Gun Reviews

Much like everyone else in our consumer-driven world, I love new things! Especially when they are affordable. The S300 Grip Module from Amend2 happens to be both new and affordable. Amend2 is mostly known for its magazines made for AR 15s, AR 10s, and Glocks. The S300 came out of nowhere and premiered at SHOT Show 2020. Then we got a long wait between then, and the time the S300 hit the American market.

Obviously, since March 2020, things have been a bit crazy, and everything hit a delay or two. Luckily, the S300 grip modules are here and ready to take your P320 to the next level of concealment.

So What’s the S300 Do?

The S300 is a P320 grip modular that allows you to shrink your P320 beyond subcompact. In fact, it shrinks the grip considerably, so much so that P320 magazines are no longer an option. Instead, the S300 grip module utilizes Sig P365 magazines. This crazy hybrid design uses the P320 FCU combined with P365 magazines to provides the smallest P320 possible.

Remember how the Glock 19X used a long grip with a shorter slide? Well, the S300 does the opposite. You get a shorter grip with a long slide which sounds odd but presents a rather effective concealed carry firearm.

Why Would I Want That?

Good question, and maybe you don’t want it. I can tell you why I wanted it, though. First, it makes for a much more concealable gun at a very small price point. If you already own a P365, then it might not make much sense for you. However, if you have a P320 and want something smaller for concealed carry, a 59.99 grip module is much cheaper than a 500 dollar Sig P365.

At the same time, the Sig P365 magazines are quite common and vary widely in capacity from 10 to 15 rounds. The S300 grip module follows the standard P365 length and allows for the use of flush-fitting 10 round magazines or the extended 12 and 15 round magazines. For IWB fit, the smaller grip makes the weapon easier to conceal. The longer barrel and slide don’t much matter for concealed carry in an IWB configuration.

The S300 provides a super-short grip making the weapon extremely concealable. The longer slide and barrel have their own benefits when it comes to control, accuracy, and features. The P320 slide allows you to utilize a full-sized red dot sight, as I have with the SIG ROMEO1PRO. Additionally, the S300 packs an actual Picatinny rail over the P365’s silly proprietary rail.

Now you might be saying, well hell, now I need a new holster! Nope, you actually don’t need a new holster. The S300 grip module allows you to keep your P320 holster and provides zero issues with most holsters.

Does the S300 Work?

Installing the fire control unit (FCU) from your P320 to the S300 grip module takes almost no effort. Just Pop out the pin, pop it into the grip module, reapply the pin and call it a day. The fit is perfect, and the FCU slides into the module without any issues. Once installed, you drop your slide on and slap a P365 magazine in place, and you are ready to go.

The S300 grip module mimics the P365’s grip texture almost perfectly. It’s an aggressive little grip that is most certainly necessary for the teeny tiny grip. The grip is very, very small, and only with the 12 round magazine do I have what I describe as a full grip. With the ten-rounder in place, I got a major case of the hanging pinky.

Also, the ten rounder has a very soft click when you insert the magazine, and I always gave it a little tug to make sure it’s really in there. The 12 and 15 rounders gave a much more satisfying click when installed.

After everything sat in place, I loaded up my P365 magazines with 147-grain 9mm and hit the range. I wanted some spicy rounds to see if the super smaller grip made it tough to control the short little grip module.

To my surprise, the S300 remained plenty easy to handle and control. Well, more so with the 12 and 15 round magazines. The hanging pinky didn’t help, and I didn’t feel like I had the max control over the gun with the flush-fitting magazine. The 12 rounder balanced the small size of the frame with max control well. The 15 rounder gave me the exact same capacity as the P320C with the smaller frame as well.

Does It Affect Reliability?

Reliability is a pretty big issue with a concealed carry pistol. Concerns regarding a third-party company producing a grip module that mixes one gun’s slide with another magazine seem like it could quickly create issues. If it does, I haven’t found them just yet.

Outside of the 147-grain loads I fired, I went through some plain jane 115-grain loads, some steel case Winchester Forged ammo, and some 124 grain SIG +P JHPs. I ran into zero issues in terms of basic reliability with the S300.

Accuracy was still fantastic. The Legion series trigger with the SIG ROMEO1PRO made it so damn easy to ring tiny gongs offhand. At 25 yards, I made that four-inch gong swing and swing and swing. I cycled through my smallest steel targets and never had an issue engaging them with both speed and accuracy.

Hitting the Reload Button

Reloads are tricky, at least for me. My big hands pin the magazines in, and I have to do this crazy open-hand maneuver to get the magazines to drop free. However, they do drop free when my 2XL hands aren’t in the way. The teeny tiny grip does make reload trickier.

That being said, the S300 grip module retains the ergonomics of the P320. This includes the ambi slide stop and larger magazine release. The S300 has some of the weaknesses of a smaller grip but does a great job of giving you the strengths of a larger gun.

Saddling Up

The S300 grip module is an interesting piece of gear. It checks lots of boxes for me. It’s super handy, keeps the gun reliable, and makes it much smaller and easier to conceal. I love having the smaller grip module with a full-sized red dot and my favorite striker-fired trigger. Plus, it’s American-made from a small business, and it’s affordable. It’s a winning combination of features, and I think it’s a great buy for P320 owners who want to deep conceal their pistol.

Magazine-fed shotguns are nothing new, but it’s tough not to be a fan of the design. Especially if you are a rifle shooter transitioning to shotguns. A magazine-fed option often retains all those skills you crafted on the rifle when it comes to reloads. Shotgunners might have fixed feelings on mag-fed shotguns, but they’ve proven to be quite popular. I’ve fired a great many of them, and my favorite so far is most certainly the SRM 1216 from SRM Arms.

The SRM 1216 looks like something that would be well suited as a game-breaking CQB weapon in Cyberpunk 2077 or whatever the next Halo we have coming out. It’s far from average, and its unique look certainly gives that bleeding edge sci-fi look we all know and love. I’ve long wanted to get my hands on an SRM 1216, and now I finally have. Boy oh boy, was the wait worth it.

What Is This Thing?

First and foremost, the SRM 1216 is a 12 gauge semi-automatic, gas-operated shotgun that utilizes a roller delayed blowback system that can fire 2.75 to 3-inch rounds. Yep, roller operated leaps out at you, right? Well, it should because, as far as I know, this is the only roller delayed shotgun out there. Roller delayed typically belongs to the HK series of rifles, pistols, and SMGs.

Two large rollers sit on the bolt and prevent the bolt from moving until the pressure has reached a safe level. Roller delayed systems are very simple and allow the construction of the weapon to be simple. Taking it apart to get a peak requires little to no time at all. Pop a single pinout, break it down shotgun-style, and remove the bolt and bolt carrier group. Ultimately, cleaning the system is super easy and takes no effort.

Most shotguns utilize a gas-operated system with some form of a piston or an inertia system. Both require a bit more complicated construction and the placement of parts that might make it tough to incorporate the unique magazine design.

The bullpup design also allows it to be quite short and handy. Not as short as something like the pump-action KS7 from KelTec, but it’s about 6 inches shorter than most standard shotguns and retains an 18.5-inch barrel. I know what you’re saying. Ahh, it’s a bullpup, and I’m a lefty.

Fear not, young man. You can order your SRM 1216 as a left-handed gun, or you can swap everything to make it left-hand friendly. This includes the loading port to allow lefty-friendly ejection. I won’t say doing so is simple, but the SRM Arms youtube channel documents how and what you’ll need to do so.

Inside the SRM 1216 Magazine

Let’s talk about that magazine a bit as well. The SRM 1216 utilizes a removable tubular magazine system. The magazine has four tubes that each hold four rounds. When the user goes Winchester with the first tube, they can rotate to a second, third, and fourth before needing to reload completely.

The tube can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise on command. To rotate the tube you press a tab upwards to unlock the tube. The tabs are ambidextrous and very easy to use, and the magazine rotates without issue. What’s really cool to me is that if you run a tube dry, the bolt locks back to the rear. However, as soon as you rotate a tube into position, the bolt automatically loads the next round in the new tube and closes.

Removing the magazine and reloading is easy and can be done in the field. First, reach in front of the magazine and access the massive magazine release.

Press it in and then pull the magazine downward and out.

To reload, bring the magazine into the horizontal magazine well and then push the other end up until it locks in place. It’s not AR 15 fast but is damn sure a fast way to shove 16 more rounds of buckshot into a gun.

Another benefit of this tubular removable magazine is that the ammunition won’t deform over time. Shotgun ammunition left in a box magazine can deform due to the pressure from the magazine, which can potentially cause feeding issues. Here, this is never an issue since the ammunition is sitting in tubes.

Loading the magazine requires two hands. You have to pull back a shell retainer and slide in shell after shell. It’s easy but can’t be done with the magazine in the gun.

Blasting Away With the SRM 1216

Getting a grip on the gun isn’t tough. It’s got a short 13.25-inch length of pull and shoulders comfortably. The included recoil pad helps, and the only real downside is that the magazine acts as the grip for your non-dominant hand. It’s rather slick, and with a push-pull grip, my slide slides ever so slightly.

What happens when you mix a blowback-operated action, a bullpup shotgun, and make it 12 gauge? Well, you eliminate any and all recoil reduction you get from a pump action.

Alright, I’m being dramatic; however, the gun certainly has more recoil than most gas-operated guns. It’s not as rough as a pump-action, but when you start cooking off some hot loads, you’ll feel it. With reduced recoil tactical loads, it’s a kitten—the same with cheap game loads.

Reliability in Spades

The SRM 1216 feeds both reduced recoil loads and cheap game loads reliably and without issue. I often have a little fear of failure with a semi-auto shotgun and since this gun has such a novel blowback system I didn’t know what to expect. I was rather happy that it ran with everything I put through it.

High brass, low brass, buckshot, slugs, birdshot, and beyond worked without issue. The only load It didn’t cycle was the super low recoiling sub-1000 FPS trap loads I keep around. No semi-auto has cycled these successfully beyond one or two, and they are about the lightest load you can get for a 12 gauge outside of mini shells. Also, no, mini shells won’t cycle in the SRM 1216.

If you want a gun that cycles fast, then here you go.

Hot damn, does it fire, eject and load quickly! I can dump four rounds of buckshot out and on target in about 2 seconds from a low-ready position. Semi-auto shotguns also tickle me when it comes to tube dumps, and the SRM 1216 is no different. I can dump shells without tampering with reliability, and I did so for tube after tube of ammunition.

Running the Rabbit

For fun, I did a little drill where I loaded one round into each tube, set up four clay pigeons on the berm, and practiced transitioning from tube to tube. It’s simple, I set a Shot Timer up and hit go. At the beep, I went from right to left. Since only one round was loaded into each tube, I had to keep rotating the tube system.

I was quite slow at first, and his 7.48 seconds. That was an ouchy, and I learned that a forward grip on the tube made tube transitions much easier. As I practiced the drill over and over, I built a good rhythm in place and got much faster in just a few rounds. I got my time down to 4.8 seconds from the low ready with a hit on each target.

The SRM 1216 has a smooth rotating magazine that makes it easy to transition. Once I flip the tab up and start rotating the tube, the tab will relatch as soon as the tube finishes its rotation. You can’t accidentally rotate it too far. It’s very intuitive and simple to do.

On Target

The SRM 1216 has a sweet little trigger—roughly 6 pounds or so. A lot of rail lives at the top of the gun, and my HS510C is the perfect companion for this little shotgun. Like an AR rifle, it’s an ‘in-line’ design that makes AR height optics appropriate and easy to use. Mine didn’t include iron sights, but a rail section forward of the magazine is perfect for a front sight, and you’d have a long sight radius.

Personally, a red dot makes way more sense to me and allows me to engage rapidly. Semi-auto shotguns dominate close-range fighting, and red dots make it perfect for that specific use. I took some Hornady slugs out to 50 yards and range 6-inch plates over and over. With my favorite load, Federal Flitecontrol, I can absolutely put a load of buck right where I want it within 25 yards.

The SRM 1216 In Action

Do I have any complaints about the SRM 1216? Hmm, not many. The magazines are somewhat expensive at around 200 bucks a pop. There is a good argument that for home defense, you won’t be swapping magazines and are unlikely to need 16 rounds of 12 gauge. That’s all up to you, but I want at least one extra mag on tap just in case one fails me.

Other than that, it’s tough to hate the SRM 1216. It’s a very well-made, well-thought-out shotgun. Hell, the 16 round magazine doesn’t count as a ‘high-capacity’ magazine in less free states because it’s four tubes connected and not just a single magazine. The SRM 1216 is the sci-fi shotgun of my dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

Compact pistols seem to be the Goldilock standard for handguns. They fit just right in a role where they can double as both a firearm that can be carried concealed and used for home defense. It’s small and light enough to tuck into your pants and hit the road, but it also accommodates a light and is easy to handle for home defense. Compact pistols are big enough to fill your hand and be easy to control with minimal recoil from standard calibers.

Compact pistols offer you most of the benefits of a full-sized pistol combined with most of the benefits of a subcompact pistol. Today we are looking at three popular compact pistols and seeing which comes out as top dog. Those pistols are the Sig P320C, the Glock 19, and CZ P-10C. 

I’m not sure if I need to mention this, but we’ll be looking at the 9mm variants of these guns.

Glock 19

O.G. of compact pistols, the Glock 19 is easily the most popular Glock model—especially with the civilian market. This pistol started the theme of compact pistols being just right in size. It packs a rail, a 15 round magazine, and is now in its fifth generation.

Sig P320C 

When the P320 hit shelves, the P320C followed up quite quickly. Sig advertised the P320 to provide you everything a lot of people believed Glock left out. The p320C comes with a 15 round magazine, a rail, and a variety of models available.

CZ P-10C

As much as we try to keep CZ sacred, the P-10C brought them lots of mainstream attention. The CZ P-10C refines the compact pistol and comes with a 15 round magazine, a rail, and it also provides a multitude of models.

Compact Pistol Life

I find that these three particular compact pistols have reached a certain degree of popularity. The Glock 19 obviously rules the roost, but the P320C and P-10C are catching up. I’ve broken down this article into several categories, and we’ll discuss the merits of each pistol and why one might edge the others out in each category.

All three of these handguns are great guns.

They are duty suitable and built to last. There isn’t a single bad gun in this group. However, some pull ahead in certain categories every so slightly. Keep in mind this is just my opinion, and the good news is you can sound off in the comments to let me know what you think about each category.

Best Ergonomics — CZ P-10C

Ergonomics are how the pistol feels in hand and how accessible and easy the controls are to reach. In this category, I think the CZ P-10C stands out considerably. The Glock 19, even the latest generation, feels a bit like a brick in your hand. The P320C feels a bit like a thinner brick in your hand. Neither is terrible, but when held in comparison to the P-10C, you notice a huge difference.

The P10C tapers its grip as it meets its peak behind the trigger. This thinner portion of the gun provides a much more comfortable grip overall. I didn’t notice the brick-like nature of the other two compact pistols until I picked up the P-10C. Plus, the ultra-aggressive grip texture is fantastic and tough to beat.

Additionally, I appreciate the slide lock/release on the P-10C. On the Glock and Sig, my thumbs pin down the slide lock and render it nearly useless. The undercut on the trigger guard of both the P-10C and P320C makes it easy to choke up. Accessing the magazine release of each weapon isn’t difficult, and the CZ P-10C is the only one that provides a true ambidextrous release.

The P320C comes in second, and ultimately the Glock 19 comes in third in ergonomics.

Best in Reliability — Glock 19

All three of these compact pistols have been proven to be extremely reliable. When a gun sucks, it doesn’t take long for the internet to notice and report on it. Well, you won’t see many reports of any of these guns failing. In general, these are all very reliable pistols.

However, the age of the Glock 19 and the fact that it’s been issued so widely to police and military forces across the world show that the gun works. It’s the most proven firearm on this list and takes the top spot for reliability.

Coming in second will be the P320C which proved itself well during the Army’s MHS contest. Third, obviously is the CZ P-10C, and that’s largely due to the fact it has not been tested to the same degree as the other two pistols. None of these guns have failed in my usage.

Best for Customization — SIG P320C

The Glock 19 would be the easiest option to toss onto this category and call it a day. Sure, you can get a dozen different triggers for the Glock 19, but they aren’t all that different. With the P320C, you can pop out that fire control unit (FCU) and instantly change the grip module. You can get metal grip modules, X series, and aftermarket options without the need for an FFL.

Like the Glock, you can change a wide variety of things about the gun. This includes the slide, barrel, triggers, and beyond. However, the FCU makes your customizations more meaningful. The Glock 19 comes in second clearly, and the P-10C in a distant third.

Best in Accuracy — It’s a Tie

Compact pistols are all relatively the same when it comes to accuracy. You won’t see any massive difference between the guns in the hands of a shooter. An expert with a Glock will shoot a Sig or CZ just as accurately. I’m personally most accurate with the P320C, but the optic certainly helps in that role.

Best Price — P-10C (Just Barely)

As I write this in 2021, prices are all other the place. The best I can do is find one website that sells all three pistols and look at the price between each standard model. I’ve excluded special additions, X-Series guns, etc. I compared the Glock 19 Gen 5, the CZ P-10C, and P320C.

It seems that the P-10C is about 40 bucks cheaper for its bare-bones base model. If I compare the Glock 19 Gen 4, the prices are identical, so you could argue it’s a tie. So as a tiebreaker, I looked to the optic’s ready models, and the CZ P-10C is cheaper than both the P320C RX and Glock 19 Gen 4 MOS guns.

My Personal Favorite?

Out of the box, I think the best stock gun of these three compact pistols is the CZ P-10C. Yes, I’m a CZ fan, but I do feel for the money the CZ provides the best features and experience. From the metal sights to the better overall ergonomics, I think it’s just a better gun compared to the other two. That’s just looking at stock pistols; I’m sure if we dived into some of SIG’s special editions, I’d change my mind. That being said, the Sig and Glock offer plenty of reasons to purchase them.

The Glock 19 offers a massive aftermarket with affordable and available OEM magazines, lots of holsters, and a superbly simple design. Anyone can work on a Glock, and the armorer’s course is like a day-long, and all you need is a punch to take the entire thing apart.

The Sig P320C allows for a crazy degree of customization, with new features, grip modules, and slides being released all the time. The FCU opens up an entire market to turn one pistol into many.

Compact Pistols For All

Ultimately I think these are the three best compact pistols currently on the market. You know my personal favorite and feelings on the above categories. What’s your opinion? Let us know below your favorite of the compact pistols on this list and beyond this list.

 

Leave it to Magpul to take a concept that historically sucked and make it great. I’m speaking about drums, of course, and how Magpul figured out how to finally make them work. Historically, drums sucked. And they continued to suck until Magpul figured out how to make them work. They started with the AR 15 and then the AR 10, and now we have drums for the CZ Scorpion and Glock series as well. I got my hands on the Magpul D-50 CZ Scorpion drum magazine and have taken it for a spin.

The Scorpion series has been extremely popular in the world of PCCs and large format pistols. I’m lucky enough to have both the pistol variant as well as the carbine variant. That being said, my rifle variant is the bullpup model, so this will certainly be a unique test.

Magpul modeled the Scorpion D-50 drum directly after the D-60 and D-50 drums. It’s a fair bit smaller and shorter than those two but identical in design. This includes the Gen M3 style design. It features the Gen M3 polymer mix, the Dot Matrix, the easy takedown procedure, and the same load lever design. Even though it’s a well-made drum, you might ask why exactly you would need a Scorpion D-50?

Is the D-50 CZ Scorpion drum magazine practical?

Obviously, the benefit of a drum is to increase capacity without having an obnoxiously long magazine. Magpul did this previously with the 35 round Scorpion magazines but took it a step further with the D-50 and its 50 round capacity. More ammo is better than less ammo as long as the ammo feeding device works, obviously.

That’s always been the real downside of a drum. The feeding devices rarely worked and had a tendency to be maintenance-heavy. Magpul fixed that previously and their drums have been proven to work. In a rifle, obviously, a drum makes sense, but what about a PCC or large format pistol? Well, if you’ve chosen either to be a defensive weapon, then the D-50 CZ Scorpion drum magazine makes a lot of sense.

Using a pistol-caliber firearm means you’ll likely need to fire more rounds to put a threat down. Sadly, pistol calibers can’t meet the power of anything rifle caliber. Having more ammo than less makes sense. The weight penalty for a bedside gun isn’t an issue. You won’t be patrolling with a Scorpion D-50 across the Helmand province.

Plus, in a home defense situation, you won’t be rocking a chest rig and packing a half dozen magazines for speed reloads. As such, the drum offers you almost twice the capacity of a standard magazine. More ammo in the gun means less reloading, and less reloading is a good thing in a fight.

Yes, by the way, you can leave it loaded. Unlike other drums, this isn’t a major issue with the Scorpion D-50 (or any Magpul drum). You can load it JHPs and forget about it.

Breaking down Scorpion D-50

Breaking the Magpul drums down for maintenance is very simple to do. First, pop off the four tabs with a flat head tool. Once the tops are popped off, use the same flat head tool to defeat the four latches, and you can remove the front and rear of the drum for maintenance.

Obviously, make sure the drum is unloaded prior to taking things apart. Once the drum is apart, you can clean and oil the drum. Magpul previously said that the D-60 and D-50 could go for 1000 rounds between cleanings, and I assume the same with the Scorpion D-50.

The insides of the drum are quite simple, and that makes cleaning them rather simple as well. Simple is good, and you can’t beat simple, especially when it comes to magazines.

Load, Shoot, Repeat

Magpul loves to claim the drums are easy to load, and in some ways—they are. The lever that presses the follower down and allows you to load the drum ensures you aren’t fighting a single spring for all 50 rounds. That being said, trying to hold the drum, while holding the lever and putting in rounds will make you wish you had three hands.

Sure, it’s not difficult from a manual loading perspective, but it’s not what I’d call easy ergonomically. I hug the Scorpion D-50 with the same arm that manipulates the lever and then load rounds with the other hand. Loading is relatively quick, although, near the end, you’ll be loading one round per lever manipulation. It’s a thumb workout, to be sure.

I really love the window at the rear of the drum that allows you to monitor capacity. Unlike a side-mounted window, you can do a quick flick of the eyes to see how much you got left. It’s very clearly marked and keeps you keep track of your 9mm rounds as you deplete them.

Speaking of depleting ammo, I set forth to do just that. Drums are so much fun to shoot and in the Scorpion doubly so. I grabbed several hundred rounds, a pair of Scorpions, and went to the range. I love shooting Scorpions and PCCs in general. So I certainly enjoyed the process of emptying these drums more than I enjoyed filling them.

Getting Our Pow On with the CZ Scorpion Drum Magazine 

I utilized a Scorpion Micro pistol and my Scorpion bullpup rifle and let the lead fly. I started with just a few basic drills to see if the drum did the very basics of being a drum. Next, I then set forth dropping the almost fully loaded drum from the gun and seeing what happened. On occasion, a round or two popped out, but nothing else seemed to happen. Oh, and the drum dropped free without issue.

Those takedown tabs never dislodged as I assumed they would. They aren’t hard to pry off, and I just assumed they would pop off rather easily under pressure. Even if so, all four of them could pop off, and the Scorpion D-50 will still run completely fine.

Next, I wanted to apply pressure in various ways to see if I could make it fail. I used it first as a monopod of sorts and let the full weight of the weapon sit on the drum, and I pulled the trigger. No problems.

I used the drum as an improvised barrier stop and pressed the drum into the barrier, and fired. Again, no problem with reliability.

Lastly, I placed the drum over the top of a barrier and pulled rearward to change the pressure up, and again the gun and drum operated without issue.

From there, I got to do the fun stuff. I did various drills and just shot a lot out of the drum. Several hundred rounds over several days between a few different shooters. I dropped round after round and heard ding after ding. Whenever the drum ran empty, I dropped it from the gun to the ground to try and give it a little stress. The drum must’ve meditated prior because the Scorpion D-50 didn’t seem to mind stress.

Saved Rounds

The drum doesn’t affect Scorpions with a standard layout. Sure the gun gets a bit heavier, and using it with a single hand is rather difficult. The brace certainly helps stabilize the now heavier weapon. In the bullpup Scorpion, the drum feels somewhat awkward, and your arm has to wrap around its bulbous form. Yet it loads, ejects, and fires without issue in the bullpup gun.

All in all, the Scorpion D-50 drum is pretty fantastic.

The last pistol caliber subgun to wear a drum this well was the Tommy gun. In fact, the Scorpion quickly becomes a rather modern variant of the Tommy gun with a dream and certainly looks pretty freaking sweet. Luckily it works as good as it looks. Do you love it? Hate it? Let us know below!

 

 

 

Everyone loves a good .22. Everyone. Yes, even you. But let’s be honest, it seems like it’s all been done. Maybe so, but the guys at Smith & Wesson have something that might pique your interest. The M&P 15-22 pistol is a slick little package that is not only fun to shoot but could help with your training if you’re so inclined.

Allen at Olde English Outfitter breaks down the S&W M&P 15-22 pistol for us.

As Allen notes, the AR platform has kind of taken over the US market, and with good reason:

• Ease of use
• Ease of maintenance
• Modularity makes customization a breeze
• Adaptable to multiple shooters and uses
• Affordability

 

All that adds up to a popular platform that almost any shooter can find a use for. One of those uses is training. ARs chambered in .22 long rifle are nothing new, but many of those rifles don’t feature fully functional controls, so while they’re fun to shoot, they don’t help much with mechanics and muscle memory. Not so the M&P 15-22 Pistol.

The controls are identical to a standard AR-15 with a functional mag release, charging handle, bolt catch, and 90-degree two-position safety lever. The only thing missing is a forward assist, and I think we can live without that since the gun doesn’t need one.

So, as Allen points out, you can use this gun just like your AR-15 but not shoot up that still-expensive centerfire ammo. Just make certain, as I know you will, to get high-velocity ammo to cycle the action.

Features

The gun is lightweight, with polymer receivers, though the barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, and trigger group are steel. The gun features a blowback action with the recoil spring on the bolt carrier. The gun obviously doesn’t need a buffer tube, being a .22.

The brace is an SB Tactical SBA3, just like you might find on an AR-15 pistol. 

Basic disassembly is similar to an AR-15, with the two takedown pins, and the bolt carrier slides out the back with the charging handle.

Allen says that he is sometimes asked whether a standard AR-15 upper can be placed on the M&P 15-22 lower. The answer is NO. The polymer receiver and controls are not meant to handle that kind of pressure and the lower is not capable of accepting a buffer tube.

Not only does the gun offer functional controls and a nice brace, but there are also lots of other nice features:

• Threaded barrel
• Birdcage flash hider
• Full-length pic rail on top for optic or whatever else 
• M&P M-Lok handguard for lights and stuff
•Magpul MOE-SL pistol grip Magpul MOE SL AR15/M4 Grip (gunmagwarehouse.com)
• Integral QD sling attachment on the brace
•25 round polymer mag with exposed spring and tabs for easy loading 
• Available 10 round mag and 10 round short mag for those who live behind the Blue Curtain 
• Overall length: 25.4” (extended) 22.8” (collapsed)
• Barrel length: 8”
• Barrel twist rate: 1-15
• Weight: 53.6 ounces

Before writing this article, I dropped by my favorite gun store and handled one of these. I really liked it. The controls were crisp and, just as advertised—right where I expected them to be. I thought I had all the .22 I was going to get, but I think an S&W M&P 15-22 Pistol just might have my name on it. Might want to check one out for yourself.

We all know the good of the MP5, but what if there was a slightly better 9mm caliber carbine out there? The gent over at Garand Thumb on YouTube did a review of the Sig MPX (K version specifically) and asserts that this rifle is better than the MP5.

Curious? Us too.

 

The carbine is a short-stroke gas-operated system with a closed bolt. Thumb states that it is a professional firearm designed for use by professional individuals. He then goes through all the major parts of the rifle for a more thorough review.

He starts out with the flash hider, barrel, and handguard. While the flash hider is effective, he finds it frustrating that if you upgrade to a different flash hider, you’ll need a thread adapter because of the threading. The barrel is free-floating cold hammered forged and accurate with groups of 4-5” at 100 yards. The handguard is modular with M-lock on the sides and a small Picatinny rail near the front. His one complaint about the guard is that it is kind of large with lots of free space around the barrel.

Thumb goes on to the short-stroke gas piston system saying that it is incredible. He claims that it is the softest shooting system he’s shot, even more gentle than the MP5. He feels that Sig does a great job gassing the weapon to achieve reliability and accuracy.

On the MPX receiver, there is a full-length Picatinny rail that is very robust and sturdy. The magazine well is very large and makes reloading very smooth and easy. His one main gripe on the lower receiver is that the MPX magazines while being made of high-quality polymer with metal reinforced lips, are pretty expensive compared to other magazines on the market.

One of his big compliments to the system is the use of ambidextrous controls for the mag and bolt releases, safety, and the charging handle. However, he does recommend that you upgrade the handle to a Radian model.

To round out the receiver, the carbine does have AR-type selector switches with a good Sig grip. The trigger is from Timney, which is a crisp single-stage trigger with zero take up and roughly a three-pound pull. He really likes the trigger and feels like the system could run fast because of how effective the trigger is.

The end of the receiver has the Sig 1913 stock adapter. The model reviewed came with the pistol brace, which he doesn’t like, and recommends having a different option. 1913 stock adapter on the rifle and he really likes it.

In conclusion, he says that Sig did a great job with the MPX in that it is a softer shooting option than the MP5. Overall, he thinks it’s an awesome firearm and recommends it. Want a review on a different model of MPX? Check out the Sig MPX K.

We all know AR-style rifles — and pistols — are versatile. Not only are they highly adaptable and changeable for components but they come chambered in all manner of calibers with a ton of barrel lengths and features. The SIG MCX Tacops Rifle in 300 BLK is one configuration of the hot SIG MCX line, proving once again that AR-style owners do have more fun. In a video review, Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics gets into the details of the rifle but also delves into what he thinks of the 300 BLK itself.

What Is 300 BLK Made To Do?

300 BLK was designed by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC)  right after they were acquired by the Remington Arms family of companies in 2012. It was meant for close-quarters work, meaning you’re not going to get good long-range use out of it, but that’s just fine for a defensive firearm used in enclosed spaces. This cartridge was also made to work well with suppressors, so keep that in mind if you plan to shoot it without one.

Some 300 BLK details:

• Bullet diameter 0.308-inches
• Case type rimless, bottleneck
• Primer type small rifle
• SAAMI maximum pressure 55,000 PSI
• CIP maximum pressure 56,565 PSI

Is 300 BLK a Good Caliber for the AR Platform?

One of the great things about this particular video review is that Aaron Cowan gets into the details of the 300 BLK itself. This isn’t just a rifle review, it gives viewers a background on the cartridge and an idea of what to look for if they’re in the market for an AR-style gun chambered in this specific cartridge.

Leading into his review, Aaron had a few things to say:

“What appeals to me about the MCX line – specifically the Tacops, which is apparently exclusive to TALO distributors — is the fact that it’s a folding-stock, piston-driven rifle. It comes from the factory with a trainer can in place. Now, I went ahead and removed that trainer can and went with Sig Sauer’s SRD762TI, which is a direct thread, titanium suppressor. So for this review, you’re kind of getting a review of the Tacops MCX, but you’re also getting a review of the suppressor—at least in regards to the 300 BLK round.

“What appeals to me mainly about the 300 BLK round, which I kind of already mentioned, is how I can effortlessly go back and forth from super to subsonic if the rifle allows me to do so. The original specs from AAC on the 300 BLK — SAAMI specs — some people just build the gun for those specifications and don’t allow for a lot of adjustment.

“One thing is, Primary Weapons Systems did is (and I don’t want to use this as a comparison, but mention it as an example) with their Mk109, is the gas system is not adjustable, which is a departure for PWS, because all of their rifles have adjustable gas. But 300 BLK, they went away from it, which tended to make the rifle kind of gassy, and left me wanting a little bit more performance — I shouldn’t say performance, a little more comfort when it came to the recoil impulse.”

 

So how does the Sig Sauer MCX Tacops Rifle in 300 BLK measure up?

Watch the video below to find out.

 

 

SIG Sauer is a respected manufacturer known for designing and producing some fantastic guns. As with any gun, choosing a rifle chambered in 300 BLK depends on your own needs. What do you need the gun to do? Is it for plinking or home defense? Do you want a truck gun? Once you’ve answered those kinds of questions it gets easier to choose your gun. If you want to check out the entire SIG MCX line, take a look on the Sig website.

Do you like 300 BLK? Why or why not?

The Nightstick TWM-30 pistol light is a weapon-mounted light (WML) designed as a handgun light from the flashlight brand Nightstick, a subsidiary of Bayco Nightstick. You’ll find information and reviews of it below. 

 

• Nightstick TWM-30 Pistol Light   David Reeder

 

• Nightstick’s TWM-30F – A Low Key Light    Travis Pike

 

• TWM-30: NightStick’s Handgun WML     David Higginbotham

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 Pistol Light 

David Reeder, 8-28-21

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 pistol light is (as of this writing) the latest weapon-mounted light (WML) from Bayco’s Nightstick brand of flashlights. To be fair, TWM-30 isn’t any duller a name than TLR-1, PL350, or X300, I was just struggling to come up with a pithy title. 

Regardless, the TWM-30 is now available. And in a season of new WML availabilities like the recently released Modlite PL350 (q.v.) and the rumored-to-be-coming-soon Cloud Defensive handgun light. the new Nightstick pistol light has a few interesting things to commend it. 

It sports a 1200 lumen (9,379 candela ) LED with a 194-meter beam distance, momentary switching capability (which is a major point for many people), and a runtime that’s roughly 45 minutes longer than its more expensive competitors.

So, I’m cautiously optimistic this may be the best build and highest functioning handgun light for the money we’ve seen in quite some time. We’ll soon see. 

 

BLUF: Check out the Nightstick TMW-30 Full-Size Handgun Tactical Weapon Light

 

• First, is the manufacturer: Nightstick. Now, Nightstick taken without context might give one the impression that they’re one of several second-tier WML manufacturers out there. To be candid, that was exactly my impression. However, as it turns out, Nightstick — in the form of Bayco — has been building hard use lights for the construction, mining, and similar industries (and for fire and rescue services) for nearly 40 years.

This doesn’t provide an apples-to-apples certainty that their expertise and quality will carry over from headlamps to tactical lights necessarily, nor are the demands upon (and strictures of) a weapon light necessarily identical to that of an “intrinsically safe” industrial light. 

But a light someone’s life might depend on is, in the end, a light someone’s life might depend on. That’s true whether you’re dealing with mostly peaceful protesters in a back alley of Seattle, running an urban rescue operation surrounded by shattered concrete and rebar, or carving away at a 40-inch coal seam in the Logan Orion. 

• Second, are some of the features. Specifically, how those features stack up to competing WMLs. Some of the features will no doubt look familiar to you, but some are much better than I’d anticipated they’d be. 

Here’s the rundown.

Nightstick TWM Full Size Handgun Light Specs and Features

• Available initially in black and olive green; FDE coming soon
• Glass-filled nylon polymer battery door that appears to be the most secure battery door in its class
• Aircraft-grade 6061 T-6 aluminum housing
• Type III hard-anodized finish
• LED technology
• 1.75-hour run time
• 1,200-lumen maximum output
• 9,379 candela 
• 194-meter range
• Ambidextrous controls (single-motion switches)
• Momentary or constant-on modes
• User-selectable strobe mode
• User-selectable battery-safe mode
• IP-X7 Waterproof rated
• 2m drop rated
• Impact and chemical resistant
• Serialized for personal identification
• Power Source: CR123
• Package Contents: Light, 3 cross-rail inserts, 2 cross-rail mounting cap head screws, Allen wrench, 2 CR123 Lithium batteries
• Compatible with all existing TWM-Series-compatible holsters
• Compatible with TLR-1 shape profile holsters
• Rail mount modularity (q.v.)

TWM-30 Holsters

I almost forgot. Holsters can be a deal-breaker for many people, myself included. It’s a pain in the ass to get a new holster just because you got a new light. More so if you’re forced to get more than one. 

TWM-30 = TLR-1

The Nightstick TWM-30 has the same form factor as the Streamlight TLR-1 holster(s) you may already have. This includes both the OWB PHLster Floodlight and the IWB PHLster Floodlight. 

If you’re running a Surefire, you’re outta luck (for right now at least). 

Stand by for some reviews as soon as my crew gets ’em done and submitted!

Here’s how Nightstick describes the light:

Cut through the darkness and illuminate targets for quick, positive identification with the Nightstick® TMW-30 Full-Size Handgun Tactical Weapon Light. Featuring a Type III hard-coat anodized, aircraft-grade 6061 T6 aluminum housing, this weapon light offers superior corrosion and shock resistance for reliable performance under stress. The super-bright LED delivers an impressive 1,200-lumen maximum output (194-meter range), optimized for threat identification and target discrimination with a defined halo for superior peripheral illumination in CQB environments.

Fully ambidextrous, enhanced single-motion controls deliver quick, reliable control with both right- and left-handed shooters. User-selectable momentary-on and constant-on lighting modes keep you in full control of your light discipline, while strobe and battery safe modes are easily enabled or disabled with 2 unique switch actions. Operating on two CR123 batteries (included), this weapon light delivers 1.75 hours of runtime, while a glass-filled nylon polymer battery door allows for quick battery changes to keep you in the fight. The TWM-30F is compatible with all existing TWM-Series-compatible holsters including duty, OWB, IWB, and AIWB models.

Not compatible with rechargeable batteries. IPX7 waterproof. Manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty.

Back to top.

 

The Nightstick TWM-30F – A Low Key Illumination

Travis Pike, 8/30/21

 

The world of weapon lights is both big and small. Big in that a search of the term weapon-mounted light will turn up dozens and dozens of results. Small (in fact quite small) when you only consider the good WMLs.

I take that in stride and give new lights a fair shake. That’s what I’m doing in this look at the brand new (as of right now) Nightstick TWM-30F. This is a full-sized weapon light designed for full-sized and compact firearms. It’s a large framed light that fits in the class of both the X300U and TLR-1.

Now that I have one of these lights in hand, I’ve hit the ground running and given it a fair shake. Well, maybe less than fair. Whenever something new comes out, I like to run nice and hard to shake it loose. I don’t purposely try to break things, but let’s be real, you guys like negative reviews more than positive ones. Let’s see how the Nightstick TWM-30F shakes out.

 

Nightstick TWM-30F Specifications

Before we dive into the field of how great or how bad the Nightstick TWM-30F is, let’s take a peek at the specifications.

Lumens – 1,200 Lumens
Candela – 9379
Range – 194 meters
Run Time – 1 hour 45 minutes
Batteries – 2 CR123As

The first two specs in that list are interesting. First is the fact we’ve got 1,200 lumens of power. Measured by lumens, hat’s more light than both the Streamlight TLR-1 and the Surefire X300U. It comes second only to the new Modlite PL-350’s 1,350 lumens. However, the candela level falls below the leading competitors by a fair margin. Lots of lumens with lower candela make the light appropriate for close-range defensive use.

Included with the Nightstick TWM-30F is a rail key set. You get three to accommodate a wide variety of handguns, including Glocks, Sigs, HKs, and the like. Installing the keys is easy and can be done quickly. Unscrew an Allen screw, swap keys, and re-tighten it.

Ergonomics

From the ground up, the ergonomics are on point. We have an ambidextrous set of switches that are super easy to access. They don’t rotate to activate, and they are a simple press-forward design. It’s very clicky with lots of good tactile feedback. You can press slightly downward, or you can press inward. Basically, as long as you can press the switch, it will activate and firelight forward.

You can swap between constant and momentary, and ‘ten’ tap a strobe function into the system if you so choose. A battery-safe mode can also be activated should you want it. It’s all done through the two rear switches.

I prefer just the constant and momentary modes. Constant switches on with a short press, and momentary is done with a long press. It’s very simple and intuitive.

As a full-sized light, it does fit better on full-sized guns. When you go compact, a fair bit hangs off the front. However, with the right rail key, it’s secured without issue.

Note: The Nightstick TWM-30F requires a Phillips head screwdriver to swap batteries, so keep that in mind when you’re in the field.

 

Night Time Performance

I was honestly pretty shocked when I first sent a blast of light forward from the Nightstick TWM-30F. It’s got a surprising blast and is quite capable outdoors. The beam is a bit warm, with a slight yellow hue. As weapon light users will usually attest, a warmer beam does a great job of defeating photonic barriers and blinding bad guys.

The light has tons of spill, more than the pictures represent (because taking photos of light at night can be tough.)

It’s enough light to grant you excellent peripheral vision. The hotspot is quite potent and very powerful. I went back to 50 yards in the dead of night and easily lit up a target. At that range, I’m stretching my own capabilities with a handgun and most certainly the legal limits of self-defense.

The Nightstick TWM-30F pushes a ton of light out and does so impressively.

I put a photonic barrier between me and a “threat” and tried to see if the beam could defeat it. My photonic barrier was my pole barn lights. This creates a barrier of light that makes it impossible for me to see from one side to the other and identify the threat.

Well, impossible without a good light.

I hit the go button, and I was pleasantly surprised I saw my green polymer target on the other side. Before I turned on the Nightstick TWM-30F, I couldn’t see the green target at all. Once the beam was in play, I spotted him through the photonic barrier without issue.

I can say I’m initially impressed by the power of the Nightstick. It certainly casts a bright beam forward and does an outstanding job of lighting up the world around you. Now we have to see if it continues to project that strength over time.

 

A Surprising Twist

As I fooled around with the Nightstick TWM-30F, I slowly felt a wave of deja vu hit. Something was familiar about the light, but it didn’t catch me at first. I had never used a Nightstick light before.

As I used and abused the Nightstick TWM-30F, I realized its shape and size were quite close to the Streamlight TLR-1.

This had me asking if the Nightstick fit into TLR-1 rated holsters. I grabbed my Phlster Floodlight and quickly found out that, yep, it fits. It fits perfectly and works without issue. In fact, it even fits without issue in my Blackhawk Omnivore with its active retention device.

The biggest problem with buying a new light is holster availability. Well, the Nightstick has built-in support, so that’s nice.

Will other TLR-holsters (as in from other manufacturers) accept it? The manufacturer says they will. We’ll see if that holds true. 

 

Let’s Beat the Sh!t Out Of It!

This is my favorite part of testing stuff: taking it behind the barn and giving it the old Yella treatment! Well, kind of. I don’t like to think I do crazy stupid torture tests, but I will look at the supposed ratings and test those specific ratings.

Drop Test

Nightstick claims the TWM-30F can withstand a 2-meter drop. Now I’m an American, and I only understand measurements used by countries who’ve gone to the moon. It turns out 2 meters is 6.5 feet. As a dude whose almost 6.5 feet tall, I held the light attached to a blue gun above my head and let it drop.

Over and over, at various angles to see if it would fail. For the last few drops, I even left it on to see if it would shut off when dropped—no such luck. The Nightstick TWM-30F took the beating better than Butch Coolidge.

 

Going Higher

I guess it could survive two meters, but what about a ten-foot drop? Well, up the ladder I went, and after fighting off a nest of wasps, I dropped it time and time again. Again, the Nightstick kept ticking and never even flickered at the abuse I tossed at it (or tossed it from). 

Water Test

With an IPX7 rating, the TWM-30F can be tossed in water for 30 minutes. I did just that.

I filled a bucket of water and dropped it in. Then I left it there. I went and mopped, did some dishes, and made my world-famous muffins. While I intended to leave it there for 30 minutes, it was actually about 36 minutes total. The good news is that the Nightstick TWM-30F took the extra time underwater in stride.

Hit a Punching Bag

Let’s pretend for a moment that I live a much more exciting life than I actually, currently do, and I need to use my gun as an impact weapon.

Maybe I’m experienced in gun-fu.

Can the light take the abuse? Well, let’s find out. I got a little fella I call Bob from Century. The Bob is a tool used to practice martial arts, boxing, and now pistol-whipping. I slammed the blue gun and downward, forward, and side to side to really shake things up.

The Nightstick (and, to be fair, Bob also) took the beating without tapping out.

 

 

Cleared Hot to Light It Up

The Nightstick TWM-30F surprised me. I had never used a Nightstick light before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I went in blind but came out and saw the light, so to speak. The Nightstick TWM-30F is a fantastic little light; it’s durable, affordable, and bright. I’m now a fair bit curious as to what else Nightstick has and will be taking a second look at their products.

 

 Travis Pike
 

Back to top.

 

 

NightStick’s TWM-30 Handgun WML

David Higginbotham, 8/31/21 

 

Nightstick isn’t entirely new to the weapon-mounted light game. The company has a much deeper history with other industries, like fire service and mining, but they’re bringing their expertise from years in the field to a new line of lights for guns. Happily, we got an early look at the Nightstick TWM-30.

This is a first-impression piece here–the basics on the TWM-30. If you want to dive into all of the specs and more detail, check out the intro piece here.

The Nightstick TWM-30 is a seriously bright light. 1,200 lumens, as the box above denotes, is bright. Do not cut this joker on until you have it pointed in a safe direction.

Inside, the light is so bright that I find it a bit blinding, even when it isn’t pointed at me — but that’s hitting the switch in full darkness. Outside, it is less effulgent, as there’s less to immediately bounce the light back.

The cone of light that comes off of the TWM-30 has a bright center spot and a wide–less bright–flood. This is a useful tool for highlighting a wide area of your surroundings while also pinpointing a more narrow area of your target.

And 1,200 lumens is a kind of weapon in its own right. The light, even the spill, is blinding.

Installing the TWM-30

This is a new system to me. The TWM-30 connects to the typical Picatinny rail, but there are two places where this connection happens.

The first is the predictable Picatinny claw action on the sides of the light. In the middle, on the backside, is an insert that has a bar for indexing slots on the rail itself. While this doesn’t add grip to the connection, it does prevent the light from moving forward and back on the rail.

At the side of the TWM-30, a stainless bolt tightens the light to the rail. This system is familiar enough to most of us. The tension provided in this connection is enough to hold the light in place on the gun.

Inside, two CR123 A batteries provide the juice for the 1,200 lumens of the TWM-30. Run time should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:45. Like most lights, you’ll need to have the battery in place before you install the light.

The design of the body feels robust. If I can get off track for a moment, I’ll put in one word of caution. The hot surface warning is legit. This thing gets hot. This is not a light I’d leave on long. If you need a flashlight, get a flashlight.

The Nightstick TWM-30 comes with three small panels that can be used to dial in the fit for different rails. One comes installed, and there are two extras in the bag. From the backside, as you see below, they look the same.

On the flip-side, though, are letters and a cross-bar for fitting to a rail. These are meant for larger pistols and won’t fit on any of the micro-9s I’ve got kicking around.

The machining on the panels is nice. They only go into the body in one direction. There’s no way to goof them up, unless you were to loosen the screw that holds it down. Even that, though, isn’t likely as Nightstick has provided a spare.

The TWM-30 in operation

 

 

Finding the right fit with the TWM-30

This is a Goldilocks kind of thing, but I’m going to start with the Nightstick TWM-30 mounted on the gun I have on hand that it fits on best –a Springfield Armory TRP.

Getting the TWM-30 in place is complicated by the length of the body. It is almost long enough that it needs a channel to allow for the trigger guard on most pistols. Otherwise, the switches are flush with, or ahead of the trigger guard. That isn’t the end of the world, but I like the way it fits on the TRP.

The Nightstick TWM-30 on an Adams Arms AA19 wasn’t as perfect. As you can see in the image below, with insert #2–which should work–the slant of the trigger guard prevents it from seating. This is why there are multiple inserts.

With insert #1, the TWM-30 sits on the gun. I can still run the switches with that trigger finger with little difficulty. I’d prefer to have the light back against that trigger guard and don’t like that gap there, but it fits and is still easily controlled.

The Nightstick TWM-30 on the Sig Sauer P226 presented similar problems. Though it fit, the activation switches on the TWM-30 required a bit more reach. And the unit wasn’t seated fully on the rail.

And you can see in the image below that the under-side of the light was exposed a bit just past where the frame ends. This includes the screw that holds the insert to the light body. If that screw shifts during extended shooting, the light should stay in place. But I’d rather have that bolt covered up by the gun itself, as it is on the TRP.

This problem is hardly unique to this light. There’s not an industry standard for how these rail slots are placed on a frame. They’re all damn-near the same, but sometimes damn-near is not enough.

Even though the spacing of a Picatinny slot is standardized, the distance between the first slot and the trigger guard is often determined by the spacing of the end of the rail at the muzzle-end of the gun. Follow that logic?

In the image below, I’ve got the inserts lined up in order on three guns. They look very similar here, but that’s deceptive. The body of the light adds length that makes fitment a bit of a mix-and-match game.

 

One big thing in the Nightstick TWM-30’s favor is the bolt that holds it to the rail. While the little screw holding the insert in place in the image below will help determine spacing, the knurled bolt holds it to the rail. And that bolt is spring-loaded.

The spring pushes the bolt out, holding the light onto the rail (even when it isn’t locked down tight). Should the bolt come loose, that spring should keep the light on the gun (in combination with the rail-spacer insert below it, which would prevent the light from simply sliding off the rail).

Holstering the Nightstick TWM-30

Details on holsters are still hazy–our intro article suggests that it fits in the TLR1 holsters. There’s a very good chance that the TWM-30 will also fit in holsters designed for the SureFire X300–at least those that aren’t wet-molded leather or form-fitting Kydex.

I’m thinking here of the holsters from Safariland.

Safariland maintains intense tolerances for their retention devices, but the holster bodies on some of those are more open in the muzzle-end to allow for a variety of lights.

On the Range with the Nightstick TWM-30

The light should run for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Nightstick says it is water-resistant down to a meter. While this isn’t very deep, few of us swim with our guns. It is more about the confidence to know the light can handle sweat and rain with no problem.

These are early days with the TWM-30. We shot for a couple of hours, off and on, and didn’t kill the light or the batteries. It handled recoil well and didn’t shoot loose.

 

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 is currently selling for $129.99. If you want a light that can crank out the lumens and one with an impressive run time, this might be the one for you.

 

DH

 

 

Back to top.

 

 

 

 

The world of concealed carry pistols has never been bigger. In fact, I could say that every year for the last ten years and be correct. The market changes quite a bit, and fads come and go. The current fad has strayed away from the smallest gun possible with more focus on capacity. These days, it seems the minimal accepted capacity is ten rounds.

Today we are doing a little SIG P365 vs. G43X showdown. Since the Sig P365 kicked this whole thing off, it makes sense that the P365 gets to go first against its most steadfast competitors. One of the latest is the Glock 43X.

The P365 kicks the crap out of the original Glock 43. When the Sig P365 premiered, the Glock 43 ruled as king of the single stacks. Like Yertle the turtle, the king collapsed on itself when a little resistance popped up. The Sig P365 hit the ground running by being essentially the same size as the Glock 43 but packed an additional four rounds.

How does the Sig P365 stand up to the G43X? That’s the question and that we are trying to solve today with our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X bout for blood.

Why Not P365 XL vs Glock 43X?

Off the bat, I know some comments are going to pop up asking me the whys behind my logic. One of those questions will undoubtedly be why a Sig P365 vs Glock 43X article and not one about the XL series vs. the G43X? Or the P365 vs the G48?

Well, to be honest, the G43X and P365 standard models are more comparable. The P365 XL and Glock 48 are in a slightly different category in my mind. The P365 XL vs Glock 48 would be comparable. In the future, we might explore that, but for now, we are focusing on the little guys and keeping it to the P365 vs G43X.

These two guns are the more compact models. They have shorter barrels, similar ballistics, and similar handling capabilities.

Sig P365 vs Glock 43X Specs Showdown

When we look at the specs in our P365 vs. G43X, we have to keep things in context. Both guns are designed for concealed carry and as backup firearms for duty use.

As such, they tend to try to be small, lightweight, and easily concealable. At the same time, we all know that the smaller a gun gets, the harder it is to control. With that in mind, let’s look at the numbers. We all know numbers never lie y’all.

Size Matters, Boys

Guys, size matters, regardless of what they tell you. Accept it, embrace it, and pay attention to it.

We’ll start with length because we all know length is the most important thing. Sig’s P365 measures out to 5.8 inches with a 3.1-inch barrel. Glock plastic fantastic G43X measures 6.5 inches total with a 3.41-inch barrel. Sig’s more compact lengthwise, but the G43X’s barrel provides a little more velocity, and a longer barrel makes a more controllable firearm.

A Tall Drink of Water

Height is quite important as well. The Glock 43X is 5.04 inches tall and the Sig P365 is 4.3 inches tall with its flush-fitting ten-round magazine. Here is where most shooters will see the biggest difference. Both guns hold ten rounds at these measurements, but the Sig is considerably shorter.

When you carry with a focus on concealment, the height measurement matters, and a taller gun often has a longer grip. We can conceal the barrel and slide of the pistol in an IWB rig, but that grip pokes out and makes concealment a little tougher.

Sig pulls ahead in this little Sig P365 vs Glock 43X showdown.

Tipping the Scales

Both the P365 and G43X provide a lightweight platform that leans on polymer to keep things light and easy to handle. The Sig weighs 17.8 ounces with an empty magazine, and the Glock weighs 18.7 ounces with an empty magazine. The difference here is hardly discernible.

Sig P365 vs Glock 43X Features Break Down

What features matter to you? That could make a big difference when you look into purchasing your firearm. Let’s dig into the features of each gun and see if one pulls ahead of the other in our P365 Vs. G43X match.

Both include two magazines that each hold ten rounds. Glock includes a mag loader, which is nice. Sig includes a magazine with a flush floor plate and a magazine with a finger extension. Both Glock and Sig offer optics-ready options if you want to take that route.

Sig does include the very nice XRAY3 day and night sights that are made entirely from metal. Glock includes their always terrible plastic polymer sights that everyone changes immediately.

The P365 also uses the fire control unit concept that allows users to swap frames and slides to change the gun with aftermarket options. It’s handy, and I use it with a metal frame module, or an XL slide, or any combination of aftermarket parts.

The P365 magazine design allows it to be incredibly efficient. As such, you can purchase 12 and 15 round magazines that offer substantially more capacity than the Glock 43X. Even with the 12 rounder in place, the Sig P365 remains shorter than the G43X.

On the Range

Both guns provide a very nice ergonomic grip. The Sig uses a high trigger undercut and high beavertail to allow for a nice high grip on the gun. The Glock 43X’s longer grip provides a nice hand-filling grip similar in length to the famed Glock 19. Comfort-wise, both feel nice and provide sufficient texture to keep the gun in my hand and to shoot comfortably.

Both guns are more than accurate enough. The Glock sights suck but don’t inhibit accuracy. The bright Sig sights make it easy to see and focus on the front sight. Both have crisp triggers, and if I had to pick one, the Sig has a smoother trigger. The longer sight radius of the Glock 43X did make a little difference at longer ranges.

When I stretched my legs out to 25 yards, I found myself ringing a six-inch gong more consistently with the Glock 43X. Something can be said for not only the longer sight radius but, the longer grip as well. I’ve been shooting the P365 for years now but found myself hitting that 6-inch gong ten out of ten times more consistently with the G43X.

When you mix in speed, the G43X handles better. That more substantial grip gives my big hands more to hold onto, and the longer barrel helps with muzzle rise, I’m sure. The G43X delivers when you need to lay down the trigger fast with a higher degree of accuracy.

For concealed carry purposes, both guns succeed, but for our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X contest, the G43X provides a little more accuracy.

What About Reliability?

I can happily report that both guns have proven to be incredibly reliable. I’ve fired thousands of rounds through the Sig P365 with maybe a handful of malfunctions, hard primers, and the like. The Glock 43X has delivered a flawless performance in the last 450 rounds, including with various magazines and magazine extensions. This category is awash in our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X contest.

Reloading

When I started shooting and running different drills, I didn’t see huge gaps in performance in most categories. What I did see was a clear difference when it came to reloading. My big hands force me to utilize the pinky extension on the P365. When I reload the P365, I have to be observant to release that pinky, or I pin the magazine in place.

The full-length grip of the Glock 43X means no pinky to pin in the magazine. I can drop the magazine free and not have to think about it. It’s a fast, more intuitive reload and worth noting.

So Who Wins?

I found myself liking the G43X way more than I thought I would. It still runs with the single stack design, which limits its potential when facing the Sig P365. I do prefer the more efficient design of the P365 in terms of size and capacity. If I was a big Glock guy, I would go with the G43X. It delivers that stock-standard Glock experience you are well associated with. If you are looking for the smallest but most efficient carry gun, then the P365 wins. It’s a tough call, and both of our P365 Vs. G43X contestants are fantastic pistols.

Which would you choose? Let us know below!

 

In a gun world that seems to be overflowing with polymer pistols, it’s nice to see a steel-framed model hit the market. When that steel pistol comes from a respected brand like Walther Arms, it’s even better. In this video review, the guys at AmmoLand TV go through a 1,000-round test of the Walther PPQ Q4 Steel-Frame pistol covering pros, cons, and everything in between.

So, how does the steel frame change things?

Grant has this to say regarding the heft of this gun (being steel-framed tends to add on the ounces, after all):

“Speaking of which, there is…no felt recoil and very little muzzle rise with the Walther. Now, this is no doubt in…part [due] to the weapon’s very heavy 40 ounce, overall, unloaded weight. You did not hear that incorrectly. Yes, it weighs more than a full-size CZ SP01. But, just like the CZ, has almost no felt recoil as a result of a very clean action combined with its hefty weight. And although it sounds a little crazy, the combination of all that weight and the 9mm round’s already pretty negligible recoil impulse, [but] the gun feels like shooting a full-size 22 when you’re shooting full-powered 9 through it.”

He goes on to admit it is “extremely heavy” but that Walther is still marketing it as a concealed carry firearm. And here’s the thing: being heavy shouldn’t automatically make a gun seem unsuitable for carry. Many factors must be considered including your wardrobe, daily activities, holster, and gun belt. But when it comes right down to it, most gun owners are capable of carrying larger, heavier guns than they realize. It really is all in the holster and belt combination. If one is of poor quality, it won’t be much help if the other is fantastic. Be sure your holster provides the proper retention, positioning, and comfort — but pair it with a well-made gun belt. This might be a heavier pistol but you can certainly use it as your EDC (EveryDay Carry) if you want.

Check out the video to find out what else Grant had to say about this pistol:

Walther PPQ Q4 Features

Walther summarizes the PPQ Q4 Steel Frame:

“A feat in firearm engineering that simply must be felt to be believed, the Q4 Steel Frame will surpass all expectations with its unrivaled accuracy and performance. Its steel frame – precision machined from solid steel billet – improves ergonomics with a wrap-around grip panel, extended beavertail, full length picatinny rail and recessed slide release. The weight distribution of the steel frame drastically reduces recoil to improve shooter performance, ultimately contributing to overall efficiently.”

The pistol weighs 39.7 ounces empty, and with a 15-round capacity it definitely has some bulk to it when it’s loaded. It’s a semiautomatic chambered in 9mm with a 4.0-inch barrel and testing has shown it to be accurate. With an overall height of 5.4 inches and an overall length of 7.4 inches, it will take extra effort to conceal it, but it’s not impossible.

Is the heavier weight a good thing?

Yes, there are a few reasons that the increased weight can be beneficial, including increased:

• recoil mitigation
• accuracy
• durability

Check out the video above for more details or take a look at Walther’s website here.

Walther PPQ Q4 Specifications

Manufacturer: Walther Arms

Model: PPQ Q4 Steel Frame

Caliber: 9mm

Capacity: 15 rounds

Barrel length: 4.0 inches

Trigger Pull: 5.6 pounds

Overall length: 7.4 inches

Overall Height: 5.4 inches

Width: 1.3 inches

Weight: 39.7 ounces, empty

MSPR: $1499