Sunday, April 14, 2013

Golden Tiger 5.45x39 59gr FMJ Gel Test


Finished up the testing of the Golden Tiger 5.45x39 59gr FMJ round.  Here are the conditions and results. 

Test conditions: 
-SGL 31-61
-Test rounds fired from 15 feet 
-"FBI spec" (Their term, not mine...) Clear Ballistics gel block
 
Results: 
-2909 FPS, 1108 FT/LBS energy
-18'' of penetration 



Here's the video showing the test, the permanent cavity, where the bullet started to tumble, and a discussion of the results: 


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Generation 2 Glock 22 Review




Lots of Glockers out there consider the Gen 2 Glocks to be the best models they've made and nowadays these Gen2 guns have been flooding the surplus market as departments upgrade their guns to the newer Gen4 models.   The good news for the public is that while most of these guns were carried a lot and show some wear, many were shot very little over their lifetime and have plenty of life left in them.

Pros: 
-Reliable.  The gun has had 0 malfunctions
-Accurate (more accurate than I am) 
-Durable.   The Gen 2 guns are where Glock built their reputation for durability.
-Easy to maintain 
-TONS of aftermarket support 
-Accepts 15, and 22 round factory magazines  
-Glock has great CS
-Durable finish
-Cheap replacement parts, should you ever need them 
-Low Bore Axis resulting in a relatively soft shooting gun
-Requires very little cleaning/lubrication to run reliably 
-Many people prefer the Gen2 grip without the finger grooves present on the Gen3/4 guns


Cons: 
-I'm not a fan of the Glock factory plastic sights
-When I first inspected the gun, I noticed the slide stop lever had almost no spring tension and replaced it.  What I'm getting at there is that you'll certainly want to inspect the guns because some departments out there do very little armoror work (if any at all) on their guns.
-Gen 2 40S&W Glocks are famous for being vulnerable to "ka-booms" due to a partially unsupported chamber.  I personally believe the majority of this these incidents occur due to reloaded ammo but nonetheless it's worth noting.

Here's a video with some shooting from the 12m line,  break down the gun, compare the chamber support to a Gen4 Glock, and discuss the pros and cons of the gun:


Monday, April 1, 2013

Manticore Arms AR NightBrake Review




I've been running the Manticore Arms NightBrake for a while and here's what I've found:

Pros:
-Very good muzzle control during rapid fire strings.
-Reduces perceived recoil
-Reduces muzzle climb
-No ports face directly upward to prevent the muzzle flash from getting in your sight picture when firing in low light.
-No ports on bottom 90 degrees to prevent dust from coming up in your face when firing from the prone. 
-Machined 8620 bar stock with a "deep black oxide" finish. 
-Crush washer included (it just annoys me when they're not...)
-Can be used on ARs (and other 1/2x28 threaded rifles) firing up to 30 caliber (.311'' clearance)
-Cost.  Can be picked up for around $50

Cons:
-Slightly increases muzzle flash.  Not as bad as some but more than the A2 or Battlecomp for example...
-Slightly more blast than an A2 flash hider.  Nowhere near as bad as a side port style brake however.

All in all, it's a very effective brake; especially for what they cost.

Here's a video with some day and night shooting, a discussion of specs and my overall thoughts on the brake: