of the way.

Gen4 Magazine Release
Gen4 Recoil Spring (RSA) – 9mm Only
Gen4 Magazine Catch Spring
Gen4 Trigger Housing Pin
Extractor Depressor Plunger Assembly (Loaded Chamber Indicator only)
All Gen Connector
All Gen Magazines & Internals
All Gen Spacer Sleeve
All Gen Firing Spring
All Gen Channel Liner
All Gen Spring cups
All Gen Sights

Throughout this comparison I used parts from a Gen2 G19, a Gen3 RTF2 G17 and a Gen4 G19. While I will not go into a complete tutorial on how to strip your Gen5 Glock down, it is not extremely difficult and you can learn how to properly do it with some quality research.

When stripping the Gen5’s completely down, pay close attention to the parts that are significantly different in their design and placement in the firearm, compared to the previous generation of Glock models. Below are several pictures of a completely stripped Gen5 G19, the new internal parts and part comparisons to some previous generations.

LOWER RECEIVER PARTS

Lower Receiver:

The Gen5 has a completely redesigned Lower Receiver. Only two or three small parts are compatible with previous generations and you will see this below as we detail those parts. The Gen5’s have gone back to a two pin frame, like the Gen1 and Gen2 9mm Glock’s. The most noticeable external changes are the beveled & flared magazine well, and the removal of the finger groves. The stippling is very similar to the Gen4 but the little pyramid stipples feel just a little smaller. The Gen4 replaceable back strap system also appears to be the same.

note: I have seen a few places say the trigger guard has been undercut more, to reduce the (Glock Knuckle) effect that some experience when firing. From what I can tell this is not the case. I cannot see or feel that the undercut has been changed at all, it appears the same compared to all my previous generations.

Frame Pins:

As stated before there are two Pins on the Gen5’s. The Trigger Pin is new and redesigned. The two cut slots in the pin are a-lot shallower and wider than previous generations. It will not work in any other generation. The Rear Trigger Housing Pin is the same as the standard Gen4 Glock pins for the interchangeable back straps.

Trigger Pin, (Previous Gen’s Top), (Gen5 Bottom)

Locking Block:

The Locking Block is a complete redesign. When removed it looks like a Gen3 or Gen4 two pin block. Although it will slide into previous generation frames, the pin holes do not line up.

Ambidextrous Slide Stop Lever:

The Slide Stop Lever is a completely redesigned part. It is thicker and seams more robust than previous generations. The thumb tabs are also angled outwards slightly more.

Trigger Mechanism Housing w/ Ejector & Connector:

The Trigger Mechanism Housing (TMH) with Ejector, are very similar to the G43 in design. The TMH is not compatible with the previous generations. The Connector however appears to be the same as all previous generations.

Trigger Spring:

The Trigger Spring parts, from what I can tell, also appear to be similar in design to the G43, and are not compatible with the previous generations.

Trigger Bar:

The Trigger Bar is another completely redesigned part that is not compatible with previous generations. If you have a Glock 19, you will notice that the Gen5 G19 comes with a smooth faced trigger and not the traditional serrated trigger.

Slide Lock & Spring:

The Slide Lock and Slide Lock Spring design is similar to the G43. It is just larger for the Gen5’s. Although the Slide Lock looks almost identical to previous generations, the cutout for the spring at the bottom is wider to accommodate the new coil spring. The Spring is a coiled spring instead of a leaf spring of the previous generations.

Magazine Release:

The Magazine Release looks to be a standard Gen4 magazine release. It is just slightly extended and feels more rounded at the edges. It is compatible with the Gen4’s and this mean the Vickers extended Gen4 magazine releases should be good to go in the Gen5.

Magazines:

Magazines are compatible with all generations. The floor plate has just been reshaped in the very front. The Orange follower is just Orange. It is still the same 9mm #6 follower, so in the future you will probably be able to switch out your black followers to Orange, when the followers become available. The magazine body is also the same.

SLIDE UPPER PARTS

Slide:

The slide on the Gen5’s has been redesigned of course, with an ambidextrous slide stop cut on the right side and reshaped/contoured muzzle end. The breach face is also different to accommodate the new Firing Pin shape. One thing I found interesting, is the slide is just slightly longer than previous generations at the muzzle end. Less of the barrel and recoil spring is protruding from the slide, compared to previous generations. The recoil spring assembly is actually recessed back into the slide slightly.

Barrel & Recoil Spring Assembly:

The Barrel is marked with a 5, noting it is a Gen5 barrel. The barrel has traditional (lands and grooves) rifling and does not have the standard Glock OEM Polygonal rifling. This new barrel is the Glock Marksmanship Barrel (GMB). The barrel has a deeper recessed crown and the rifling extends closer to the chamber. For fun I swapped out the barrels on several different G19’s with the Gen5 barrel and I put older barrels in the Gen5 G19. I did not have any assembly or disassembly issues. I would contact or wait for Glock to approve this before attempting to fire any of the barrel swaps. This might be a sign that you can upgrade your previous generation Glock’s with the GMB barrel. That would be a smart move if Glock intended to sell the GMB as an upgraded barrel.

The recoil spring assembly (RSA) on the G19 appears to be a standard Gen4 duel captured recoil spring. The Gen5 G17 RSA looks a little longer. I believe this is due to the Gen5 G17 barrel lug being different than previous generations. The Gen5 G17 has a G19 sized locking lug. The picture below was provided by an AR15.com member.

Slide Cover Plate:

The Slide Cover Plate is a totally new design to accommodate the new internals. This part is not compatible with any previous generation. The Orange Glock Armorer’s Slide Cover will work for checking your Trigger Bar and TMH connections/tolerances.

Firing Pin Safety:

The Firing Pin Safety is a completely redesigned part, specific to the Gen5’s. Again it can only go in one way. The notch on the left side of Firing Pin Safety faces the Firing Pin. The Firing Pin Safety Spring appears to be the same part as any other generations.

Firing Pin Assembly:

The Firing Pin assembly is very interesting. Some parts are the same as previous generations and others are not. The Spring Cups, Firing Pin Spring and Spacer Sleeve appear to be the same as previous generations . The Firing Pin itself has a redesigned tear drop like rounded tip. The cuts for the Firing Pin Safety connection are also different at the head of the Firing Pin.

Extractor Depressor Plunger:

The Extractor Depressor Plunger Rod, Depressor Plunger Spring and the Spring Loaded Bearing appear to be identical to previous generations with the Loaded Chamber Extractor. The spring looks slightly different in color and is slightly longer. This may be for added strength and pressure for extraction.

Extractor:

The Extractor looks to be similar in design to the previous generations. There are some minor shaping and cut angle differences. Not sure if it is compatible with previous generations but I do not see why it would not be.

Final Note:

If you are not a Glock Armorer, Gunsmith or you are very unfamiliar with stripping your Glock down; I would not recommend any disassembly past regular field strip maintenance. Most people will have no need to break the firearm down to this level. Hopefully this answered some of the questions on the new parts and the compatibility of parts with the previous generations. If you have any questions or we missed something you wanted to know about, leave a comment or reach out to us on our Facebook Page.

Duncan.

Reviews

T.H.E. Wallet J.R.

August 6, 2017 Howard 2 Comments

Back in 2006, while I was in Iraq, I purchased a Spec Ops Brand THE Wallet JR. I’ve been using it ever since. This weekend, one of the zipper pulls broke off. I had forgotten it had zippers.

Over the years I have owned a variety of S.O.B. gear. It has always been well made, but a little on the large and clunky side. Their X4 and X6 pouches are excellent utility pouches. Their lone downside is a fringe around the outside making it hard to put another pouch directly next to it. S.O.B.’s belts, vest, chest rig, and other products are all excellent.

This wallet is no exception. Tons of pockets, slots, and places to stick things. The main compartment is sized for US Dollars and has a zippered pocket. It has a windowed pocket on the outside and inside of the wallet. 4 credit card slots that can hold multiple cards. I also stick cards in the folds of fabric for those slots. And an additional zippered credit card sized pocket on the inside. The main feature of this wallet is its “shark-bite” closure, which is a sort of rigid flap that holds the wallet close. Easily opened and closed.

The only downside to this simple, heavy duty wallet it its thickness. The “shark bite” flap makes the wallet thicker on top of the thick nylon and cordura fabric. Once you stick a few hundred dollars in the wallet it becomes quite plump.

This is probably not the right wallet for most people, but I love the one I have.

Reviews

Inland MFG “jungle M1 Carbine ” Review & Accuracy Test

July 8, 2017 Shawn 2 Comments

Inland Mfg has been on a pretty good roll since they brought the old name back online and started producing weapons that could have been if only they had continued. I have already tested and reviewed their M1 carbine and their excellent USGI M1911A1. If you read those reviews you know I was impressed with both. The first M1 I tested rated pretty highly with me, though the same gun got a bad rap by some later testers who didn’t mention the hell I had put it through in my abusive testing. I couldn’t make it fail me no matter how hard I tried while keeping my abuse within reality. This Jungle Carbine, as the company calls it is just as tough, possibly more accurate and has a nifty little new feature easy to miss.

The Jungle M1 Carbine comes in a very nice box that keeps it packed nice and tight. Not really something that matters about the guns function, but to me sometimes attention paid to these kind of details can give you a hint about how seriously the maker takes other aspects.

The inside has the gun snug in foam , with sight and bolt handle protectors. It came with two 15 round mags and a new Inland 30 round magazine. It also came with the owners manual etc, and the ever present lawyer lanyard.

Looking at the blister pack the 30 rounder cam in, I noticed on the back the specs for other mags Inland offers, I did not know they had a 10 rounder. But that is good to know. If you decided you wanted to hunt with the gun, this would make finding a magazine limited to the legal capacity for hunting a lot easier.

The mags all seem to be made to the mil specs of all other real USGI M1 carbine mags I have seen and owned. They worked as they should with no problems. It can be dicey getting surplus mags that work in my experience so its good to know you can get new ones that are up to snuff.

The carbine has all the markings as other models in all the right places, This mimics the USGI models and the originals. Just like the WW2 models, this one has all the same small details attended to.

The buttstock has the logo and the slot for the oil bottle that also works as the mounting point for the sling. The wood of the stock on the test model is a nice walnut, darker than the first test gun and has the look you associate with originals with their darker stocks. Some people I showed the first model , thought the lighter color of the wood some how was off to their eyes. I had to point out to them that they are used to seeing stocks oiled and reoiled over 60 years.

Of course the new Inlands have something hard to find on originals. A top handguard that actually matches the rest of the stock.

The fire controls are all standard M1 carbine. These having the button safety as opposed to the lever. The mag release being forward of the safety. Something some people have said they have had trouble with in the past. It is what it is though. The guns being made correctly to the originals more than trying to modernize or correct anything.

The bolt operates the same as all others, cycle to chamber a round, with a button at the rear , used to manually lock the bolt back for administrative purposes or light cleaning or malfunction clearing. The mag will not lock empty on a 15 round man but it will on a 30 rounder.

Now on to accuracy testing.

I was able to make a very solid shooting set up for the gun. I took advantage of the slot in the stock and was able to lock it down almost like a vice.

After testing all the option of ammo which is basically different versions of ball ammo and some soft point, I selected the most accurate loads. I used the PPU ball and some OLD remington soft points. I then went on to shoot at 100, 125, 150 and some at 200 yards.

I have read a lot about the guns limited range and accuracy. I get sick of this as it always seems to be more talk than action by those worthies. I decided to shoot this gun for accuracy in a way that would better show its potential on a man sized target in a self defense capacity.

First group at 100 yards. I intended to shoot 10 rounds but lost count as you can see. I fired this iron sight like I did all groups, and from the bench and bags. The small peep is not good for my oddball eyes as a larger peep is easier for me. So to make up for the peep not working well for my eyes and to make sure I got all I could out of it, I made sure to use the sand bagged/locked down set up.

The 125 yard group is shown on the targets “head”. I have seen some guys who couldn’t do this with an M4 using an ACOG. Not to say this is some how my ability, as I said the gun was nearly locked into a vice or as vicelike as I could manage, which was pretty good. I simple lined up the sights then worked the trigger while making sure the gun didn’t slowly move off target. After seeing this performance, I really wished I could pull the same set up off with other model rifles.

Above is the 150 yard group, Same set up. The group isn’t much bigger than the first two. Which ideally is what you would want, but I am sure it may surprise a decent amount of naysayers. Not as good as a decent AR15 of course. but that is not a fair comparison. This was a PDW meant to replace the handgun. This is still good enough to make a head shot possible if you could hold steady enough in the field. Probably unlikely in combat or any field shooting. Making tight groups in the field is obviously a lot different than the range but you would be surprised how many seem to never want to acknowledge that little factoid. Making hits accurately at any distance and in the field in any position is something I wish we had more competitions that strove to replicate.

Group above is the 75 yard group. This is the closest I fired at this target and the group I set as the zero of the sights. That is actually a 10 round group. This was fired with the remington ammo that is so old I am not even going to bother showing because it couldn’t be found anyway. If did show it, some one would go buy new made remington ammo and when it didn’t shoot as well blame me or be really let down. The ammo was so old in fact, that some of it misfired. I show this last because I originally didn’t intend to show it since the ammo can’t be purchased. But on second thought, it is worth showing just to give an idea of my zero and how well the gun will do within the range most people think is “far” for it.

I had only 5 rounds left and fired at this tiny man shaped target at 200 yards . I fired semi off hand and hit it twice solid and a glance shot on the top (readers) left. The other rounds landed so close I thought I hit it. The entire target is a little bigger than the cardboard man sized Q target’s “head.” The gun and round will make hits further. You can find me making hits at 300 with the first test M1 I was sent. The gun would make a great trunk gun or walking pack rifle or self defense gun if you live in a commie state. No doubt it is still as handy today as it was in the 40s and 50s.

The reliability and function of the gun was as it should be, I had no malfunctions other than ancient ammo being duds. The gun worked though I left it un-oiled. I fired an uncomfortable amount of 30 carbine through it. Uncomfortable because of the price. The gun had a hair over 500 rounds through it. All I could find at cabellas and every local guns store and some old trashed looking stuff salvaged from a defunct pawn shop that had been collecting rust and dust since Rome fell.

Now to the new feature and something that make it more appealing to some.

The cone like flash hider/muzzle device may look funny to some, or familiar to others. You may have seen something like it on the Bren, the British Enfield “jungle carbine” bolt action and possibly M1 carbines cut down and used by US advisors, Special Forces or Vietnamese troops in Vietnam. I’m not going to pretend to know the actual history of how any of those came in use and in association with use in jungles. Maybe Dan will have some insight to add or one of the wonderful commentators who have started posting here more from weaponsman. I will say that it looks pretty cool and it can be removed to allow you to thread on a sound suppressor. Or, the name it is known by if you are a left wing anti-gun kook, a silencer. That is a pretty neat little perk I think. This would allow mounting of a can to a gun that would look just like any USGI M1 but with a suppressor, That would make for a neat package to me. Of course you could attach other muzzle devices that would work with the bore size.

The Jungle carbine otherwise is a gun made for the smaller niche of Vietnam era Advisor type weapons. In the early years when US advisors and ARVN troops used the WW2 US family of weapons Many SF troops would modify weapons to make them handier for jungle fighting. Inland in fact makes a model they dubbed the Advisor which is a “pistol.” That is to say the ATF says that is what it is anyway. It mimics a cut down M1 in a way a Green Beret would have modifies it for easier jungle carry.

The small size and light recoil of the M1 made it popular with Vietnamese troops. The communists and RVN troops both appreciated it s attributes. You can see it in the hands of various units and factions in many pictures of the war. In a time before the M16 became issued to ARV troop, no doubt it was much desired when compared to the M1 Garand for the smaller sized Asian users.

No doubt in the hot jungles and hills and rice paddies, the M1 carbine would have been an easy rifle to carry. Pictured above is the jungle carbine as used by an “advisor” wearing ARVN airborne camo and using the M56 web gear. The M56 general purpose ammo pouches having been made in a transitional time and will hold the 30 round M1 carbine mags, M1 garand block clips, 40mm grenades, regular fragmentation grenades, M14 mags and BAR magazines. Of course a little later on , they held M16 twenty round mags. A versatile pouch though it does have its flaws and draw backs. Uniform and webgear from mooremilitaria. If you are a collector of vietnam war gear and uniforms or just want some repro to wear and use, Moore militaria is your answer. If you want a carbine, Inland is your answer to that.

Lastly., some ammo from 1952. M1 carbine .30cal on the original strippers. Ball and tracers 30 cal carbine.

Reviews

KAHR ARMS P45 Part 2 Accuracy Test

July 5, 2017 Shawn 2 Comments

The last time we took a look at the Kahr P45 in the first part to my review. I covered it’s various attributes and features. http://looserounds.com/2017/05/21/kahr-arms-p45-part-1/

Now we will take a look at how the gun does in accuracy testing. I did the testing in my usual manner. I shot 5 shot groups of various ammo I could get my hands on at 20 and 25 yards from a a bench with sand bags. Ammo was of the the type to be used for duty or self defense and some ball and target ammo handloads included. All groups are shot slow fire to the best of my ability to try to give the gun every chance to show us what it has.

Per request I also started the practice of shooting handguns meant for defensive use at longer ranges. The idea being the possible need to stop a terrorist who may have explosives strapped to himself.

First off we have the Hornady 185 gr SWC handloads. A personal favorite accuracy load of mine that I won’t be sharing the load data for. The load is a go to for accuracy testing and the gun loved it as much as most others. The markings are the sharpie drawn square I drew for the target. All groups are at 20 yards unless marked.

The next load is my personal carry ammo. The barnes 185 gr solid copper HPs in a +P load. My 1911s shoot well with it and the extra weight of the gov model tames it. The Kahr with its plymer frame and light weight made for painful shooting. The gun also didn’t seems to like it as much as the M1911s.

The next group is a well know favorite of many. Many of the local LE officers use it as their duty ammo. I have never been in love with it to the same degree as others but that’s just a personal choice. This was group is about what all other groups fired with the GD looked like. I could not get it to shoot any tighter.

Next I tried some 230 grain lead practice and plinking ammo. It is common to use this as a plinking and practice load. The gun didn’t like it to put it mildly.

Next up is another popular load. The Winchester ranger T load, a 230 gr HP that is basically the much hyped “black talon” without the evil black. It was and is a common and popular police and carry loading that many still like to use. It was so so.

The Federal HST is another common and some what popular self defense rounds at least locally.. I have never used it much beyond shooting it as a test load in pistol reviews, If you carry it and are thinking of a P45, here is how it did in the T&E sample.

The next two are both FMJ 230 gr ball rounds. Not much to say about factory ball that you don’t already know,

This group is fired from my other self defense carry load. This is the Corbon 185gr +P solid copper HP. It is the same bullet as the barnes load without the grey/black coating. This load shoots great in my 1911s and does well in this gun. To no surprise at all, it was rough shooting the hotter loads through the P45. The grip texture and the polymer frame are not comfortable to a guy like me used to the weight of the M1911. But it is an excellent SD load.

This is the Corbon load in the 165 gr solid copper round. It is again the same Barnes solid copper HP bullet in 165 grains but not a +P loading. This round is tailored for the shorter sub compact handguns with shorter barrels. I use it as the standard carry ammo in the Colt Defender. It also works fine and is much more pleasant in the P45. If i was going to carry the P45 this is the SD load I would use in it.

Above is a 10 round 25 yard group fired with the target load of 185 SWCs. The loads are excellent in the P45. Maybe it just likes 185 bullets period? It seems so on the surface anyway.

The same load fired a 50 yards as promised. I fired two mags at the orange square not quite off hand but nor from bags and a rest. It was more or less semi-supported as I rested my hands on something while standing up. I would have shot 50 from bags and the bench but didn’t realize that was the last of it I had until after I had shot this target. Anyway, if you had to take an emergency long range pistol shot I would think you would have to do it without sandbags and a bench anyways. Maybe you could get into prone to steady yourself if you had time but who could really say? It’s always worth seeing how a handgun or rifle would do offhand anyway.

The gun had no problems for me. I fired 896 rounds with no problems using a variety of bullet styles and pressures. I purposefully never lubed the gun and never had a problem. The trigger is not what I would call great as I am of course a 1911 guy but I think it is fine for the striker style. It took me considerable dry fire practice for 5 nights in a roll to get used to it. No fault of the gun this is just a fact of life for a guy born with a M1911 in his hand. All of the controls are easy to hit and I can’t fault it with anything. It would make a good CCW pieve for the new owner looking for a solid reliable pistol without spending a lot.

Misfires & Squibs, Reviews, Survival & Prepping

101 Uses For Ammocan

June 21, 2017 Shawn 6 Comments

The online surplus website Old Grouch’s Surplus sent out an email with a neat list of ideas if you are like me and have more of these than you know what to currently do with.

1- Make a portable wood stove

2- Lockable center console for your Jeep or UTV

3- Tool Box

4- Waterproof storage in your boat

5-Computer case

6- Pistol Storage

7- Field Toilet (line with a plastic bag to dispose of, don’t ruin your can!)

8- Waterproof and airtight seed storage

9- Flammable storage (paint cans, sprays)

10- Cache

11- Waterproof document storage

12- Seat around the campsite

13- Nut and bolt storage in the garage

14- Waterproof first aid kit

15- Ham Radio go-box

16- Foot Stool

17- Live trap, rigging the lid like a deadfall

18- Spare gun parts storage

19- Parts washer you can shut and store the fluid in

20- Store pistols

21- Store spare parts for guns, machines etc

22- Store fire starting equipment dry and safe

23- Planter

24- Faraday cage

25- Store and sort fired brass

26- Store gunpowder

27- Store magazines

28- Make a lockbox for your game cameras to keep the them secure

29- Store tire chains

30- Store emergency supplies in your car

31- Make custom motorcycle saddlebags

32- Oil drop pan

33- Store oils and grease in the car or truck to avoid leaks

34- Mount speakers inside in your Jeep

35- Make a Geocache

36- Store chain to keep it from getting everything dirty

37- Store receipts in your car until you can file them

38- Fill with chain or concrete to make weights for tractor or mower

39- Cigar humidor

40- Solar power system with battery inside and panel on top

41- Urn for a veterans ashes

42- Storage for kids toys

43- Storage for paint, markers and art supplies

44- Hide the stuff you don’t want your wife to find in an ammo box mixed with all the boxes of ammo

45- Store family pictures

46- Make a radio with speakers mounted in it

47- Transport power tools and batteries to jobsites dry and secure

48- Lunch box

49- Waterproof case for electronic game calls

50- Mailbox

51- Mount on trailer to hold straps, tarps & chains when not in use

52- Dog bowl when camping- store food in the can and open to serve

53- Mount to spare tire rack on a Jeep or SUV for extra storage space

54- Nesting box for chickens

55- Gun cleaning supply storage

56- Full with sand to use as exercise weights

57- Add foam padding for transporting sensitive electronics

58- ATV gear storage- mount to the racks for Waterproof storage for straps, emergency supplies, etc

59- Quench tank for blacksmiths

60- Battery box for deep cycle batteries

61- Camp food storage to keep critters big and small out

62- Ice chest, line the sides with Styrofoam for insulation

63- Soak your feet after a long day on the trail

64- Pack grab and go survival kits in them and give them as gifts

65- Bolt under the hood of a Jeep to store tools that won’t get stolen when you run topless

66- Store plumbing and electrical fittings at home or in a service truck

67- Store loose change

68- Mount one on your tractor to hold tools and one to hold chains and pins

69- Mount electric fence charger inside to protect from weather and damage

70- Boot scraper

71- Keep shoe polish and gear stored airtight

72- Stack like Legos to make furniture like chairs and benches

73- Ballot box

74- Essential oil storage

75- Shadow box with one side replaced with glass

76- Store poker chips & cards

77- Herb garden mounted on the wall

78- Store coffee and supplies on camping trips

79- Birdhouse

80- Giant emergency candle case that shuts for storage

81- Gift box for groomsmen

82- Store liquor bottles camping

83- Ash can for fireplace or wood stove

84- Knife storage

85- Keep spare computer cables, phone chargers stored neatly.

86- Mount as toolbox under truck flat bed or utility bed

87- Store pet grooming supplies

88- Keep pesticides and weed killers locked where kids and pets can’t get them

89- Keep weed trimmer string organized instead of all over the place

90- Wheel chock

91- Hunting Scent Storage

92- Cash box

93- After hours drop box for keys, money etc

94- Rocket stove

95- Case for Rasberry Pi projects

96- Hidden storage up under desk

97- Flotation device (when empty, don’t try this full of ammo!)

98- Keep your welding rods dry

99- Wash basin

100- Burn Box for documents

101- Keep your ammo in, of course!

Reviews

Colt’s New Lightweight Commander Part 1

June 20, 2017 Shawn 12 Comments

The of Colt light weight Commander has been around for a long time. It was the first major variant of the M1911 that colt brought out to the market and while a lot of the big names associated with handgun use and training and gun writers at the time considered close to perfect for carry, it did not take off in popularity at the time.

The original Commander with the ally frame lead to the Combat Commander with the steel frame. The all steel frame commander is a fine gun. It handles superbly and some people, lie my brother, find they can shoot the combat commander better than a full size 1911. I have owned both and love both but I have come to prefer the original commander over the CC. The reason for that is that if I am going to be carrying a smaller gun, I may as well have a smaller and lighter gun. For all of my adult life I always preferred the full size M1911 for carry and I still do. But with the Commander ( I will refer to the alloy frame as what it originally was , the commander and the steel frame later model as the CC , for Combat Commander )I get a M1911 a little shorter and considerable weight savings. While the Colt Defender is a sub compact, it doesn’t give the sight radius or full grip of the commander. The subcompacts also require careful accounting of how often you replace springs. Of course that isnt’t a deal breaker or a negative, it’s just the trade off for having such a compact gun. Just like rotating tires and changing oil.

With all that in mind, when Colt brought a Commander back out in specs that are much like my beloved XSE models, I bought one as quickly as I could.

Like all Colt handguns it came with two Colt factory mags in the same finish as the gun. They are of course full sized mags because the commander has a full sized grip. Both mags are the 8 round type sure to give an upset tummy to the 7 round mag purists I have no doubt.

A very nice touch on this new model is the grips. This is a big upgrade Colt has been adding to its current pistol line up because they are the very tough VZ grips. As you can see the grips are made with the Colt logo made into the checkering and it is very attractive to my eyes. I like checkered wood grips on CCW guns and these look and feel the same as wood checkering and are a lot tougher. Unlike wood checkering these won’t wear down and smooth out like wood, keeping the gripping texture the same.

The commander comes with the an extended combat safety. I am not 100 percent but I am pretty sure it is a wilson combat model. I still prefer the STI safeties that came on the XSE series, but I have no complaints with this one and I doubt I will ever change it out. The temptation to go ambi is strong though. I have a hard time understanding why anyone for not want a safety they could deactivate with either hand when it comes to a gun they think some day they may have to fight with. That said, it is not a must and I will leave this one as is.

You can see the current commander comes with the hammer type that was introduced when the original commanders came to market. A lot of people really like the look of this “rowel ” style hammer and will add one to their guns. For a long time I was indifferent about this but in recent years it has grown on me. It is however slightly heavier than the rounded hammer that is more common, so it does have an advantage beyond classic good looks.

You can also of course see the now standard S&A grip safety. I am pleased to say this is something colt has started doing since 09 and it was long awaited by me. There are a lot of grip safeties out there but this one is the one I always opt for when I have a choice.

The commander also comes with the standard sights for Colt’s combat and carry pistols. Those of course are the Novaks. I know there is a move towards rear sights that can be used for cycling the gun by hand if wounded in one arm but I find that there are plenty of other edges on a 1911 that can be used for this. The front sights, the edges on the ejection port are a couple of examples. I love the look and lines of the novak sights. I also like the non snag lower profile. It’s been around forever and more than 2 million have been sold. There is a reason for that.

Another very welcome touch is the front strap. Like the Colt Gold Cup target pistols, the commander has the front strap cut for gripping grooves. With the VZ grips, and the matching MSH, this makes for a very solid and sure grip.

And of course the scalloping cut where the trigger guard meets the front strap is there. This little bit of detail makes a big difference for me. The way I grip the guns benefits a lot from that little bit of metal being removed. I know it makes no difference for some people’s grip, but it does for me and its a very nice touch that used to be a custom gun only detail.

Like every pistol Colt has made for carry use since 2009, the commander has the edges dulled for carry and comfort. The front sight can be seen and its the Novak front.

The commander also uses the standard, original recoil spring guide and plug. No full length guide rod. I can remember a time when the standard JMB system was good enough, then it wasn’t and we all had to have guide rods, and now we are back to the USGI original parts being the preferred and wise choice. I agree for what it’s worth but it’s funny how things go back and forth. Of course the commander uses its own parts for this as its shorter than the government model.

On the topic of recoil springs, the commander uses the now standard dual recoil spring system. The original 10mm delta elite came with a dual recoil spring system and it was brought back when that gun was resurrected. The next gun to get that treatment was the M45A1 made for MARSOC. This dampened recoil and wear and tear on parts so much it was made standard on a lot of the new models. It does help, I noticed the recoil of the new delta to be tamed greatly and it makes a big difference with this light alloy framed commander. I have no doubt it will eventually be the recoil spring set up in every colt gun in the near future. It adds not complication in taking the gun apart nor does it hurt function. It does soften recoil. I am considering changing over to dual springs on my guns that are already comfortable to shoot like my full size government models in 45 ACP.

The crowning on the barrel of this gun is interesting. The picture doesn’t show it well but It has a very nice crowning job. I don’t mean it’s just a competent job done on an assembly line, I mean it looks to me like it was given special care. I have carefully compared it to my other Colt’s of this years vintage and it has a crowing job you would expect from a gunsmith. I have not confirmed this is a new standard Colt has started to phase in, but I hope so, I will update this post when I learn the answer to this.

The barrel is the stainless steel Colt barrel seen on all modern guns save for the models that come with the Colt national match barrel. Of course it is shorter than the full size gov model. The standard slide release is seen on the right side as well as the three hole competition trigger. Unlike the XSE models or Gold cup this 3 hole trigger is not adjustable for over travel. This isn’t a problem because the truth is, the new triggers from Colt are excellent. They are crisp and break clean. That is not to imply they are 2 pounds or lighter, but they are greatly improved from the triggers from pre 09. I have purchased five Colt M1911s since 2014 and the triggers on these guns are all I could ask. I have never bought into the complaints about the series 80 triggers anyway, but the factory has really upped their game on putting out fine fire control parts on their pistols. I can only imagine how good the new series 70 competition series 1911s are.

The roll mark on the slide is the now standard style that is a throwback to the commercial vintage models. It has always been my favorite version. I’m glad to see they are sticking with this marking system for the time being, The right side roll marks are of course the lines that denote the specifics of the model as always. In this case the light weight commander.

Right side also shows larger flared ejection port. Another now standard feature on all models not meant to be retro. The new style cocking serrations can be seen. These first showed up on the MARSOC M45A1 USMC gun and it looks like they are here to stay on every gun that is made to modern styling. A few models have the legacy serration pattern or something else but every gun that is meant for tactical/CCW use now has this pattern. If I could change only one thing.. Not to say I hate it or have to avert my eyes, but I simply like the older style or the serration found on the older XSE models not extinct but for the Combat Elite. Some will rejoice that there is not forward slide serrations. Looks-wise, I don’t really care. Do some models look better without them ? Yes. Do some look fine with them ? Yes. If I am going to have them I would rather have the older style if I had a say in the matter. But having them, not having them or style would not make me buy or not buy. For the record I do think front cocking serrations are a nice thing to have on a gun that may be used for the most serious of environments and having options in emergencies are always good. I like them on my XSEs, I like not having them on some other models. I just like 1911s .

Just for comparison, pictured below is classic serrations and XSE style. I use XSE as a expedient term not only for angle of the serrations but spacing of each cut as well as forward serrations. This angle of the serrations of course existed before the XSE line, but the amount of serrated cuts and size varied.

This is the more classic retro original style.

And below are the XSE type seen on a Combat Elite. All styles are fine with me. But, as I said before if it was up to me, I would have stuck with the XSE style. I’m sure the change over came because it was easier to make some using the new system that was came about for the specs of the M45A1. It would have been a waste to have a set up just for one model pistol that came about because of the wants of the most flaky and fickle of customers, the US Gov.

Not pictured because I forgot, is the standard Colt slightly beveled magazine well. A little better than no bevel but not really enough to reach the same benefits of an extended beveled well. I have not felt any real pressing need for an extended beveled well added since I stop competition. For carry or fighting guns I like being able to quickly load mags that don’t have a bumper pad, My thinking is, you never know what mag you may have to use in an emergency and I want it to lock in immediately without worrying because it doesn’t have a pad and I didn’t eve think about it because I am used to my personal mags having the extended bumper. Without the extended well It’s not an issue for me .

As usual, part 2 will be accuracy testing. I have been carrying this gun for about 3 months in a variety of holsters and carrying options. The gun already has 1500 rounds through it with no problems. Accuracy has already show to be excellent with my carry ammo so I expect it to do well with other types and brands. Formal accuracy testing beyond what I carry has not started as of this writing but it will be coming with a few weeks, Please come back by for Part 2.

Reviews, Scattered Shots

Accuracy Testing The Vintage 1/12 Milspec Barrel

June 20, 2017 Shawn 10 Comments

Accuracy in modern carbines is always a popular topic on the various gun boards and news stand slick gun rags. People want the newest barrel some company is making that promises more accuracy. New chamber types, coatings, contours , linings and materials are all shown to us to try to win your money.

If you have read this website for a while you know I like to take a chance to convince people that their barrels on stock rack grade AR15s is already a lot better than they think and honestly more accurate that most of their users, The modern M4 carbine milspec barrel’s accuracy potential should not be ignored or tossed aside for something that costs a lot more and may not really offer any real gains. I think I have preached this until I am blue in the face. Even stock milspec barrels are fine now a days.

But what about those from 40plus years ago? Everyone knows those M16A1s and CAR15s weren’t all that accurate right? We have had plenty of ‘Nam vets tell us Don’t forget those cold war national guard vets (with those old worn out A1s left over from Nam waiting to be replaced with A2s ) around to tell us how bad they were. Why , they couldn’t even qualify with them at 25 yards with reduced range targets!! You won’t find many people ready to argue with that. Why would you even bother? Those older 1/12 twist barrels won’t handle modern match rounds in the 77 or 69gr range. But what if?..

What if that’s all you have? Maybe you like A1 profile barrels and retro guns? Maybe you just can’t give up your nostalgia or you just want to be different. Or you are curious like me, So I gave it a try.

I borrowed my friends Colt SP-1 AR15 carbine to find out. The gun has everything an early AR15 could be given to it by Colt. The A1 sights, the A1 profile barrel and the 1/12 twist chrome lined Mil-spec bore. I set the gun up on rest with bags front and read and got it as locked down as I could get it and started shooting with match quality hand loads,

Groups where shot at 50, 75 and 100 yards. The A1 sights being a limit for me. The older A1 front sight post shape has always been harder for me to get the best out of it. I used bullet weights close to the M193 load used the most during its heyday. I selected and loaded bullets I have experience with that have always squeezed all the accuracy I could get for shorter ranges. Not being able to use 9 or 77 grain bullets int he 1/12 barrel I did not try for longer range accuracy testing.

The 50 and 55gr Blitzking sierra bullets are excellent, really excellent. Those two have always been go to bullets when loading for shots 400 yards and under when I want higher velocities, flatter trajectories and more explosive effect on targets when using rounds like the .218Bee or .223 from a bolt action varmint rifle . All groups are 5 round groups, You can see above how well those two weights perform.

The 55 gr Vmax from hornady is also a dependable bullet if you want an accurate bullet for varmint or target use. I used the 50 and 40gr Vmax .22cal bullets almost exclusively when I wanted a ballistic tip before sierra introduced the Blitzking. Not to say that I think the BlitzKing is the end all be all for ballistic tip bullets, They just shoot a bit better in some of my varmint guns. The 40gr Vmax is still the bullet I would recommed for varmint use on small targets in rounds that are not in the class of 22-250 or 220 swift.

Since I am on the topic, I will save my handloading component choices for a different post.

The real dependable money maker for 300 or less accuracy for milspec AR15s is the 53 grain flat base HP matchking. The bullet performs well in a 556 NATO chamber for a few reasons and its fairly well known. I will go into this in a later post, but for now I will just show you the results, The bullet is an old fav for seeing what a milspec barrel and NATO chamber can do. Give it a try if you handload and no one has ever told you about it.

I’m guessing that some of you may be let down that I didn’t shoot further. I just couldn’t be sure I could use those sights well enough to shoot to the guns potential to 100 yards and beyond. So I used the most accurate loads and fired groups at 50 and 75. I think this was a decent balance for distance and what I could see. I did shoot some at 100 yards and the strain it put on my eyes gave me a raging headache. When it gets like that, you can’t tell if bad groups are you, the gun or the ammo or the weather. I rested and did the final record group of a10 shot string. I feel this shows what the gun could do at 100 yards or at least gives and idea of the potential it has if optics had been mounted and a better trigger added. Neither of which I would bother to do on this classic rifle anyway.

Above is group I fired for record at 100 yards. It is a 10 round group fired from the bench and bags at 100 yards using the 55gr blitzking. I chose the Bltizking 55gr because it seemed to me to slightly edge out the others and I had run our of the 53gr flat base HP. Otherwise I would have shot 100 with the 53 grain matchking without hesitation.

The older SP1 Colts are still great shooters unless you haveone some one ( or you) mistreated. The original A1 barrels on original A1 or SP1 uppers have the same potential. They are the same Colt ( or made to colt spec by another company for the gov at the time) made Milspec barrels. Just because it is a 1/12 doesn’t hurt accuracy, just accuracywith heavier bullets. Many varmint bolt actions rifles came with 1/12 twist for 223 remington for years. It’s about knowing the limits of the barrels twist rate , not the quality of the barrel. I think it is odd that a lot of AR15 users make a lot of noise about faster twist rates in their modern guns when they never shoot anything heavier that 55gr M193 type ammo. I suppose it’s just the thought.

If you have one of these or you have made yourself a “retro clone” with original parts, maybe you will look at it in a little different light now, or maybe some of those stories told at the gun store round table BS sessions will seem less like wisdom and more like what they are.

Lastly. the gun ran perfectly. It is a vintage Colt AR15 SP-1 carbine. AS you can see it has the original CAR15 metal stock which is much sought after these days and is in near mint condition. Below is the test carbine with Sp1 rifle. A classic pair to be sure.

Reviews

KAHR ARMS P45 Part 1

May 21, 2017 Shawn 3 Comments

With Trump winning the election. A few things have come to pass. Gun buyers ( wrongly) have assumed the danger of a possible “assault rifle” ban has ended for a while, the rush to buy those guns has subsided , there has been a sharp alarming rise in radical left violence and CCW promotion has been on the march. With growing carriers and more states “allowing” permit less carry, those new to CCW need guns to carry. Most of the new gun owners wanting a handgun have more interest in smaller more compact and lighter pistols for carry. In fact a lot of veteran Concealed carriers want those things in a carry gun if the last few years have taught us anything. I suppose not everyone is like me and insists on always having a full size government model on the at all times. Who knew?

With that in mind, when Kahr arms graciously offered me my choice in pistols to review, my first selection was the P45. Assuming I don’t explode the p istol in my own face, you will be seeing us reviewing more firearms from Kahr.

https://www.kahr.com/Pistols/Kahr-P45-w-Night-Sights.asp

Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 6+1
Operation: Trigger cocking DAO; lock breech; “Browning – type” recoil lug; passive striker block; no magazine disconnect
Barrel: 3.54″, polygonal rifling, 1 – 16.38 right-hand twist
Length O/A: 6.07″
Height: 4.8″
Slide Width: 1.01″
Weight: Pistol 18.5 oz., Magazine 2 oz.
Grips: Textured polymer
Sights: Drift adjustable, tritium night sights
Finish: Black polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide
Magazines: 3 – 6 rd, Stainless

With the specs listed above, lets take a look at the gun with my observations.

The gun is indeed flat and compact. It has the now standard polymer frame common on modern pistols. The rear of the grip has a textured checkering that bites into the hand when as soon as you grip it. It is not sharp or painful but it is effective. I found it to work a lot better than the type I have encountered on the various glocks I have shot.

The front has the same type of checkering as the rear and once you grip the gun, it is staying put.

The front strap also has a undercut where the trigger guard meets the front strap. This allows a higher grip and is something I have on all of my serious use M1911s. The trigger guard also has a contour in it that helps lock the alternate shooting hand into place once you wrap it around your firing hand. At first glance I didn’t know what purpose of this was but it became pretty clear quickly. I don’t know that it will perfectly match up to everyone’s hand shape and size but it did mine.

The magazine release button is where you expect and works perfectly. It has some checkering on it but not as aggressive as the grip. With the size of this gun it should be no problem for even small hands to hit it without having to change the firing grip. Same goes for the slide release. The release is made with some slotting to make it easier to operate but being a 1911 I prefer something with more of a ledge on it personally. If you are a “slingshot ” kinda Guy or Gal or something in between, I doubt it will matter. Administrative operation of the slide stop is still easy and positive.

As I tried to show in the picture above, the machine work on the slide is pretty impressive. If a lack of any tooling marks matters to you then this pistol will make you feel happy your hard earned dollar was spent on something with quality looking craftsmanship. It doesn’t do a very good in the picture above but I will try to get better close up pictures in later parts of the review and test. ,

The sights are nigh sights as listed in the specs and they work well. Front and rear are the same color green though if that is something that concerns you. They sights are dove tailed in place though so changing should not be a problem if that is your wont. The rear is also made to facilitate operating the side with one hand if the need arises.

The pistol came with three stainless steel mags. The extended magazine being the 7 round mag. I’m glad to see the gun come with three magazines because it is my policy to carry a handgun with at least 2 spare mags. I think this is just smart policy no matter how many rounds the guns magazine will hold. All three have worked perfectly in dry runs and dry fire.

Now as for size. I have take a picture of the P45 besides my various CCW guns most people are familiar with. I hope this will give an idea of its compactness. First off above is the P45 beside a Colt Defender. The defender is the subcompact from Colt with the 3 inch barrel and holds a standard of 7 rounds of .45 auto.

Below is the P45 beside a Colt lightweight Commander. The commander uses the same frame as a full size government model but with a slightly shorter slide. I should mention now that yes the Commander will have a review up soon .

The P45’s trigger is like most triggers of its type. Not as good as a M1911 trigger of course but a lot better than a DA/SA. It is workable and I am hoping with use it will improve even more so.

As is my custom this is the first part in a 2 to possible 3 part review. Accuracy testing will be in part 2 and part 3 will be reliability endurance testing if it is not included with the accuracy review. I will shoot a variety of hollow point and self defense ammo through the pistol and it takes time to gather up. That is the reason for a delay and the reviews being done in parts for those that have asked in the past. Please keep and eye out soon for part 2.