New Gun Releases

The M1A is a fantastic rifle platform, one that’s been the gold standard as the semi-automatic, civilian version of the military’s M14 for years. Springfield Armory has the M1A designation trademarked and their M1A line is fairly extensive. If you are a fan of the M1A platform and want a rifle that’s built to blend in with its surroundings, Springfield Armory’s Two-Tone in Desert FDE is absolutely worth a closer look.

If you’re curious about the M1A platform, Springfield Armory supplied the following details about it:

The classic. The ultimate icon. The legendary hero. Descended from the M14 rifle, the M1A is a civilian-legal semi-auto version of that revered U.S. Military rifle that dominates the competition fields — and the heart of America.

From 1959 to 1970, the M14 served with distinction as the standard issue rifle of the United States military after the revered M1 Garand. When Springfield Armory made the civilian-legal variant in 1974, shooters across the land rejoiced.

The windage and elevation adjustable rear sight makes zeroing the rifle a pleasure, while the two-stage military trigger, detachable box magazine, op-rod, and roller cam bolt provide functional ease of operation and faithful reliability.

Well-suited for a day at the range, competition or hanging on your wall in front of an American flag, the…M1A is for the patriot looking to fill a special place in their collection.

The M1A Two-Tone in Desert FDE is available with an 18-inch or 22-inch barrel as either the Scout Squad or Standard, respectively. Both rifles are chambered in 308 Winchester, have a two-stage trigger, and ship with two magazines (one 10-round and one 15-round). Other shared features include:

• National Match 0.62 inch front blade sight
• Military .0690 Aperture, MOA Adj. for Windage & Elevation rear sight
• 1 in 11 twist rate
• The barrel is 6 groove, made from carbon steel
• Two-Tone Desert FDE composite stock
• Ships with OD Green cotton sling

Length varies, which is understandable due to the different barrel lengths. The Scout Squad, which has the shorter 18-inch barrel, has a length of 40.33 inches; the Standard has a length of 44.33 inches. Interestingly, the empty weight of both rifles is listed at 8 pounds, 8 ounces. As for muzzle devices, the Scout Squad ships with a muzzle brake, and the Standard ships with a flash hider. If you prefer an optic to the iron sights the rifles come with, it is possible to mount a scope to the M1A platform using Springfield Armory’s mounts.

These rifles are available exclusively through Nation’s Best Sport Distributor (NBS). MSRP for the M1A Standard Issue Two-Tone Desert FDE is $1,847. MSRP for the M1A Scout Squad Two-Tone Desert FDE is $1,980.

Meet Night Fision Sights’ optics-ready ORS Series, cause making sure you’ve got irons is important. You know in case of batteries failing, unintended optic trauma, some sort of thermo-nuclear emp, or wild badger attacks. The ORS or “Optics Ready Stealth Series” will be available for select Glock, Sig Sauer, and H&K. Here’s what Night Fision had to say about the release.

Night Fision Sights | Optics Ready

Night Fision’s ORS tritium sights are engineered to offer a lower ⅓ co-witness. Night Fision Sights, with the new blade heights, a more comprehensive array of optics and handgun combinations will see what is regarded as the best position for backup irons on a handgun with a slide-mounted optic.

ORS sights are designed from the dovetail up to work as backup sights for optics yet obscuring less of the optic window while still allowing three-dot sight as an alternative to repurposing Suppressor Height sights alignment if needed.

Night Fision is pleased to announce new blade height offerings for three manufacturers in their Optics Ready Stealth Series product line; Glock, SIG SAUER, and Heckler & Koch.

Optics Ready Stealth Glock Sights

Designed to work with pistol optics, these Optics Ready Glock sights offer the perfect 1/3 co-witness tailored to the shooter’s preference. Additionally, they are serrated for low glare, so you’ll never know they’re there until you need them.

Optics Ready Stealth SIG Sauer Sights

Designed to work with pistol optics, these Optics Ready SIG Sauer sights offer the perfect 1/3 co-witness tailored to the shooter’s preference. Additionally, they are serrated for low glare, so you’ll never know they’re there until you need them.

Optics Ready Stealth HK VP9 Sights

Designed to work with pistol optics, these Optics Ready HK VP9 sights offer the perfect 1/3 co-witness tailored to the shooter’s preference. Additionally, they are serrated for low glare, so you’ll never know they’re there until you need them.

Night Fision Sights ORS FEATURES

• Green Tritium Vials in front and rear sights are housed in a ballistic-grade polymer.
• Thin ring size on front sight balances visibility without distraction.
• Perfect Dot front sights have a domed lens to focus glow for crisp sight picture, and fluorescent rings guaranteed not to chip, crack, or break.
• Rear sight available in blank or with black polymer ringed Tritium.
• Serrated heavy-duty steel sight body complimented by a tough Nitride Coating.
• Blade heights allow for various co-witness possibilities with different optic, plate, and milling-depth combinations.
• Built-in the USA with Swiss Tritium

These new sights are designed in a way that they are just high enough to clear the optic. Many shooters have used suppressor height sights to co-witness with an optic in the past. The problem is that it clutters the optic sight window and can become distracting to the shooter. With many pistol optic manufacturers making larger sight windows, why would we want to impede that with tall irons?

The new Optics Ready Stealth tritium sights are designed to sit right at the bottom of the pistol optic sight window, allowing you to take full advantage of the sight picture but still have co-witnessed irons as a backup.

“These additions to our most popular product line affirm that they truly are designed with our customers in mind,” said Rachel Maloney, Marketing Director for Night Fision, “that we can help our customers create their perfect sight picture and remove any barriers to both having the brightest night sights on the market mounted on their gun, yet avoid crowding their optic window when they aren’t needed.”

For more information on these products or other Night Fision Sights offerings, visit the Night Fision website.

If you run shotguns, odds are good you’ve at least heard of mini shotshells. Smaller in stature, these shorter shotshells offer shooters greater capacity with a solid performance, which is a win-win. Federal Premium Personal Defense Force X2 Shorty 00 Buckshot is a fantastic example of just what a short shotshell can get done.

Federal Premium offered details on the Force X2 Shorty:

Federal has combined the power of two of our newest technologies to create a shotshell option that changes the nature of self-defense. Force X2 Shorty shells measure just 1 ¾ inches but hold a payload of six 00 segmenting buckshot engineered to split into two equal pieces on impact. When used with firearms designed to cycle sub-length shotshells like the Mossberg 590S, the loads offer much higher magazine capacities with up to twice the wound channels over standard buckshot loads.

According to the ammo maker, these shotshells contain pellets designed to separate and create significantly larger wound channels upon impact. Because they measure only 1 3/4 inches in overall length, more of these shotshells fit in the gun, giving the user significantly greater capacity. In addition, their shorter length means the risks associated with possible over-penetration are lessened. This suggested there could be major benefits to using Federal’s Force X2 Shorty shotshells in home defense shotguns. Not all shotguns will feed shortened shotshells, but many do and there are also adapters available for certain models.

Jesse Whiteside, Federal’s Senior Director of Product Management, made the following remarks about the company’s 12 gauge Shorty:

Shotgun platforms are evolving to be able to cycle 1 ¾-inch shells reliably. The Mossberg 590S is a great example of that. When Mossberg demonstrated the new gun to us, we immediately saw the potential of the increased capacity and terminal effects of Shorty Force X2 load.

The concept behind Force X2 is pretty straightforward. In a 6-pellet 00 FX2 Buck load you get 12 wound channels. And with the short size, you get more magazine capacity. It’s as simple as that.

Force X2 Shorty Shotshells — Features

• Made using 12-gauge 1 ¾-inch six-pellet segmenting buckshot
• FX2 copper-plated buckshot pellets are designed to split in half on impact to create a larger wound channel
• Manageable recoil, especially when compared to standard length shotshells
• Double the wound channels due to pellet design
• Less risk of over-penetration
• Muzzle velocity of 1245 feet per second, according to the manufacturer
• Density of 11g/cc

MSRP for a 10-round box of Federal Premium Personal Defense Force X2 00 BuckShot is $28.99.

Have you tried mini or shorty shotshells in your shotgun? How’d it work for you? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Using a suppressor on your gun protects your hearing and also the hearing of anyone around you. And if you’re a hunter, having a suppressed rifle is fantastic because it’s far less likely to scare off the game in the area. If the 5.56 NATO is your preferred platform, the Dead Air Silencers Sierra-5 suppressor is worth a closer look to drop the decibels produced by live fire.

Mike Pappas, Dead Air’s co-founder, made the following statement about the Sierra-5:

We’ve been working on this for a while. We’ve designed the Sierra-5 from the ground up to be a dedicated 5.56 suppressor. It sounds amazing. It’s lightweight and has uncompromising durability for the professional. We really feel this combination alone will appeal to hunters and tactical shooters alike.

The Dead Air Silencers Sierra-5 is available as either the Sierra-5 Xeno or the Sierra-5 KeyMo. The Xeno was designed to be compatible with the associated mounting system and the KeyMo works with KeyMo adapters. Both models are produced to Dead Air Silencer’s exacting specifications.

Dead Air Silencer also released details about the Sierra-5 suppressor:

From the beginning, our mission has been to give No Quarter in design, performance, and technology. The Sierra-5 stands true to that mission by giving you everything you want out of a dedicated 5.56 silencer.

This is a hard-use silencer. We are not cutting costs or decreasing lifespan by using stainless steel baffles. We are not sacrificing durability in search of saving a few ounces. The Sierra-5 is full-auto rated with no barrel length restrictions. Love or hate the knurling, it’s function over form, directly inline with our goal when developing the Sierra-5. Frankly, if you don’t get the Sierra-5 red hot each time you shoot it we might be offended.

Built for professional use, it offers the perfect balance of overall sound and flash suppression while maintaining a compact footprint and minimal weight. By utilizing HUB compatible (1.375-24”) mounting adapters, it can be configured to the end user’s specific needs and is available out of the box with either our KeyMo or Xeno mounting system.

Featuring the proven winning combination of welded Stellite baffles wrapped in a stainless outer tube, Sierra-5 is the last 5.56 suppressor you’ll need.

Sierra-5 KeyMo Specifications

• Materials: Stellite baffles, Stainless Steel
• Finish: High temp Cerakote, Nitride adapter, and mount
• Caliber Rating: 5.56/.223, 224 Valkyrie
• Energy Rating: 2200+ ft-lbs.
• Diameter: 1.55”
• Length: 6.27” (with KeyMo adapter)
• Weight: 15.4oz (with KeyMo adapter)
• Includes: KeyMo Adapter, KeyMo 1/2-28 Flash Hider, TL Tool Pack
• MSRP: $929

Sierra-5 Xeno Specifications

• Materials: Stellite baffles, Stainless Steel
• Finish: High temp Cerakote, Nitride adapter, and mount
• Caliber Rating: 5.56/.223, 224 Valkyrie
• Energy Rating: 2200+ ft-lbs.
• Diameter: 1.55”
• Length: 5.72” (with Xeno adapter)
• Weight: 13.3oz (with Xeno adapter)
• Includes: Xeno Adapter, Xeno 1/2-28 Flash Hider, TL Tool Pack
• MSRP: $859

Colt has been expanding their line of snake guns for the past few years by giving old classics revolvers modern touches. One of the more interesting guns in the line is the King Cobra Target, a revolver chambered in 22 LR. The respected gun maker has stated it’s a versatile model with many applications, including competition shooting, hunting, and plinking.

One thing is certain, and that is that the overall bulk of the Colt King Cobra Target negates almost any possibility of felt recoil. With its 22 LR chambering and stainless steel frame, this is a revolver that would make a fantastic model for introducing kids or new shooters in general to the wonders of wheel guns. After all, it pays to be a well-rounded shooter, and that means being capable of running a revolver just as well as a semi-auto.

Justin Baldini, Vice President of Product Strategy at Colt CZ-USA, said:

We are very excited to [have] debut[ed] this new baby snake to our customers at NRA Annual Meetings. Shooting .22 LR is such an important part of shooting sports. It’s where we come to learn as a beginner; and where we return as seasoned shooters to cost-effectively enjoy more time at the range. We’re confident that new and old Colt fans will love what we’ve done with the new King Cobra 22 LR.

In addition to its polished stainless steel frame, the Colt King Cobra Target has a stainless steel, one-piece barrel, and overmolded Hogue rubber grips. This is a double-action-only gun, but the trigger is surprisingly good. It has a 10-round capacity and is being offered with either a 4.0-inch or 6.0-inch barrel. Both barrel lengths have a 1 in 16 RH twist rate. Guns ship from the factory with a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable target rear sight.

The revolver feels comfortable in the hand and seems to be well balanced. Parts fit together well and there is no concerning wiggle or slipping in the cylinder. All in all, this is a beautifully executed baby snake gun from Colt.

This is the type of gun that’s ideal for introducing basic revolver skills. With almost no felt recoil whatsoever, overall accuracy, and solid fitment of parts, the Colt King Cobra Target is a good choice for any and all gun owners. And if you are so inclined, it could certainly be used to hunting varmints and small pests like rabbits. Colt believes this gun will eventually become the favorite of competition shooters, but only time will tell.

MSRP for the Colt King Cobra Target in 22 LR is $999.00.

Do you have a revolver? Would you want one that’s chambered in 22 LR? Why or why not? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.