The Marlin 1895 is Back! Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has announced the Marlin 1895 SBL chambered in .45-70 Govt. The initial production and shipments of the Ruger-made Marlin lever-action are underway just after a year of acquiring the assets associated with the Marlin brand.
Ruger announced that the Ruger-made Marlin 1895 SBL rifles are now shipping. (Image: Ruger) Ruger’s Marlin 1895 SBL chambered in .45-70 Govt. Ruger says mounting scopes and modern optics will be no trouble with this updated Picatinny rail.
“We are excited to officially flip the switch and let our customers know that Marlin is back,” said Ruger’s President and CEO, Chris Killoy. “Since the move of over 100 truckloads of equipment and inventory back in November 2020, our engineering team took the 1895 through a complete design and production review focused on achieving the highest quality, accuracy, and performance standards. The end result is a quality rifle, produced using modern manufacturing methods, that consumers will be sure to enjoy and proud to own.”
The Ghost ring sight can be adjusted for windage/elevation, and tritium fiber optic front sight should be easily picked up day or night for easy target acquisition.
The Model 1895 is just the beginning of the reintroduction of the Marlin brand. Ruger wants the 1895 to illustrate how they hope improved manufacturing processes will deliver reliable, attractive firearms. Ruger intends to introduce additional Marlin models, calibers, and variations over the coming years through these processes.
Ruger says the spiral fluted nickel-plated bolt adds a distinctive, classy look and a smoother action.
“Being a long-time Marlin fan, I knew that we needed to take our time and make sure that our reintroduction was nothing short of perfect,” continued Killoy. “From the quality of the firearm to clear ways for consumers to differentiate Ruger-made Marlins, we focused on getting every detail right.”
The 1895 also has a threaded barrel with a thread protector. It has an 11/16″ x 24 pattern for barrel accessories.
The Marlin 1895 SBL rifles made by Ruger are marked with “Mayodan, NC” bear an “RM” or Ruger-made serial number prefix. It also has the Marlin Horse and Rider logo laser engraved on the grip, and on the buttstock, it has a red and white “bullseye.”
Ruger says the aesthetics and ergonomics are improved with a refined stock fit and thinner fore-end.
Ruger wants to release more throughout the coming year. Other variations of the Model 1895 and the reintroduction of the Model 336 and Model 1894 are said to be on the list for the Ruger-made Marlins. Ruger is planning for strong demand of the limited quantity of the Marlin lever-action and encourages retailers to reach out to distributors for availability. Ruger also advises consumers not to leave deposits with retailers that don’t have a confirmed shipment.
Specifications
Overall Length: 37.25″
Length of Pull: 13.38″
Barrel Length: 19″
Thread Pattern: 11/16″ x 24
Thread Cap: Match-Polished
Barrel: Cold Hammer-Forged Stainless Steel
Twist: 1:20″ RH
Grooves: 6
MSRP: $1,399.00
I intend to keep the 1895 on my Radar in hopes of seeing Marlin rise back into the spotlight of great lever-action firearms.
Savage Arms recently announced the newest addition to their family, the Stance. The Savage Arms Stance is a micro-compact EDC (every day carry) pistol chambered in 9mm.
Options include 7. 8, or 10-round magazine capacity, TRUGLO nights sights, Viridian laser, and external manual safety. It’s also available in three colors. (Image: Savage Arms)
This new pistol shows Savage Arms’ return to the concealed carry and self-defense weapons and is reported to meet the demanding standards of accuracy and reliability for Savage weapons.
Savage Arms returns to the concealed carry and self-defense line with the new Stance micro-compact 9mm pistol.
“Since Savage was sold in July 2019, President and CEO Al Kasper publicly stated that Savage Arms would be a complete firearm company,” Robert Gates, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Savage Arms said. “Today, Savage is proud to announce its first step into what is the largest segment of the firearms market with the introduction of Stance, a micro compact 9mm pistol manufactured with premium materials, finishes, and features.”
One option for the new Savage Arms Stance is the color choice of FDE. The Stance pistol is a compact EDC option with a 3.2” stainless steel barrel.
“Stance is another momentous milestone for Savage,” Jessica Treglia, Sr. Brand Manager at Savage Arms added. “While this isn’t Savage’s first concealed carry pistol, and certainly not our first handgun, it has been more than a century since we focused on compact pistols purpose-built for every day carry. Stance is the first in a new series of handguns that will meet the accuracy and reliability standards that our customers expect, and a further demonstration of Savage’s commitment to build the best, most complete line of American made firearms.”
Savage opted to have the chassis be the serialized part of the weapon, meaning the Stance will be fully customizable with aftermarket accessories. Some of these accessories include a variety of grip frames that feature a 360-degree stippling texture for more friction and better grip on the pistol. The Stance comes from the factory with two options for back straps, a small or large grip.
This version of the Savage Arms Stance is the Nigh Sight model in gray. Each Stance comes from the factory with two interchangeable back straps, size small or large, for a custom feel to the user.
The Savage Arms Stance includes an ambidextrous magazine release and slide catch straight out of the box. The slide is stainless steel and features a beveled front for ease in holstering. The Stance also boasts an easier takedown without the need for trigger pull or tool for disassembly.
Stance Features
Includes (2) 18° interchangeable backstraps to adjust the grip size
Ambidextrous magazine release & slide catch
Stippling grip texture for 360° secure fit with finger indexing
Stainless steel slide with melonite finish for corrosion resistance
The slide features a beveled front for easy holstering
Ported, wide slide serrations for increased purchase
Short, crisp trigger with short reset and wide, well-rounded face
3.2” stainless steel barrel
Removable chassis for interchangeable grips
Easy takedown with takedown lever, no trigger pull or tool needed for disassembly
Snag-free functional sights
Ambidextrous manual safety & night sight models available
Includes (2) magazines and hard case for protection
Magazine capacity options range from 7, 8, or 10-round magazines available
Package option includes Viridian E-Series Red Laser
Savage Arms Stance comes in three different model options. This version is the Laser model and comes with a Viridian E-Series red laser installed from the factory.
The pistol is available in other models that include an ambidextrous manual safety, with laser options and night sight options. Both the basic and the night sight models are also available in three different colors: black, FDE, or gray. MSRP for the base Stance starts at $479 with other options adding to the price.
Savage Arms recently announced their partnership with Magpul to introduce the newest Savage 110 rifle, the Savage Arms 110 Magpul Hunter. With this pairing, the reputed highly accurate Savage 110 action mates with the Magpul versatility making a highly user-friendly rifle.
The new Savage 110 Magpul Hunter comes in either .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor. The marriage between the decades-old reliable Savage model 110 and the high-customizable Magpul means there is a configuration to meet the needs of most every end-user.
Savage Arms’ recent joint project with Magpul is the latest version of the Savage Model 110, the Savage Model 110 Magpul Hunter rifle.“Magpul builds incredible accessories,” Jessica Treglia, Sr. Brand Manager at Savage Arms, said. “Their Hunter Stocks are a solid complement for the versatility of the 110 action and barrel. But this is much more than an aftermarket stock. We’ve designed a 110 with a heavy barrel and durable coatings that match the look and feel of the Magpul Hunter Stocks.”
The new Savage Arms Model 110 Magpul Hunter comes chambered in either .308 WIN or 6.5 Creedmoor with blueprinted action and a 5/8×24 threaded heavy barrel with a Cerakote Tungsten finish to help withstand corrosion or the elements.
All versions of the 110 Magpul Hunter are available in left- or right-hand configurations. The standard features of the rifle are an 18” Carbon steel heavy barrel threaded in 5/8×24 and Cerakote Tungsten finish to withstand corrosion and the elements. Also, the rifle comes standard with the knurled bolt along with an adjustable pull length.
The Savage Model 110 Magpul rifle has a Magpul Hunter stock that has a fully adjustable length of pull and comb height adding to the ergonomics already present in this stock.
Savage Arms 110 Magpul Hunter Specifications
Factory blueprinted action available in right and left hand
Magpul Hunter Stock upgraded with aluminum bedding block
Fully adjustable length of pull (13-15”), comb height, and enhanced ergonomics
M-LOK slots on forend sides and bottom for mounting options
1.5-4 lb user-adjustable AccuTrigger
18” Carbon Steel Heavy Barrel Threaded (5/8-24”) for muzzle devices
Tactical, knurled bolt handle for improved handling
Tungsten Cerakote Barrel, Receiver, and Bolt Handle
5-round AICS Magpul Magazine included
Drilled & Tapped Receiver (8-40)
1-Piece 20 MOA Rail
The Magpul Hunter stock has a fully adjustable length of pull and comb height that lend to the high degree of customization and ergonomics at play with this rifle. The Accu-Trigger is also fully adjustable to meet the needs of the user while employing the Savage reliability and accuracy. Additionally, the stock boasts M-LOK slots on the fore end for mounting options for bipods, lights, or what the user needs.
The Savage Model 110 Magpul Hunter boasts the same features as other Model 110 rifles, including the Accu-Trigger. The fully user-adjustable trigger allows the end-user to customize the pull of trigger to meet their needs.
The whole package comes standard from Savage along with a 5-round AICS Magpul magazine. With all that comes with the Savage and Magpul names, there is sure to be a rifle to meet most all needs. All options and configurations start with an MSRP of $1,049.
Air Venturi recently announced the newest addition to their popular Avenger PCP Air Rifle line-up, the Avenger Bullpup. This newest Avenger joins a long list of air rifles from Air Venturi.
Air Venturi announced the newest addition to their popular Avenger line of PCP Air Rifles, the Avenger Bullpup available in three different calibers.
“After the initial success we had with the synthetic stock Avenger rifle, we listened to the customer feedback and the consensus was clear that they wanted a wood stock version, and they wanted a Bullpup” explained Air Venturi President, Val Gamerman. “We were happy to launch a wood stock version of the rifle early in 2021, but our real excitement and focus has been on this Bullpup version.”
The Air Venturi Avenger Bullpup Air Rifle is chambered in three different options: .177, .2, or .25. All three models come in at around 33” long from muzzle to buttpad, nearly 10” shorter than previous Avenger models, and just as easy to use.
This new Avenger Bullpup comes in three chambering options: .177, .22, and .25. The Bullpup version comes in almost a full 10” shorter than the other options at around 33” in overall length lending itself to maneuverability and ease of use in most situations for the user. “Another change we know customers will love is a new polymer that has been used to create the Bullpup stock, it has a higher quality look and feel to it compared to the original synthetic stock on the rifle,” says Gamerman.
The Avenger Bullpup boasts four separate Picatinny rails for ease of adding optics, lights, lasers, bipods, and more thus making this bullpup air rifle very customizable.
Not only is the upgraded stock new, but it also includes the ability for storing two additional magazines in the stock. Additionally, it has a four-position adjustable cheek piece and a tool-free vertically adjustable rubber buttpad.
The front boasts a 10” long Picatinny scope rail to allow for different additions to bring the total of four fore end picatinny rails for adding bipods, lights, or whatever strikes your fancy. The Avenger Bullpup also has a standard side lever action and a male quick disconnect fill fitting.
Not only can the user customize the Avenger Bullpup with the Picatinny rails, but it also has externally adjustable ports for the regulator as well as an adjustable hammer spring, trigger, cheekpiece, and vertically adjustable buttpad. Making this Bullpup air rifle able to meet any user’s needs.
As for internals, the Avenger Bullpup has standard dual pressure gauges for regulator and fill pressure, so getting to that sweet spot for the shooter is even easier. Not only can the user adjust the regulator externally, but the Bullpup has a standard externally adjustable hammer spring allowing the shooter to adjust their trigger to their liking. All that comes in handy with shooting speeds of over 1000 fps in .177 caliber, over 900 fps in .22 and .25 calibers.
The Air Venturi Avenger Bullpup air rifle is available for preorder now at $399.99.
Strike Industries is riding the waves made by the Sig Sauer P365. After releasing the Strike Slide back in October, the company just released their new (patent pending) Strike Barrel for the Sig P365. And now that the company has released both the barrel and the slide, Strike Industries is offering a deal when the two are bought as a combo.
Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) surfing in the most excellent movie, Point Break.
This 416R stainless steel barrel is fluted, has a reverse target crown and black nitride coating. Strike Industries says that the new Strike Barrel brings superior properties in terms of being extremely smooth, uniform, and wear-resistance without changing the dimensions.
The added black nitride should increase the steel’s ability to stave off corrosion and give it better protection from abrasions.
Strike Industries thinks the new barrel is perfect for old and new Sig Sauer P365 builds with easy drop-in installation. The company also says that their Strike Barrel is up to SAAMI chamber specs, a standard that Sig Sauer itself stands by.
The 416R stainless steel should provide your Sig P365 with a barrel that will last and maintain its precision.
As a shotgun nerd, I pay attention when new shotgunny things hit the market. Carrying spare shotgun ammunition has always been an issue due to the bulk of the 12 gauge round and the fact that most shotguns are loaded a single round at a time. We’ve seen belts and bandoliers that hold a dozen rounds, five-round MOLLE mounted bandoliers, pouches, and more. But the AmmoPal is the first time someone made a Pez dispenser for shotgun rounds.
The AmmoPal dispenses one shell at a time.
I’ve had an AmmoPal since 2017, and it’s been used on various pieces of kit and reloaded a dozen different shotguns with it. When they popped up on GunMagWarehouse, I jumped at the opportunity to review one of these bad boys. Shooting Made Easy Created the AmmoPal to simplify carrying shotgun ammunition. It’s not a bandolier, and not a single elastic loop is used.
Instead, the AmmoPal acts like an independent magazine for your tube-fed shotgun. It’s a polymer constructed rectangle, complete with a spring and follower to push rounds to the top. Although, the AmmoPal doesn’t get inserted into any firearm. It simply feeds you one round at a time to keep your shotgun topped off and well-fed.
The AmmoPal Inside and Out
The AmmoPal gives shooters the capability to carry ten 2.75-inch shells in that big polymer rectangle. That polymer is built to last and made from a UV, oil, and flame resistant polymer. It feels thin and light, but it’s pretty tough. I’ve dropped it numerous times in sand and dirt, on concrete floors, and more. Over the last five years, it has yet to crack, break, or bend in any way.
The feed lips hold the rounds on the left and right. Getting the rounds in and out is easy.
Shotgun ammunition is fed through the top of the magazine, and instead of feed lips, we have two retaining fingers on each side of the shell. The fingers sit on the right and left of the shell and allow you to use your thumb to get behind the center of the shell and pop it out with ease. Unlike a standard magazine, you can load the shells facing right or left, alternating or whatever.
You can mount your AmmoPal to a belt, to a plate carrier, battle belt, etc. Two sets of clips allow it to be mounted to MOLLE or a standard belt, and you can use a single clip or both, depending on what level of security you want.
Up, Down, All-Around With the AmmoPal
The AmmoPal can only run vertically unless you have side-mounted MOLLE on your gear. I do wish they’d release clips to allow it to run horizontally on all equipment. You can reverse the clips and run them upside down, but it is tough to use upside down.
The AmmoPal connecta to MOLLE without issue. I do wish we had a set of clips to make it run horizontally than vertically.
The AmmoPal is ambidextrous and the clips can be detached with a snap. Without the clips, the AmmoPal will fit into a double 5.56 magazine pouch if you want to roll that way. You’ll have to squeeze the AMmoPal in most of them, but they fit and won’t pop out.
The Shells
You are stuck with using 2.75-inch shells with the AmmoPal. Not shorty shells, not 3-inch magnums. Those 2.5 shells fit but bounce around, and I can see them being a reliability issue. Stick with 2.75-inch rounds. I’ve never had it fail. As shotgunners know, 2.75-inch shells vary in actual length depending mostly on how they are crimped.
The AmmoPal works like a magazine, except it doesn’t insert into a gun.
For example, I have Rio 00 buckshot that is supposedly only 2.75 inches long. I’ve found that I can only fit four of them in a five-round tube, with the fifth round just barely not fitting. The AmmoPal provides a little slack to accommodate these different lengths.
Like any magazine, you can break it down by removing the floor plate. Inside you’ll find a nice spring made with the same material as your standard AR 15 magazine and a very robust follower. Cleaning it takes no time at all, and the big size makes it easy to get sand, dirt, and the like out.
Like a magazine, it pops apart and you can clean the inside.
Loading the AmmoPal isn’t difficult either. The spring and follower move with ease. Since it’s not feeding a gun the AmmoPal, the spring doesn’t have to be super tight. It will get the shells to the top and won’t pin them against the retaining fingers in such a way as to make them difficult to remove.
Feeding Your Shotgun
Most plate carriers allow you to fit three AmmoPals to the front of the carrier. This gives you thirty rounds on tap in an easier-to-reach and less obtrusive way than bandoliers, pouches, and similar shotgun feeding options. If you run multiple AmmoPals, you can run one full of slugs and two full of buckshot, and as Pastor Troy says, vice versa. Outside of the top round, the majority of your ammunition is protected from the elements inside the AmmoPal.
That’s the tactical way to carry ammo, but heck, I don’t see why you couldn’t strap one of these to a belt when you go bird hunting. It’ll provide ten rounds in a convenient, belt carried manner.
You can attach three AmmoPals to a small MOLLE panel.
Regardless of how you choose to use the AmmoPal, you can feel confident that using it is pretty dang easy to get rounds into your gun. Push the round with your thumb into your fingers and shove it in the gun. It’s not hard, and if you are left-handed, you might do it a little differently than a righty, but not by much.
You can very easily remove the rounds from the AmmoPal and shove them in your gun. To me, it’s easier to use than a bandolier or a five-round MOLLE attachment. I don’t have to transition from left to right for more rounds. I have one constant index point to reload from, and that’s quite nice when you need ammo in a pinch.
The downside is that it takes more time to remove more shells. It’s easy to pull two shells from a bandolier at the same time but tougher to do so with the AmmoPal.
Can I Leave It Loaded?
Leaving shotgun magazine loaded can be problematic. The pressure from strong springs will make the plastic hull deform over time, and this will cause feeding issues. However, the AmmoPal uses a rather tight spring, and I’ve left my loaded for lord knows how long, and the shells were not deformed in any way.
It won’t break from being left loaded, and the shells look perfectly fine after sitting for what’s easily been nine months to a year. I feel confident you can leave your AmmoPal fully loaded and not face issues.
Like a magazine, the follower presses the rounds upwards.
Overall, the AmmoPal provides a very well-made option for stashing shotgun shells. Carrying spare ammunition for the shotgun is always tricky. The AmmoPal offers a simplistic option that works with modern tactical gear. I’ve always thought that consistency was the key to speed, and the AmmoPal does provide consistency when it comes to where your ammunition sits for retrieval.
That alone can be invaluable. If you’ve used one, let us know what you think in the comments below.
The Smith and Wesson CSX 9mm pistol will evidently be one of the new guns of 2022. A recent Reddit post caught and reported on by the Primer Peak blog contained a single photo of the new handgun. It was evidently a new product arriving at a local retailer and, given subsequent removal of social media posts (and a lack of comment from S&W) almost certainly a leak.
The new Smith and Wesson CSX 9mm pistol (or so we believe based on current information).
The post, appropriately entitled Look, it’s not another M&P! was made by u/RAMRODtheMASTER late in the day on 12/30/21 in the r/guns subreddit. In the text accompanying that post — which as of this writing is the only information available and so may not be completely accurate — advised the following:
9mm, 10 and 12 round magazines, Single Action Only, Frame appears to be aluminum, Ambi safety and slide stop, Mag release appears to swap, 3 dot sights, M&P style backstraps
Trigger has a short travel but mildly stiff break. Trigger pull overall is not bad. The reset is atrocious though. False reset then real reset. Hope that wears out.
Haven’t shot it but it feels great in the hand as well as solid.
If this and available imagery is accurate, the CSX will be a Single Action Only (SAO) pistol without RDS accommodation or rail for a light. That said, we have just the one picture so far. There may very well be other models of CSX that do provide for a red dot sight, WML, or another accessory.
Speculation that it uses Shield Plus magazines from another Reddit user was answered with, “Different mags, I tried.”
Smith & Wesson has yet to acknowledge the CSX (much less provide details) but it’s a pretty good bet they’ll do something at (or more likely before) SHOT Show 2022 now that it’s been leaked.
There aren’t many people in the United States who could answer the question, What is violence? Not from a criminal violence/self-defense perspective. That is because they don’t viscerally grasp how violence works. This is true among even the better trained elements of our armed, responsible citizenry. It’s also true, albeit to a lesser extent, within the ranks of those who practice the noble profession of arms.
That is not a criticism. It is an acknowledgment of a potentially uncomfortable, perfectly understandable, fact, and one we would all do well to recognize.
What is violence?
We can debate semantics and interpretations, but violence in our context is much more than a clinical, definition of the word. And it’s not something that can be explained in one short news post on a website — which is, of course, why I’m recommending this book.
Nice people fall to the manipulator. The manipulator crumbles under the assertive. The assertive shrinks before the aggressive. The aggressive have no plan for the assaultive. The assaultive are unprepared for the homicidal. (Marc MacYoung)
Mental preparation and training will help to mitigate this self-defense shortcoming, albeit only if we recognize that it is a shortcoming. You can begin all of that with some reading and research.
The Author’s Voice
Apropos to that, the book Violence of Mind (by Mag Life contributor Varg Freeborn is now available on Audible.
How far are you willing to go — and how do you know that the other guy will not be willing to go farther?
Varg Freeborn
Varg Freeborn’s Violence of Mind is one of the first books, if not the first book, a new gun owner should read. In fact, anyone serious about protecting themselves or their family should read it, gun-owner or not.
That’s nice, many of you are thinking. So what? Why should I care?
Here’s why.
Because Varg’s book is an excellent option to assist in that recognition-and-training effort. In fact, I would argue that,
It is one of the first two books a new gun-owner should consume (the other being Werner’s Serious Mistakes Gun Owners Make), and
It should be, along with de Beckers Gift of Fear and Choose Adventure (or at least several chapters thereof) by Greg Ellifritz, one of the books that everyone should read.
Whether they go heeled or not.
If you pepper spray someone (assaultive), how do you know they will not turn around and shoot you (homicidal)?
You don’t. And if you are willing to offend you better be willing to assault. If you are willing to assault, you better be willing to kill.
If you are willing to kill, you better be 100% justified.
What are you willing to kill for again?
Wait, you won’t kill over a spot in line, but you will assault over it? Then the other guy decides that he is willing to kill to stop your assault, and now YOU must kill or be killed. This is how violence works.
Author’s Incarceration
The author of Violence of Mind explains his precepts from a very unique position. He grew up in a criminal environment, ultimately going to prison after being forced to stab a man repeatedly in a fight. Freeborn spent five years in a penitentiary before he was released and his rights restored. By existential necessity he spent the next five years studying predatory behavior — from within one of the most predacious human environments on the planet.
This isn’t a CQB tutorial written by a former SOF operator. Nor is it a treatise on shooting skills by a retired police officer. There are many outstanding examples of such books out there, but Violence of Mind is a substantially different sort of work. That I’m aware of, there simply isn’t anything else like it in publication and for that reason should be a part of any serious attempt to study self-defense.
“The most efficient violence I have ever witnessed was the highly developed predatory system of violence inside of prisons. A majority of the most effective and efficient killers are inside of those walls.
[T]he truly violent predator has mastered doing it with very little equipment and very simple methods. Those tools and methods are based on adhering to fundamental principles. The only two places that real violence can repeatedly be found is in war, and in the criminal culture (especially prisons).
Both are an unbroken lineage, and both are very different. What works in war does not so much apply to what works in prison, or in a parking lot by yourself on a dark night.”
Listen up
The Violence of Mind audiobook is just shy of nine hours long. It’s narrated by the author and is Whispersync for voice ready. Although there is some repetition and occasional tautology (which the author is cleaning up in the next edition), there is more than enough information to offset that distraction.
Remember the rule: stop looking for things and start looking at things.
Violence of Mind is absolutely worth the read. Or of course the listen.
OODA Loop Observation
Here’s something else to be aware of. Freeborn is in the final stages of finishing his second book. This one will focus on the second O in OODA: the OODA Orient (i.e. the one for Orientation). If you’re a student of John Boyd’s seminal work, you’ll want to take a look at it once it’s available.
Chet Richards, one of John Boyd’s “acolytes”, commenting on Varg Freeborn’s forthcoming book.
Orientation is the basis for mindset. Your response to violence will be based upon your orientation to the violent situation. Your conditioning and confidence level, your attachments in life, your cultural beliefs (particularly about violence), and ultimately your real experience level, all make up your orientation.
Through these experiences and beliefs, you will make a series of decisions which will determine how you will assess and respond to a violent encounter.
Eye dominance is a common topic of discussion among gun owners. It can affect everything from grip to sight and optic use to accuracy. Then, when you add cross-dominance, it becomes a much larger issue (but not an insurmountable one). Navy SEAL Jason Pike made a video to discuss ways of dealing with eye-dominance and cross-dominance as a handgun shooter and how to find solutions to make you a better shooter.
What is Eye Dominance?
It definitely helps to understand what eye dominance is. Basically, it refers to which of your eyes provides a bit more information than the other. According to Healthline.com, it is the eye “that provides slightly more input to the visual cortex of your brain and relays information more accurately, such as the location of objects.”
The ability to see where things are is more than slightly important in life in general, but as a shooter, the precision involved matters a great deal. Not only do you need to process where your sights are but also how they relate to the location of your target. Then there’s point of aim versus point of impact and countless other factors.
It isn’t uncommon to be cross-dominant, and that’s really what Pike discusses in this video. That means you are, for example, left-handed but right eye dominant like Pike.
Cross-dominance means opposing dominance between the eyes and the hands. It can present a challenge, but Pike covers strategies to manage it.
There are two head positions Pike frequently sees in shooters who are cross-dominant The first one is with the head tilted down so that the dominant eye is lined up with the sights.
Jason Pike demonstrates how some people who are cross-dominant tilt their heads in an attempt to see better. (Photo credit: Jason Pike)
He says, “It is definitely possible to train your eye to shoot in that manner, but it is not a position we normally operate from as humans. From the time we start walking, we walk upright with [our] eyes horizontal to the ground.
The second head position he sees in cross-dominant shooters is head vertical, eyes horizontal from each other, with the head twisted to the left or right. This is a problem because the for most people, the muscles behind the eyes are not strong. So, even though a person might begin to look at something with the eyes, the head will quickly follow so that the eyes are never in a strained position.
To understand why these head positions can be awkward and less than ideal as a shooter, Pike suggests you go outside and look at the horizon with your head upright and eyes level as you normally would. Then try tilting your head to one side. He says you will notice your eyes move as you do this, making it more difficult to focus steadily and precisely.
To find out what could happen if you turn your head while shooting, he suggests trying to move your eyes up, down, and to either side. You might notice a feeling your eyes are being forced to work harder which means doing that will also make it harder to shoot accurately, not to mention comfortably.
Find out what else Pike has to say about cross-dominance and his corrective training method using eye protection in the video:
How Do I Know if I Am Cross-Dominant?
In How to Determine Eye Dominance and Deal with Cross-Dominance, Savage Arms provides the following guide:
With your palms facing out, make a small triangle window between your thumbs and forefingers (about 2-3 inches across) and hold your arms straight in front of you.
Focus on a spot a short distance away like a light switch or doorknob through the window in your hands with both eyes open.
Close your left eye. Did your target move out of view? Or can you still see it? If you can still see your target with your right eye open, you’re right eye dominant.
Close your right eye. Did your target move out of view? Or can you still see it? If you can still see your target with your left eye open, you’re left eye dominant.
Being cross-dominant doesn’t mean you cannot still be a fantastic shot. All you need is to learn how to work with it and you’re good to go. Resources like this video provided by Jason Pike are a good way to find out what works for you so you can be the best shooter possible.
Navy SEAL Jason Pike talks about how the sights on handguns affect cross-dominance for better or for worse. (Photo credit: Jason Pike)
Are you cross-dominant? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
Savage Arms makes solid guns. Their reputation for innovation is well deserved, especially when it comes to bolt actions. If there had been a SHOT Show in 2021, one of the big stories would have been the Savage Impulse — an American-made straight-pull that stands as a classic example of how Savage keeps shaking things up…and makes us wonder what, if anything, they’ll have to display at SHOT Show 2022.
The Savage Impulse Big Game in 6.5 CR. For long-range accuracy, Impulse delivers.
What is Impulse?
There are a couple of elements that set this gun apart from the rest of Savage’s bolt-action rifles. The most noticeable is the straight-pull action. The bolt throw on Impulse moves straight back to eject a round and straight forward to return to battery.
This stands in direct contrast to a typical bolt action that has four distinct motions: up, back, forward, and down to lock. Two motions are faster than four motions.
The bolt slides straight back. The bolt handle can be positioned at different angles or on either side.
Inside the action, the bolt locks into place with Hexlock, a system of ball bearings that expand out from the bolt head when the bolt is seated in battery. There’s a plunger inside the bolt body that forces each of these bearings out, locking them in a channel that is milled inside the action. This is harder to explain in words than it is to see on an example.
When the plunger is disengaged, the bearings are free to move, as they are here.
A pull of the trigger releases the plunger, allowing the bolt to travel backward. There’s also a button on the back end of the bolt that, when pushed, allows for the bolt to be extracted without pulling the trigger. This is how live rounds can be pulled safely.
The bolt doesn’t rotate. It slides straight back.
These six ball bearings keep the pressure from blowing the bolt rearward during live fire. As the pressure increases in the chamber, the bearings are forced into the grooves. As that pressure subsides (when the bullet leaves the barrel), the bearings are free to move again, and the bolt can be yanked to the rear with no difficulty.
To disengage Hexlock without pulling the trigger, simply press the Savage logo on the back of the bolt. This releases the plunger that is forcing the bearings into the milled slot in the chamber.
The important thing to know is that when the Hexlock is locked, it isn’t going to move. When it is unlocked, the gun won’t fire. This creates an inherently safe design that differentiates Impulse from other straight-pull designs.
To pull the bolt out of battery, simply yank it to the rear. It will rotate a few degrees as it unlocks, then the whole bolt shifts back.
What else?
Inside the action is a barrel sleeve that is similar to that on an AR. The barrel connects to the extension with four bolts. While Savage isn’t selling the barrels independently, it could be an option and would open up options for barrel swaps or caliber swaps. All that would be needed would be the new barrel and a new bolt-face (assuming you were staying in either the short or long-action lengths).
Impulse barrels are marked with the caliber. The 110s are offered in 27 calibers, and the Impulse line is catching up.
What is familiar already?
If you know the Savage technologies, many of which have the prefix “Accu” affixed, Impulse will feel familiar. This is a bolt-action rifle, and Savage does this very well.
The polymer stock of the Hog Hunter has an over-molded texture.
The AccuStock is an aluminum bedding that secures the action in the stock. The milled block provides a solid platform for the action, which is partly responsible for the repeat accuracy of these guns.
The AccuFit system is equally important. AccuFit allows for extensions to length-of-pull and comb height. This allows for the stock modifications needed to fit almost all shooters.
The AccuTrigger provides user-adjustability for pull weight.
AccuTrigger, likewise, allows users to make adjustments. Dial it down to 1.5 pounds for reliable bench shooting, or dial it up if you are going to be walking through dense woods.
The trigger on the Hog Hunter and Big Game rifles are on par with the triggers I’ve run on Savage 110s. The AccuTrigger is excellent and something Savage has obviously mastered.
The bonus?
For me, I’m thrilled to have the milled rail integral to the design. These are 20 MOA rails for those who want to take Impulse out to extreme distances.
The 20 MOA rail is milled in.
And barrels on these guns come threaded from the factory: 5/8-24”. This is a great option for those of us who prefer to hunt with cans.
The Impulse rifles (in this case, the Hog Hunter) come threaded.
The magazines
Savage’s flush-fit mags are steel and reliably solid. There’s some flexibility to the feed lips that allows rounds to snap through (as in you put the round on top and pop it in, rather than using the case to force down the follower before sliding the round under).
The mag for the Savage Impulse. The steel mag rocks into place and locks securely.
Depending on the caliber, you can get 4 rounds in a mag for most of the .30 calibers.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a steady round. I’ve not had the opportunity to find the best fit (bullet design/weight). When ammo supplies are low, you shoot what you have, and I have this 140 grain LE round from Federal, which is performing exceptionally well out to 1,000 yards.
Shooting Impulse
I’ve been working out two Savage Impulse rifles—one a .308 Hog Hunter that I took hog hunting last spring, and a 6.5 Creedmoor Big Game (which is the one in Kuiu Verde camo). I’ve shot it on several ranges, and at a Practical Rifle course that was run by Rainier Arms.
With a bipod, silencer (a Banish 30), and a scope, Impulse is ready for just about anything. Just know that this Impulse, naked, weighs 8.8 pounds.
Both guns have performed as advertised. The Hog Hunter was the first of the guns that I’d had the chance to shoot and it is shorter, but on par—size wise—with other bolt-action .308s.
I was able to shoot a hog with the Hog Hunter. You won’t see the gratuitous dead pig picture here, though. Long story.
It was early afternoon, in the Everglades, and hotter than hell. The top of the elevated stand was in direct sunlight, so I climbed to the top, positioned the rifle and my gear, and then climbed about halfway down the ladder (to where the shade started). I had a while, I thought, before I would see a pig, so I was dinking around with a camera.
This is where I’d staged my rifle when the big hog moved out under my elevated stand—more than 20 feet off the deck. With multiple hunters on the same stretch of land, it is best to shoot down, and not out.
I was there, leaning on the lower rungs, when a tiny hog—barely big enough to make a football—went screaming under the oaks ahead of me.
This side of the Florida woods looks well kept when compared with the wild Everglades swamp that it straddles. I was screwing around with camera settings, sitting in on the lower rungs of the ladder when I snapped this pic—moments before the little hog bolted through.
I was watching that frenetic little pig when I picked up the sound of something under me through my hearing protection. There, coming up behind the stand was a fat hog. I’ve been known to exaggerate, but not this time. This was a really big pig—I’d estimate it weighed in excess of 600 pounds—I’ve killed several over the 300-pound mark, and this one was easily twice the size of any of those, maybe more.
I could have easily jumped from my ladder and landed on its back—something I’ve foolishly done with insane Florida hog hunting guides once before, back when I didn’t value my life so highly. But sane people rarely leg big hogs twice.
Instead, I ran up the ladder, got behind the gun, threw a cartridge in the chamber, and put a round directly down between the hog’s shoulders. By this point, it was running full-tilt. I ripped back the action, slammed it home again, but lost the pig beneath the outstretched arms of the oaks that cut off the path the pig took to get away.
The Vortex Razor reticle. It lights up, which is helpful when lining up on a black hog.
There was a minuscule blood trail—only really at the point of impact—and the pig shat itself, but that was all of the sign I could find. the pig had bolted and vanished. After all of the hunters had come in that evening, I went back out with lights but couldn’t find any more signs. We watched the skies for buzzards over the next two days but saw none.
The Vortex Razor was full of hog when I pulled the trigger.
The .308 Hog Hunter had done its part. This hog hunter, though—me—I could have taken a better shot. This was not one I’d ever prepared for—shooting down onto a hog from above. I was confident when I pulled the trigger, but that damn thing was huge and my one chance wasn’t enough to drop it immediately.
On the range with Impulse
Sighting in the Savage Impulse Big Game on paper at 100.
I’ve had far better luck on steel targets. I’ve had a couple of opportunities to take the 6.5 Creedmoor out to 1000 yards, and the rifle has performed well. Shooting from a bipod from the bench is easy and I can put rounds on a 12-inch plate at 1000 once I walk it in (I’m not a gifted mathematician, but I can work with a spotter).
Three shots in (almost) one hole.
At closer ranges, Impulse is shooting lights out.
At 300 yards, my groups spread out as you’d expect. There’s still less than 3 inches of spread.
And it may seem strange for me to talk about taking ethical shots at 300 yards after admitting that I failed to pull off a kill shot at what couldn’t have been more than 100 feet, but here it is. Impulse is far more capable than I am, obviously.
Better to be lucky than good? Spot on shot from 300.
Practical Rifle?
The Savage Impulse is designed to be fast. As hard as my adrenaline was pumping with the hog, I should have been able to get a second shot off. The action is fast enough. But I didn’t.
Silencer Central’s Banish 30 takes the sting off the 6.5 CR.
After my hunting debacle, I took an Impulse to a Practical Rifle class taught by Rainier Arms. This was an all-day class that pushed bolt-actions and lever-actions through a course of fire that ranged from close-range targets to much longer ranges.
The Big Game runs well at speed. I fired from the shoulder (with and without sling bracing), from prone, close, at mid ranges, and at 200-300. In each case, Impulse did what I needed it to do.
My set-up for the Rainier Arms Practical Rifle Class.
In one high-round-count day, I had no malfunctions. The only issue I had was an occasional live cartridge that would hang up in the chamber if I tried to extract it without firing it. In each case of this, though, I could run the bolt back into battery and pull it again, with more gusto, and strip the cartridge free.
An all-day run-and-gun course with a big rifle isn’t easy.
This isn’t a light gun, though: 8.8 pounds. I added to the weight, of course, with an optic, a sling, and a bipod. And then, for good measure, I added a Banish 30. With the suppressor and everything else, the Big Game had some mass.
The weight helps stabilize offhand shots. But by the end of the day, I was having trouble getting the muzzle end up. I’m not exaggerating. Holding it steady after running and gunning for more than 8 hours was taxing.
Stacking up the mags for quick changes.
But the Savage Impulse is fast. In this class, there were some lever-actions that were faster. That said, there were numerous bolt-actions, including a couple of Savage 110s, that couldn’t hold a candle to the speed of Impulse.
Getting your mind around Impulse
This is the section where I’m supposed to tell you just what Impulse is good for. That, from my perspective, is easy enough. Most American hunters, with the way we hunt, only take one shot. And Impulse, like a Savage 110 or AXIS II, delivers.
But what if you need or want a second shot? Hog hunters, coyote hunters, varminters of all sorts — the Impulse is much faster than a traditional bolt-action.
The Big Game has a healthy coating of Cerakote to protect the receiver and barrel.
At close range, you may still benefit from the additional speed of a lever-action. While it is conjecture, I think I may have had a better chance on my hog if I’d been running any gun without an optic (as I had a hard time getting back on the pig before he was under cover with a scope).
The safety selector is tang mounted and is easy to actuate with your thumb, without having to look at it.
But know this, too. There’s not a lever-action made that will compete with Impulse for long-range accuracy. While many of my classmates were beating me to the punch at distances of 50 yards or so with their lever-guns, those of us running bolt-actions were smoking them at distance.
To pull the bolt from the gun, press this lever in.
Impulse works. The action’s lock-up provides the confidence needed to get down on the stock behind a straight-pull action, and Savage’s integrated technologies set up the platform to provide reliable, repeat accuracy.
And the price-tag on an Impulse? Good luck finding one. Stock is beginning to pick up. MSRP on the Hog Hunter is $1,379.00. With the Big Game, it increases to $1,449.00.
