Belleville Boot Company’s New Ultralight Certified Marine Corps Combat Boot
Belleville Boot Company is introducing the newest Marine Expeditionary Footwear – the 510 MEF – representing what they call a “breakthrough in combat boot technology” and one of the lightest boots authorized for Marines to wear.
Fusing a moccasin-like Strobel constructed upper to an ultralight polyurethane (PU) midsole, the 510 MEF proves to be one of the lightest, most flexible, and most durable combat boots on the market. Designed to perform; the 510 MEF maintained stability, durability, and comfort across the multiple environments tested by Marines.
In addition, the 510 MEF features
- Cool-Mesh hydrophilic lining to wick moisture away from the foot
- Long-wearing Vibram® 100% rubber outsole
- Low-density PU midsole to minimize weight and enhance shock absorption
- Berry Compliant / USMC Certification #001375
The 510 MEF will be available in most Marine Corps Exchange stores (MCX) in late February 2022 as well as online at bellevilleboot.com.
For more information about the Belleville 510 MEF boot, visit www.bellevilleboot.com; connect on Instagram @bellevillepublicsafety.
About Belleville Boot Company:
Since its founding in 1904, Belleville Boot Company has been equipping America’s servicemen and women with high-performance, duty-specific boots. Operating 4 factories in Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri, Belleville continues to be the oldest and one of the largest suppliers to the US Military and LE communities.
Belleville, IL. January 25, 2022 – Belleville Boot Company introduces the newest Marine Expeditionary Footwear – the 510 MEF – representing a breakthrough in combat boot technology and one of the lightest boots authorized for Marines to wear.
Why Firearm Training Is More Important Than Gear
The Same Guys That Tell You “One Is None, Two Is One” Will Also Tell You: “Sometimes Less Is More”
Two of the core mantras of a collective of badasses called the Navy Seals, simultaneously proves they are both prepared, and that they are minimalists. But these are also important to be taken as standalone beliefs of the group, and still able to be interpreted by the individual operator in their own way.
When you hear two is one, one is none – there has been a time where there wasn’t redundancy for the individual. Maybe the ruck was too full, or the mission was too soon, or there just wasn’t enough of the resource available. And, yet, they live lives of minimalists, because adapting is in their DNA.
Can Less Really Be More When It Comes To Firearm Training?
Less can be more. And this author’s experience with many legitimate operators has proven that the mentality is a very good operational pillar when it comes to delivering on needs, not focusing on wants.
I’m not going to name drop, it won’t make me cool. I couldn’t drop any number of names that would make me as cool as even one of these heroes. What I will do is take many years of small, subtle lessons learned through simple sentences without any hesitation, and a lot of body language from team guys in real world firearm training or discussion and try to condense it into an article about how we can refocus to do more with less kit. If you are looking to do more with less money, check around on the internet for deals to stretch your dollar further.
More importantly, I’ll try to do these guys justice and explain how they view situations in warfighting. Which is what each of us really wants to know about when it comes to self defense and our combat capabilities: “What do the real professionals think when faced with the toughest conditions and most difficult decisions?”
I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with Special operations folks and legitimate high speed low drag people over the years, thankfully in a subdued and non-combat related fashion. I’ve also worked with special people in the training game that train these guys with knowledge that stands alone from the group training they get in their respective organizations. And it’s not just team guys, but a lot of different, stealthy, high capability people.
The objective: to prove that less can be more, and that a shift in mindset might be all you need to get to the next level you’re looking for.
Why a lot of guys with real world combat experience prefer less accessorizing and more firearm training
Because there have been times where accessories failed. Right when it mattered. Right when they needed to rely on it. They realize quickly that the only thing they can rely on truly is themselves and the idea that their peers are as equally invested in their own individual improvement as they are, so that each member of that team is perfecting what they can to be the best in every way possible.
Sure people can fail other people too. But the idea is that if you rely on yourself above all else, and then you push yourself to be the best, eventually, you will overcome the weakness that exists in relying on any other thing, including an accessory to help you win a battle.
In this case, what these guys do (or did for a living at one time) is directly related to shooting, defending themselves (going on the offensive to get the bad guys), and winning at all costs.
This is not a lecture, but it’s also kind of a lecture
Stop worrying about your shiny new object and get really, really good with the raw tooling that you will need to carry you through your worst case scenario. Forget that the guy down the range just bought a 12k rifle. He probably is overcompensating for his lacking in skills to use it. When you get to the point where you are a better tack driver than your sub ¼ MOA bolt gun, you deserve that build – go buy it then.
Until then you can get a sub 1MOA AR-15 built for less than the cost of a high end factory pistol. And that will carry you well into the skills you really want to be developing anyways.
So ,no, it’s not a lecture, but it is: Forget about ego and vanity and cool accessories and get really, really good. Then go buy a big trophy piece so you can show off that talent properly.
It’s like the cool guy at the party that learned a single song on the piano for the times when he can show off. Sure he can play one minute and 47 seconds of “Summer” from “Four Seasons” by Vivaldi. But thats’ a party trick.
But there is a guy, who can play all four seasons and can capture an audience for 47 minutes because he is the real deal and he is the guy that wins the hearts and gets remembered. Be the guy that is the master of the craft, and any tool will work, no matter how bare bones, because a maestro is a maestro, nothing less.
That’s the deal.
You know what? Some of these guys can’t shoot as well as some civilians. But they have ice in their veins, and while they may not have as tight of groups as the person who shoots a thousand rounds a week from a benchrest – they can make the single shot that counts. The one that ends the engagement.
If you want to be the master of the defensive scenario, or the real world combat scenario, or any scenarios you can realistically envision yourself being in – learn to have ice in your veins because you have done it right a thousand times, after you learned from the thousand previous failures.
That’s the concept behind less is more. Get better, until the tool no longer makes the performance, and rather, you use the tool to create the performance.
There will be jokes
Having attended many range sessions, firearm training classes and having conversed at length about this topic with real world operators of all types, there are a lot of jokes being told about mall cop mentalities and tacticool setups. To each their own – What do I care if you bring a rig so shiny to the gun fight, that it blinds the bad guys into submission?
It’s just a fact of life – when it counts, and your life is on the line, a lot of the fluff won’t matter. If you feel good about your skills, and you want or need your accessories or some specialty bespoke option to do the work – then it’s going to be assistive. There will still be jokes at the carbine run and gun class, but you do you. Jokes don’t factor into the mix when there’s someone in your home, uninvited at 3am, and you are roused from bed to a blaring alarm and an aggressive home invader.
In full transparency though – I’ve heard some amazing snickers of delight and seen some awesome facial expressions when some guy pulls out his trophy carbine. Old operators like to keep it light when they can.
The reasons you want to learn “Slow is smooth, and smooth is slow”
Enough with the mantras, right? But there’s a reason these guys talk in short, simple and meaningful, lowest common denominator type language. It leaves an impact. It tells a story without half baked commentary. It gets to the point. And when you need to deliver on a task, you need to be effective in your entire tasklist. You need to communicate well.
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. It means that a truly competent individual is executing at the highest level, regardless of what it takes to do that. Generally it means that you are doing everything over and over again, until you cannot mess it up because it has become a part of you. And then come the incremental improvements.
When you have practiced something so many times that it becomes ingrained in you, you cannot unlearn it. Maybe not that you cannot unlearn it, but it becomes second nature. You know why these guys don’t ever fail due to mistakes? Because they failed in practice a million times until they had addressed all points of weakness. It was no longer about what could become broken, it was now about making it stronger because it had been broken before and isn’t now.
That’s kind of like the evolution of the AR-15. It has been broken a lot in it’s past, but it’s pretty amazing now.
How a barebones build can make more sense than the tricked out one
If you only need “X” to accomplish a task, don’t get in the way and impede “X”.
Above, the words: “half baked commentary” were used. They refer to one of the better commentaries on the Vietnam War (The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien). “Whenever he told the story, Rat had a tendency to stop now and then, interrupting the flow, inserting little clarifications or bits of analysis and personal opinion. It was a bad habit, Mitchell Sanders said, because all that matters is the raw material, the stuff itself, and you can’t clutter it up with your own half-baked commentary.
That just breaks the spell. It destroys the magic. What you have to do, Sanders said, is trust your own story. Get the hell out of the way and let it tell itself.”
Imagine your toolset in combat is your war story like they talked about in the book mentioned above. Don’t clutter it with half baked accessories and add-ons. All that matters is the raw material. The Stuff itself. Rely on the continual improvement that has come to the AR platform. Get the hell out of the way and let your AR tell it’s story.
The guys I associate with that I know for a fact have seen real combat and defeated their fears in the face of it: they can’t be bothered with accessorizing. They know they have a tool. It’s not perfect, but it can do the job, when paired with their experience, understanding, and intuitiveness. And that’s where the current form of the AR comes into play. It’s refined in the fires of trial and tribulation.
A hundred thousand guys have helped to push changes. Ten million more have benefited from those changes. It’s gotten to the point where the raw virtue of the tool is such that it can do the job – if you are also prepared to help it do the job.
Get to where you don’t rely on your add-ons. Get to where you are the driver of your tool. Get to where you command what that gun can do, and then let it weave your tale. You don’t need to be in a war zone to show what you can do under pressure, or how you can succeed with the bare minimum. But if you train like you’re in a war zone, you’ll be able to handle it when it comes.
And isn’t that what a self defense situation is all about? The average citizen will never be in a position to use their CCW, or defend their home. And that is a blessing. Most of us prepare at some level for the eventuality that will never come in our lifetime. But we also worry more about how cool our tools look, rather than how well we will perform in any given scenario where SHTF quickly.
Some important considerations
- Learn to shoot on iron sights, they are a lot less likely to fail you
- If you have an accessory that is a must have – make sure you have redundancy for operational security
No one said you cannot buy a new upper receiver {possibility for a kw/link inclusion}, or a new optic, or a new accessory. But If you want real improvement, you’re never going to achieve the peak of your capabilities by relying on accessories to cover the part that you know you can improve on if you focus on the core fundamental
Sure, the team guys have tons of accessories in the movies and in real world camera footage, but they also have multiple people supporting them
In the real world when you need to rely on your skills against an unknown threat – there is a very good case to be made for the concept of anything that doesn’t contribute RIGHT NOW is only hindering your ability to put lead on target. That could be something as simple as extra things hanging off of your rifle forearm, or a sling that is not able to be utilized in the heat of the moment because you don’t have the time.
They could do it with a barebones setup. That’s the point. The accessorize for quality of life. Then many of them, based on the mission they are undertaking, strip their rifles back down to barebones to ensure they cannot be delayed or hindered by a failing accessory. It’s situational, but they can do it with less. So could you.
Buying time, preparing properly and having situational awareness can be the differentiating factor in a way that accessories could never be
While very little of this article was actually about guns, and while it’s not so much a tirade against accessories on add-ons, but rather a study in minimizing distractions and focusing on the biggest impact decisions, it’s still about guns. And about you as a shooter that has goals, even if you are casual and not hardcore.
Goals aren’t achieved by buying accessories. Goals are achieved by using necessary tools to get you to the point where you have failed through all possible scenarios. It’s only up from there. When you only have the barest of bones to work with, you must make every single interaction, and every single decision and every single movement count.
And when you slow it down to ensure that you are moving and thinking and implementing only the best possible practices in every step of the process, very quickly, you meet your goals, because you are hyper-focused on the result and you cannot be bothered by the handicap that is given by the accessory.
So can less really be more? It can be. But only if you are willing to get better on the core fundamentals instead of compensating for lack of the proper practices and firearm training and experience. Accessories can never give the type of improvement that you can get when you worry about you and your task and iterate on it until you are the master of it.
Optimizing An AR15 Upper Receiver for Home Defense
Why Is The Upper Receiver So Important?
The AR platform is relatively straight forward and offers ease in customization and modularity. Because of this, many people make the decision to build their own rifle or change and replace the upper receiver to change the caliber of the gun.
Completing your own build or swapping out AR15 upper receivers is achievable with the proper knowledge, tools, and product choices. Without, the process could go very wrong. It is a straightforward platform – not beginner simplistic.
The upper receiver you choose should be based on your individual needs. If you are going to be out in the elements often, you would want an upper that is more durable and able to handle that type of use.
Establishing your needs first will help steer you in the proper direction to make a choice. The next step is understanding the upper receiver and the options that are available.
The Function and purpose of an AR Upper Receiver
The upper receiver connects to the lower receiver and houses the charging handle, forward assist, ejection port, bolt carrier group, and a partial portion of the gas system. Combined, these components feed, extract, eject and even strike the primer of the rounds your gun fires.
These are crucial components, so it is important to take your time when you are making your choices. Always going for the least expensive may not be the best option, especially if you plan to depend on this rifle for home and self-defense.
Types of AR-15 Upper Receivers
Upper Receivers are either billet, forged, or casted. A billet receiver is constructed by milling a solid piece of metal to the proper shape from start to finish with a machining process. Forged receivers are created by forging (hammering) the upper into the proper shape and often utilizing machining to finish the process.
Casted receivers are made by pouring melted metal into a form, also known as die casting, and then finished with some machining. Forged receivers tend to be more dense and heavier, often considered the most durable. Billet and casted receivers are less dense and generally lighter.
Upper receivers are made from various metals, but aluminum is by far the most popular. Your choice should be determined by what your individual needs require.
Going beyond construction, upper receivers generally come in two forms known as “carry handle” or “flat top”. A carry handle upper receiver has a fixed carry handle also houses the rear sight. A flat top upper receiver is the most common or popular as it has a picatinny rail on top. I typically recommend the flat top upper receiver as it is much more versatile for the end user and also more widely available.
Upper receivers are also referred to as A1, A2, A3, and A4. Simply defined, the A1, A2, and A3 upper receivers have a permanent carry handle, thus making them carry handle receivers. The A4 does not which makes it a flat top upper receiver and is the only upper that can utilize an optic without needing an adapter.
The Forward Assist Reality
The forward assist is a largely debated topic as to whether or not it is needed for civilian rifles. This is a stock feature on most AR’s and is also automatically included on many upper receivers. The purpose of the forward assist is to ensure that the bolt is securely in place. When you push the forward assist, the plunger moves forward and engages the bolt carrier group moving the unit forward making certain the bolt is seated firmly after chambering a round.
Most people believe this to be an antiquated device as it originated with the M16A1. This gun could possibly jam if it were running dry or dirty, which was common in military conditions at that time. The ability to manually put the gun into battery was thought to be crucial, and the forward assist served that purpose. However, not everyone agreed on its execution.
Most notably, Eugene Stoner once stated that the AR15’s forward assist could cause more issues than solve. The military disagreed, and so our standard issue M4 and M16 rifles still feature the forward assist to this day.
Incorporating the forward assist is a personal preference. If you do tend to lean towards keeping the forward assist, there are many upgrades available that give it a more contemporary look and design.
Handguards Are an Important Aspect of Your AR15 Upper Receiver
Just like the AR platform itself, handguards are extremely modular. They come in varying shapes, sizes, colors, and styles. They also go by various names such as forend or forearm – all meaning the same thing, handguard. The handguard literally does what the name suggests, it guards and protects your hand from the heat generated by shooting.
Some things to consider when it comes to choosing a handguard would be mounting options, weight, accuracy, heat resistance and ease of installation. Some are very easy to install, while others require you to modify your AR.
The handguard surrounds the barrel and allows you to hold and support the rifle with your support side hand. Most handguards are polymer or aluminum and are designed to help keep the rifle lightweight.
Free float handguards are a great example of this as they may require you to disassemble your rifle to complete the install. It is very important to do your research prior to purchasing to ensure that the product you are getting matches your gun-smithing abilities.
Rounding Out Home and Self-Defense Options
When it comes to upper receivers for home defense purposes the common calibers used are .223 REM, 5.56 NATO and 300 Blackout Subsonic ammunition.
The 300 Blackout Subsonic is becoming very popular in recent times as it is a heavier weight and considered to cause greater impact. It is also a lower velocity than a 5.56 or .223 equivalent which some say helps alleviate over-penetration.
A must have in my own opinion for your upper receiver would be a reliable optic and back-up sights. A reliable optic that you take the time to train with and make certain is zeroed properly for you, will give you a tremendous advantage in accuracy and faster sight acquisition. Technology with optics has come a very long way in a short amount of time, and they just keep getting better. Features such as shake-awake and automatic turn-off are beneficial to ensure battery life.
Another feature that is starting to trend is the addition of night vision capabilities within certain optics. This is a great feature in low-light conditions as it spares you from having to utilize your flashlight which could essentially give away your position. Of course, you would also need night vision goggles, which can range anywhere from 1,800 dollars to 10,000 or more.
Barrel length is another factor to take into consideration when it comes to home and self-defense.
The most common barrel length in the AR platform is 16”. This length can be a little much when it comes to maneuvering throughout your home with a rifle. Some people opt for 10.5”. 11.5” and 12.5”, however a rifle right around 14.5” is actually a great option because you can pin and weld a muzzle device without having to go through the NFA process. This length will still allow you to maneuver around walls and doorways and can also go from home to vehicle and storage with ease.
Even though optics are growing exponentially in their technology, I still urge everyone to incorporate co-witnessed back-up sights. Many people state that this is antiquated thinking, however… technology, no matter how great always possesses the possibility of failing at some point. Having back-up sights that are co-witnessed with your optic is a solid contingency plan should your optic ever fail you.
Choosing the right upper receiver for your rifle is far more thought driven than most would think. With the proper research and truly evaluating your individual needs and desires, building an AR, or just swapping out your upper receiver, can be a very enjoyable experience.
Could The Ultimate Brush Gun Really Be An AR-15
What Is A Brush Gun
In the past, referring to a firearm as a brush gun meant something very specific. Oftentimes the idea of a brush gun referred more to the type of firearm the observer wanted you to envision, rather than the problem the firearm would solve out in the field. That sometimes meant in publications, it was an agenda-driven descriptor.
A brush gun is meant to be a gun that excels in a specific environment, up against specific obstacles, rather than just the pigeonholed type of firearm that was typically used synonymously with the descriptor.
When one envisions a historical idea of what a brush gun is, they might see a lever-action rifle, or a firearm capable of shooting a heavy projectile meant to be able to make it through dense bushes and heavy-laden landscapes of dead wood.
Where Did The Term Brush Gun Come From
In Vietnam soldiers often referred to the M1 carbine as a brush gun, because it had the capability of penetrating dense foliage far better than the relatively anemic .223 Remington that was offered in the original Delta Style (AR) or M16.
Today the average consumer is quite a bit luckier by being able to tap into a vast set of components and custom parts to drop in an upper receiver for the AR-15 that allows them to shoot what might be considered nowadays as the new modern brush gun cartridges.
Of course, pundits would argue that there’s no such thing as a brush gun that could be built on an AR-15 platform.
Typically, a brush gun would have been relegated to a lever-action or something like a moderately heavy 30 caliber bolt gun with a shorter overall configuration which allowed for improved mobility.
This rifle would lob heavy projectiles that could penetrate dense or dead landscapes before hitting a target accurately. All of this simply speaks to the concept that each person might have their idea of what a brush gun is.
Why The AR-15 Instead of a Lever Gun
For this article, we’d like to discuss how modern cartridge technologies built around the constraints and/or specifications (depending on how you view them) of the AR-15 and its clones make an excellent foundation for a contemporary brush gun.
That isn’t to discount the lever-action, particularly the .30-30 Winchester and the .45-70 Government, as these are fantastic. These timeless brush gun options for those who need something with knock-down power and improved field dynamics like mobility and fast follow-up shooting.
However, the AR-15 offers even faster on target and second shot capabilities in addition to the potential for enhanced mobility thanks to potentially lower weights and shorter configurations.
This article also isn’t designed to discount intermediate cartridges capable of penetrating dense forestry and still dispatching a game animal on the other end of a short-range stalked target.
There are plenty of firearms that can accomplish this task and offer significant benefits in doing so.
We argue that thanks to the modularity, and easy customization, and the access that the AR-15 has to some spectacular cartridges that can perform exceptionally well in a densely forested area, that it (the AR), might be the ultimate building block for a dedicated brush gun.
Does The AR Perform Poorly in Dense Forestry
Of course, the first question in any purist or pundit’s mind is going to be, “given how poorly the original M16 performed in the jungles of Vietnam, how can anyone ever call the AR a competent brush gun?”
And of course, the answer is this: “in four-plus decades the AR-15 has come a long way. Not only that, but the attention to detail and the innovative manufacturers on the ballistics side of the market have run wild with the capabilities of the AR-15 and pushed the envelope on what it is capable of. They look set to continue to do so.
Furthermore, the fact that the AR-15 is still relatively young in its growth cycle and there are plenty of innovators out there waiting for their opportunity to create the next “killer app” for the AR platform.
The chances that we’ll see real adoption by hunters who happen to stalk wild game in densely forested, or deadlands type landscapes, it’s a genuine possibility.
History of The Brush Gun and Typical Use Case Scenarios for Such a Firearm
A lot of purist hunters might call the .30-30 lever action the ultimate brush gun thanks to the heavy amount of lead provided, the ability to use the firearm in constrained spaces, and the ability to harvest legitimate big game animal targets with a round that is sufficiently usable in conditions where a brush gun needs to be capable.
It has also probably killed more wild game than any cartridge in North America thanks to a very good run from the late 1800s to about the 1970s.
Some might take it even further and say that the .45-70 Government is an even better brush gun, given the ability to upload or download the projectile and the powder charge to suit specific needs.
It must also be able to take such a wide range of wild game with the projectile even given it a massive size.
Again, both are lever-action firearms, and that concept isn’t lost on this author.
Many consider Jeff Cooper’s Scout Rifle an excellent example of a “brush gun”, and perhaps it is, given its capability in such a wide range of landscapes and environments, and the fact that its intermediate cartridge choice allows for such a breadth of game animals across the spectrum.
With the introduction of calibers like the 458 SOCOM, the 50 Beowulf, and the 450 Bushmaster, modern hunters can simply slap on a new, optimized upper receiver conversion kit, and expect quite a bit of extra versatility out of their already quite versatile AR-15 platform.
Often, a new magazine isn’t even necessary for some conversions from cartridge to cartridge on the AR-15 platform.
A New Breed of Cartridges is Born, and the AR-15 is the Perfect Platform for Them
Some might say the AR-15 was the catalyst that helped develop some of the newly released brush gun cartridges. It’s pretty clear that the idea that additional revenue for a product manufacturer could be derived from an already broad-based ecosystem like that of the AR platform.
This allowed for manufacturers to stay within the desired lane and still tap into innovation and the additional revenue by challenging the constraints of what could or could not be done from an aluminum-based rifle.
Let’s talk a bit about each of these cartridges to see where they fit in in the grand scheme of things.
12.7x42mm or .50 Beowulf
The .50 Beowulf was not necessarily made with a hunting large game or brush gun concept behind it. It was ideally suited as law enforcement or military option for shooting through barriers and providing a defensive weapon on the AR-15 carbine.
However, with that barrier-breaking mentality, there is a lot of carry-over into the idea of a brush gun. After all, what is dense brush but a barrier that needs to be gone through to shoot accurately at a target behind it, to dispatch that Target?
It has quite a bit of versatility in the cartridge loadouts and can be run with a 300-grain hollow point delivering about 1850 feet per second velocity and about 2320 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. With a 400-grain projectile providing about 1800 ft. per second velocity and 2860 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
These numbers are staggering, especially considering it effectively pushes your AR-15 into the realm of being a backwoods Dangerous Game backup weapon or even a substantial option for dense brush on very large game targets including up to Moose size targets.
Because it fits natively into the constraints of the AR-15, it offers a lot of firepower and versatility given the components that can be added to this rifle platform.
If you understand the trajectory and basic ballistics of the .50 Beowulf which is also referred to from the perspective of cartridge manufacturers as the 12.7x42mm, you can likely use the cartridge in a carbine format up to about 200 yards.
Of course, the sweet spot is probably more like 50 to 125 yards, especially under heavy, dense brush conditions.
.350 Legend
The .350 Legend is about as close as you can get to a .30-30 Winchester load out of an AR-15. Considering you can push this projectile with substantially similar ballistics to the lever-action load, out to 300 or so yards, this can be a game-changer.
The fast follow-up shots and the heavy delivery of substantial lead on target means that you can punch through dense and dead forest easily and ensure a decent hit on a primary target.
It might excel in a situation where you have a tough-skinned animal but can stalk it in relatively close quarters compared to what you normally must. For example, rams and goats or even hogs.
These are all normally tough-skinned animals, but on anything between 150 and 300 yards, given the basic ballistics of the .350 Legend, you can almost ensure you’ll get your game target.
Available in quite a few commercial loadouts, a 180-grain projectile for instance should yield about 2100 ft. per second velocity and 1760 ft lb. of energy at the muzzle. Not all that far from the .30-30 Winchester.
This makes it a very interesting category for the AR-15 shooter. It offers intermediate ballistics and approaches intermediate ranges while still offering a very heavy projectile out of the size-constrained AR-15 platform.
It’s an excellent bridge cartridge especially if you prioritize swapping uppers to swapping out full platforms. Specifically, this makes sense if you also prioritize game hunting endeavors over other uses for the AR platform.
The 350 Legend is also a straight-walled cartridge, which makes it right in the sweet spot for some people who may be in states that require straight wall cartridges on certain game animals, and still want to use the AR-15 platform for hunting.
.450 Bushmaster
The .450 Bushmaster offers a screaming-fast and heavy payload, built more like an innovative lever-action cartridge than a centerfire heavy grained AR-15 payload. Using a 260-grain weight projectile you can expect approximately 2170 feet per second velocity at the muzzle and 2730 ft. lbs. energy at the same exit point.
While it may not be as credible on moose or bear size game, it is certainly sufficient for anything Elk-sized or below. Your mileage may vary of course, given conditions, range, and the specific load you’re using as well as the hardware it’s being shot out of.
Certainly, you get a huge range of game animals that you could go after, and the speed, mated with the much flatter trajectory comparative to other brush guns allows you a lot of confidence when you’re in densely forested areas, or must shoot through a lot of dead wood.
The wastelands that are home to so many intriguing game species may be a perfect place to test out the capabilities of the .450 Bushmaster if you can guarantee to keep your cover a secret so as not to alert targets.
.458 SOCOM
Another brush gun alternative is the .458 SOCOM, initially offered as a door breaching option and something that could be adopted by military and law enforcement, rather than for use in the hunting space.
The big benefit of the .458 SOCOM is that you can shoot a 600-grain bullet out of it and achieve 1000 feet per second velocity or greater and 1330 foot-pounds of energy or greater which pushes it beyond the abilities of any standard cartridge in this list.
As a backup gun against dangerous game or as a perfect gun for trekking in the wilderness and places like Alaska, where you might come face-to-face with a grizzly bear.
The .458 SOCOM makes a lot of sense considering 600 grains of lead at a thousand feet per second with over 1250 ft. pounds of energy on a standard load can be trusted to stop many threats.
Additionally, you could load a 325-grain bullet which now gets you into the territory of 1850 ft. per second velocity and 2500 foot-pounds of energy at the bore exit which sufficiently handles any basic forest-specific barriers in your way. While still pushing enough lead on to the target to be able to dispatch Elk or larger game animals, given the right conditions.
How Do These Cartridges Stack Up To .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Govt.
Most of these brush gun options compare favorably to the obvious historical choices for brush guns like the .30-30 Winchester and the .45-70 Government.
The .30-30 Winchester offers about the following ballistics: 2020-foot pounds of muzzle energy with a 2400 ft. per second velocity.
This is only out of the most optimized lever gun ammunition on the planet made by Hornady. Compared to more mundane mainstream loads, you are about 25% less performant.
Comparatively, using a 300-grain jacketed hollow point out of a .45-70 Government will yield approximately 2050 feet per second velocity and 2860 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
This is substantial but does not give you the same variability and mobility that the AR-15 carbine can, with substantially similar ballistics from some of the above-mentioned options.
What Is The Best Use For An AR-15 In These Calibers
The list is essentially endless on what you can use the AR-15 for incorporating these new brush gun cartridges that are built specifically for the AR-15 carbine.
The only real caveat with these brush gun cartridges and using the AR-15 as a brush gun is the amount of range that you’re going to be able to squeeze out of them.
Most of them won’t be highly accurate past 200 yards, at least not what you’re expecting from an accuracy perspective out of the AR-15 natively. Furthermore, only a couple will reach out to about 300 or 350 yards, and then, with some substantial bullet drops.
All that said, when dealing with densely forested landscapes and environments that require brush gun-type builds, you usually aren’t stalking animals past 75 yards, or maybe up to 150 yards in clearings.
Given the pretty rigid set of standards when you need to call upon a brush gun and the competitive options on the landscape, the AR-15 makes a very good argument as the go-to platform.
That is especially true, given these newly minted brush gun-type cartridges, and the forward projection of innovation that’s likely to show up because of manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon eventually to try and make that “brush gun” distinction, a viable market segment even more than it has become over the last five years for the AR-15 platform.
Maxim Defense Announces New MD:11 Series
Maxim Defense Industries is proud to announce the launch of their new direct impingement large frame MD:11 series, a rifle based on the SR-25 cut pattern.
“The MD:11 is an updated variant of the original Stoner AR-10 design. The Direct impingement system still functions like most. There has been no serious change to the inside of the upper receiver; the gas tube forces all that gas into a key screwed atop the bolt carrier group. The gas expands inside the BCG, forcing it backwards into the buffer tube. There is no ‘chamber,’ but more of a diversion like the original design.”
The MD:11 will be available in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester utilizing an 18 in. Proof Research carbon fiber or stainless-steel barrel. Using these barrels keeps the weight down to just 9lbs. This weapon was initially designed for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) requirements. However, once the decision was made to commercialize the SOCOM requirement (within limits), 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester were deemed the best calibers.
It also comes standard with a carbine buffer system, B5 SOPMOD stock, and utilizes the Gisselle SSA-E trigger. Initially, they are available in three colors; Urban, Arid, and Black.
Maxim Defense MD:11 Specifications
- Model: MD:11
- Action: Direct Impingement
- Calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor & .308 Winchester
- Overall Length: 37 in.
- Barrel Length: 18 in.
- Upper/Lower Construction: Billet 7075-T6 Reciever Set
- Ambi Controls: Selector, Mag Release, Charging Handle
- Weight, w/empty 20 RND magazine: 9lbs
- Handguard Length: 15.5 in.
- Handguard Acc. Attachment: M1913/M-Lok
- Trigger Pull Weight 2.9 – 3.8 lbs.
About Us: Maxim Defense Industries is a defense development company aiming to give our military and first responders the next generation of tools and equipment to succeed in today’s most extreme environments.
The company primarily engages in small arms manufacturing producing better, lighter, and more reliable weapons and accessories. As an industrial-design-centered organization, Maxim seeks to improve and enhance existing weapons platforms alongside developing cutting-edge technologies for redefining the future.
Please visit www.maximdefense.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to learn more.
More of the MD:11
The Best Home Defense Ammo For An AR-15
Why Ammo Choice Is Important For Home Defense
There are several trains of thought a DIY AR15 builder has when choosing the correct upper receiver or lower receiver and all the other parts in between. Is the intended use for the rifle for competition only? Is a lightweight solution something needed? What type of suppression systems, muzzle brakes, or flash hiders do you expect to use?
Most AR15 owners don’t give the round of ammunition they intend to fire more than a casual thought, and many think of .223 or 5.56 NATO rounds, and the thinking process stops right there.
When it comes to the caliber, if your AR15 is chambered to handle the higher pressure of a 5.56 NATO round, you can fire .223 in the same rifle. However, this multi-caliber situation doesn’t usually happen in reverse. Firing a 5.56 projectile in a rifle explicitly chambered for .223 can result in faster barrel wear. If you’re not sure, check with the barrel manufacturer.
When it comes to home defense, having the perfect round of ammunition with the most effective stopping power is essential and sometimes crucial for protecting you and your family. When thinking home defense, there are a few things to take into consideration. One of the most obvious is that you’re not standing at a firing range plinking targets.
Going Down and Staying Down
Should the need arise to use your AR15 for protection, you want to fire a round that puts the invader down. You don’t want a shot with so much velocity and lacking proper fragmentation on its impact and instead of losing all its energy in the target, it continues through multiple walls.
In the world of AR15 ammunition, we seldom think of penetration capability or over-penetration if we miss the target. Probably because most of us are telling ourselves we won’t. However, for the rest of the AR15 owners, this list is some of the best home defense ammunition for AR15 rifles.
Hornady Critical Defense FTX / TAP Urban
Hornady has been producing excellent ammunition for over seventy-two years, and this Critical Defense FTX .223 caliber round demonstrates the company’s dedication to quality.
This Critical Defense shot delivers maximum penetration power and sufficient impact expansion to produce terminal results when dealing with deadly threats. With great attention to detail, Hornady engineers all the Critical Defense lines of ammunition to protect your night vision by minimizing muzzle flash. In close quarters and the darkness of night, seeing what you need to shoot at is critical.
Another thing Hornaday does better than most is their use of silver nickel cases on all Critical Defense ammunition. Not only does the case eliminate the potential for corrosion, but the sleek design allows consistent feeding when follow-up shots are necessary.
Every feature of a Hornaday Critical Defense FTX round is there to protect and give you a defensive edge, including the fact that the silver nickel cases are easier to see in low light conditions should a reload be required.
Federal Gold Medal 69gr MatchKing Hollow Point Ammo
When things get dynamic, and protection and safety are on the line, this .223 caliber round from Federal is one you want to have in your magazines. Each 69 grain bullet has a brass case that you can use again if you’re into doing your own reloads. The magic of this ammunition and what makes it a perfect choice for home defense is the hollow point bullet design that expands on impact. Federal Ammunition‘s Gold Medal Match .223 Ammo is one of the best on the market.
Each round sports a muzzle velocity of over three thousand feet per second, so you’ll not have to worry about the round not reaching the target quickly enough. Once it does, the High-Shock soft point provides maximum stopping power and fragmentation, making it one of the best rounds on the market today.
Remember, when the assailant goes down, you want them to stay down, and when firing a Federal Gold Medal MatchKing round, you’ll get the desired results necessary with each shot.
Speer .223 Remington Gold Dot
Speer has built quite a reputation with both the Gold Dot and Lawman versions of AR15 ammunition. Although sporting a 55gr bullet and a high muzzle velocity, Speer nickel plates the bullet’s brass case.
Designed to provide maximum power and expansion on impact, the Speer .223 Remington is a superb bullet for invading varmints regardless of whether they possess four legs or two. At a price range of twenty-five dollars per twenty, that’s a little over a dollar a shot—indeed, a small price to pay for protection that does its job as expected.
Black Hills Ammunition 50 grain Barnes TSX
Moving into the 5.56 NATO round, Black Hills Ammunition offers probably one of the best home defense ammunition in 5.56 caliber on the market today.
If you’ve ever heard of a projectile that is “barrier blind,” the Barnes TSX 5.56mm ammunition is that and more. Regardless of its twist rate of 1:7 or a 1:12, this fifty-grain bullet jumps out of the barrel and penetrates. Along with deeper penetration, the TSX load from Black Hills Ammunition fully expands during impact, and exposed metallic petals shear off and provide terminal stopping power, especially when fired at close range in longer barrels.
With the Black Hills 50 grain Barnes TSX you’ll get a guaranteed maximum expansion and penetration that will stop an intruder cold in their tracks.
Any TSX round from Black Hills Ammunition will have the best quality copper hollow point projectile that produces the most practical and inexpensive ammunition you’ll see in a long time. At around a dollar and fifty cents per shot, you’ll achieve outstanding results for an amazingly affordable price.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of a few of the best home defense ammunition for either .223 caliber or 5.56 NATO. Hopefully, you’ve seen enough here to get you started on your search. Choosing the right home defense round for an AR15 isn’t that difficult if you understand how the shot will react once it reaches the target and starts to expand. Of course, how you set up your AR-15 for home defense is another aspect of the conversation. This topic goes beyond the firearm and ammunition you use, but how you set up your rifle such as the type of optic you use, your weapon light, and many more considerations.
The Benefits of a Lightweight AR 15
Why Are People Building Lightweight AR 15 Rifles
You may have noticed the trend toward a more lightweight AR 15 or asked yourself what the benefits of lighter, skeletonized lightweight AR 15 lower receivers are. There are several reasons why the firearm industry is moving away from big and bulky, and you may have already experienced these situations yourself.
The trend toward a more lightweight AR 15 typically starts with higher consumer demand and technological evolution that helps the manufacturer produce more features in a compact rifle than ever before.
The Market For Lightweight AR 15 Rifles
A recent report a year ago by the NSSF or National Shooting Sports Foundation shows that more women are taking up arms for either recreational or competition and even taking their AR 15 into the field on hunting trips.
Factor in that last year, almost 40% of first-time purchases were made by women. The expected benefits these female rifle owners needed and asked for were ease of carrying and comfort when shooting.
Lightweight AR 15 Lower Receivers Are A Great Place To Start
There was a time when big and bulky was the only type of rifle you could find. The technology for building sleek and lighter guns that were effective, comfortable to shoot, and easier to carry didn’t exist.
Rifles like the M1 or Browning automatic rifle, also known as a BAR, weighed approximately nine to eighteen pounds. These far too heavy guns sometimes weighed even more when fully loaded. In those days, you weren’t carrying your rifle around; you were lugging it. Put simply, toting around that much weight will typically result in an exhaustive day in the field or at the range.
However, modern technology has allowed manufacturers to pack a powerful punch into a much more lightweight AR 15 and only tip the scale at under six pounds. Skeletonized upper and lower receiver sets like this one from F-1 Firearms offer an exceptionally light package while still being durable enough for general use. A lightweight AR 15 lower receiver is the perfect way to start off your build.
Accurate and Quick to Aim
Another benefit of a lightweight AR 15, aside from being able to carry it all day long with little discomfort, is the ability to shoulder the rifle and quickly and acquire multiple targets with better accuracy.
Because of the lack of bulk or weight, keeping the gun in play and emptying a magazine without tiring is much easier. A lighter AR 15 means more effective action and reaction without compensating or altering a shooting style that should be intuitive and natural.
Regardless of gender, any weight conscious AR 15 enthusiast wants to have the lightest possible rifle they can get without losing the ability to place accurate downrange shots. Modern Manufacturing techniques and improved heat treating have allowed companies like Faxon Firearms to produce pencil thin barrels that reduce weight without sacrificing accuracy even after long strings of fire. Of course, thicker is always better when it comes to pinpoint accuracy, but these barrels are perfectly suitable for duty use even after they are heated up.
Lightweight Doesn’t Mean Flimsy
In these days of getting what you pay for, just because a lightweight AR 15 feels like holding a feather compared to other rifles doesn’t mean it won’t perform as well.
Lightweight AR 15 lower receivers aren’t flimsy by any means. From the charging handle to the muzzle brake and everywhere in between, lightweight AR 15s manufactured these days allow you to hit the target you intended.
Not only can you hit the targets intended, but with today’s lightweight AR 15s, you can continue to hit them all day long if you remember to bring enough ammunition.
No Longer A Grueling Experience
The best benefit of owning a lightweight AR 15 is that it’s no longer a rigorous workout each time you venture on a hunting trip or spend a day at the range.
Because of the less weight and technology-packed features that most AR 15s have these days, anyone from young adults to seniors can use them. For each, firing a lightweight AR 15 built in today’s world becomes a fantastic experience, not a grueling one.
Ease of use and comfortability, along with gentle recoil and simplified takedown, are all features you can expect to experience when you purchase a lightweight AR 15 built today.
One essential and fantastic thing to note here is that these benefits you enjoy now with a lighter rifle are sure to get even better as advances in gun-building technology and metallurgy hit the market.
Comfort and Efficiency
Most lightweight AR 15 owners don’t think too long about how manufacturers manage to produce such reliable rifles that weigh so little but operate and a much heavier gun.
What AR 15 owners are expecting is a comfortable fit, an accurate shot, and an enjoyable shooting experience. They seldom stop to think about the wonderful world of polymer and the fact that it, along with unique combinations of lightweight metal parts and pieces. It doesn’t matter to most owners if a manufacturer chooses to use fantastic plastic where another uses billet or forged steel.
Most owners want an AR 15 that is simple to operate, durable and dependable, and comfortable when they choose to stand at the range all day practicing. As the improvements continue to come and the ability to manufacture more efficiently and less expensively rolls around, perhaps we’ll begin to see these lightweight AR 15s get a little less expensive to purchase or build. Faxon Firearms also produces carbon fiber handguards that are lighter and more durable than aluminum and provide a comfortable place to support your firearm without getting hot in the sun.
More Than a Trend
The trend toward a leaner and more lightweight AR 15 is not in its infancy. Lightweight rifles have been favored by many for several years now. However, more and more manufacturers are taking notice and stepping up to the plate and responding.
These days, it’s not just about pink camo rifles for the ladies and mossy oak for the guys, and the industry is coming around with a renewed understanding. They realize what an aspiring AR 15 owner needs to make it worth their time and their money.
In today’s market, functionality has finally won out over appearance, but that doesn’t mean an AR 15 can’t look like it’s traveling a Mach two even when it’s sitting in your gun rack.
Big Things in Lightweight Packages
For most AR 15 owners, it’s not about big booms and even more prominent and heavily weighted blunderbusses that require a specialized cart to wheel them around.
Most owners need a lightweight solution that takes less money out of their pocket while still providing a thrilling and comfortable shooting experience and is easier to handle and carry in the field or on those days we spend at the range. Lightweight, portable, efficient, and comfortable. What can be better than that?
Those are the best benefits of all for an AR 15 owner.
New Gatorz Eyewear: The Gatorz x Ronin Collection
Gatorz Eyewear is excited to announce the Gatorz x Ronin Collection. The Gatorz x Ronin Collection is a collaboration between Gatorz Eyewear and former U.S. Army Green Beret Tu Lam of Ronin Tactics. This collection is made to the exceedingly high standards that all Gatorz Eyewear has come to represent to the Special Operations community, including meeting American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87+ rating and offering some features of MILSPEC Ballistic protection standards.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Lao Tzu
Tu Lam. a former U.S. Army Green Beret and founder of Ronin Tactics, fled communist Vietnam in 1979. The Lam Family escaped on an overloaded boat and eventually reached the safety of the United States as refugees.
Tu was raised by his Step-Father, an Army Special Forces veteran, and drew inspiration to eventually serve as a member of the Army Special Operations Community. For over 23 years, Tu traveled across 27 different countries and a number of war zones as a career special operator. During that time, he fought alongside and within the most elite units of the United States Military.
As the Founder and CEO of Ronin Tactics, Inc., Tu now develops innovative tactical equipment and teaches a range of Close Quarters Battle instruction for our military, Law Enforcement, and responsible armed citizens. Tu co-hosted three seasons of the History Channel’s “Knife or Death” and was developed into a playable character “Ronin” on the popular video game “Call of Duty.” Gatorz Eyewear is honored to be working with him.
Sam Havelock, The Chief Brand Officer of Gatorz eyewear and himself a former Navy SEAL, had this to say,
“We thought the collaboration with Tu Lam, whose background includes having to flee persecution from war-torn Vietnam especially fitting given the current state of affairs in Afghanistan. Gatorz Corporation is extremely committed to the Special Operations Community and closely identifies with the Mission of the Army Special Forces Community to Free The Oppressed (De Oppresso Liber).
The Ronin Edition collaboration with Tu Lam is an example of our willingness to partner with diverse members of our Gatorz Tribe who live a Mission-Driven life. Tu Lam’s personal history of service with the Special Operations Community coupled with his family’s legacy of relationships across Army Special Forces perfectly embodies our joint belief in the power of relationships and humans to overcome all obstacles during their Life’s Most Important Missions.”
Gatorz x Ronin Specs
- Inferno (Photochromic) lenses
- Most Popular Magnum Frame Style
- Black or Red Cerakote frame
- ANSI Z87+/MILSPEC Ballistic (Mil-prf- 32432-a)
What comes in the package?
- Field Accessory Kit Nylon Case
- Lens Cleaner
- Eyewear strap
- Gasket Set Kit
- Repair kit
- A Hand-Signed Print
See more in the launch video: Ronin Collection Launch
For additional information on GATORZ or the Gatorz x Ronin Collection, please visit https://www.gatorz.com/, facebook.com/GatorzEyewear, or follow @gatorzeyewear on Instagram and YouTube.
For additional information on Tu Lam or Ronin Tactics, please visit www.ronintactics.com, connect via @ronintctaics on Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to Tu Lam’s YouTube Channel.
About GATORZ Eyewear:
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, GATORZ Eyewear has for 30 years been a provider of premium, all-metal, professional-grade eyewear solutions to the Special Operations Community, the broader U.S. Military, as well as, Law Enforcement, skydivers, functional fitness athletes, action sports fans, and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. This first of its kind, American-made aluminum sunglass has become a staple of the communities it serves, with its lightweight, durable frames, superior optics, and high-velocity impact lenses.
MD-1505: An AR Take on Maxim’s PDX
The PDX from Maxim Defense has proven to be an extraordinarily popular design over the last few years, but it has (understandably) never been on the lower end of the firearm price point scale. They have now launched the “MD-1505”, to make a more affordable AR-15 style PDX available. Though similar to the PDX in size and capability, the PDX has MILSPEC forged receivers and a different handguard. With the SCW stock, SCW brace, and SCW pistol system options, there should be a version available for most conceivable needs.
Here’s what Maxim Defense tells us,
Maxim Defense MD-1505
When you’re looking for Maxim Defense PDX ingenuity in a standard AR-15 package, the MD-1505 is your answer. The MD-1505 was engineered to bring our top-tier PDX package to an even more affordable price point.
Starting at the muzzle, each MD-1505 is equipped with the patented Maxim HATEBRAKE muzzle device, which reduces recoil, decreases flash signature, pushes gasses, and concussion wave downrange away from the operator. All of which improve overall performance in short barrel pistols and rifles.
The Maxim HateBrake features:
– Primary Function is a muzzle booster
– Increase reliability with PDW’s
– Directs sound away from the shooter
– Decreases flash
– Adds the same length as a standard A2 birdcage flash hider
– Installs from the front and fits under most handguards
Photo by Down Range photography
For increased comfort and versatility every MD-1505 features our free-floating Slimline Handguard. These handguards provide a monolithic-like upper receiver platform and M-Slot compatibility on five sides. At the rear, the MD-1505S is equipped with our SCW Stock for the ultimate in compactness, comfort, and versatility.
FEATURES:
- MOA accurate
- Free-floating Maxim Slimline handguard
- Military-grade materials
- SCW compact stock
- Increased reliability due to included HATEBRAKE
- Optimized for low flash signature
- Ambidextrous magazine release
- Ambidextrous selector
SPECIFICATIONS:
- CALIBERS 5.56 NATO, .300BLK, 7.62×39
- BARREL LENGTH 5.5” / 139.7mm
- MUZZLE VELOCITY 5.56 NATO, 62gr: 1965 FPS avg. .300 BLK, 115gr: 1850 FPS avg. 7.62×39, 124gr: 1675 FPS avg.
- OVERALL LENGTH 18.75” / 476.25mm
MD-1505 Models
» MD-1505S «
» MD-1505SPB «
» MD-1505SPS «
MD-1505 Affordability
MD is well aware that “affordable” is an extremely subject term. Those who will immediately react negatively to the MSRP, know this: Maxim Defense has never sacrificed quality for a reduction in cost. Their description says more affordable, not “easily affordable” or any other permutation thereof. In the specific case of the MD-1505 vs. PDS, it is more affordable. That said, quality speaks for itself. The price point will not be for everyone.
Maxim Defense: Not built for safe queens.
Learn more at www.maximdefense.com/
Holosun 509T: Red Dot Reckoning at 1,000 Rounds
It took a while, but the Red Dot Sight (RDS) is now widely accepted as a suitable accessory for a defensive handgun. And while the RDS market was dominated by just a couple of big names for a very long time, the last couple of years have seen a number of new optics companies reach a level of mainstream use. The most popular of these newcomers is probably, as of this writing, Holosun. I recently completed my first thousand rounds through the Holosun HE509T-RD (red reticle) sight and, with just one minor aggravation, found it to be an excellent RDS option.
Holosun 509T
Daniel Bales
The HE509T-RD is an enclosed reflex optical sight designed to be mounted to a pistol. The HE509T features include a Titanium housing, Holosun’s proprietary “Super LED” with what they say is up to 50k hours of (CR1632 coin) battery life, and some other features those who’ve used Holosun will be familiar with: their Multi-Reticle System, Solar Failsafe, and Shake-Awake Technology (q.v.). As an optic with an enclosed emitter, it’s not quite the same sort of Holosun red dot many shooters might be used to, though the controls are intuitive and easily manipulated. Many people justifiably compare it to the Aimpoint Acro.
One particularly likable attribute is its battery access. The optic is designed so that batteries can be swapped through a tray without removing the sight from the gun.
Colors and Contrast
The Holosun HE509T, which is available in both a red and a green reticle, has 12 different brightness settings. These include dim settings compatible with night-vision devices. The HE509T has what they describe as a parallax-free design, with unlimited eye relief (though no optic is completely parallax-free). The HE509T’s “Shake Awake Technology” shuts the LED off during periods of motionlessness.
The dot intensity adjustment buttons on the 509T are large and easy to use.
The amount of time it takes for the LED to deactivate is user-programmable. Shake Awake can also be completely deactivated which keeps the optic powered on for up to 100k hours.
This HS model also includes “SOLAR FAILSAFE technology”. This feature automatically adjusts the sight’s brightness. When the optic is in a lit environment you will have a bright reticle; when indoors it will automatically dim to match ambient lighting conditions.
The Solar Failsafe is a great addition to the 509 and allows the optic to run on a failed battery.
Solar Failsafe will also allow the red dot sight to remain powered when your battery fails.
Mounting Up with CHPWS
I choose to mount the Holosun HE509T to my Gen 5 Glock 34 MOS. To accomplish this, I used CHPWS 509 red dot adapter mounting plate. I have been using the C&H Precision Weapon Systems (CHPWS) plates for some time, they are a trusty and sturdy option for anyone using a plate-mounted RDS pistol. Let me talk about the CHPWS 509 plate for a minute.
CHPWS describes the GLOCK MOS adapter plate as the “…most rugged, reliable, and trusted red dot adapter plate on the market today.” My experience gives me no reason to doubt it.
They further advise their adapter plates are approved for duty use by several hundred Local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies as well as with some US Military units.
Mounting the CHPWS 509 plate to the Glock 34 MOS is a relatively simple process. To accomplish this, I simply removed the old plate and placed the CHPWS 509 plate in its place. I utilized the (included) mounting screws and Vibra-Tite thread locking liquid, then torqued it to their suggested torque specs.
After mounting the plate, you can place the HE509T on top of the plate and tighten the mounting screw on the optic. This mounts the optic to the plate and pistol, though you’ll still have to zero the weapon.
Adjust and Zero
Before I go to the range, I will adjust the red dot to the co-witnessed iron sights. To do this I look through the optic, align the iron sights appropriately then adjust the RDS up, down, left, or right until the dot is sitting directly on top of the front sight.
This is not a zero!
It is just moving the dot closer to actual zero so I use less ammo during the zeroing process.
My thousand round count (and counting) experience with the HE509T by completing my zero. I zero all pistol-mounted optics at 25 yards, starting from the 10-yard line. There I’ll fire anywhere from three to ten rounds and attempt to obtain a reasonable group with those rounds. If the group is off, i.e. if the group is low and left, I adjust for POA/POI (point of aim/point of impact).
After I achieve my desire from 10 yards, I move to the 25-round line and repeat the process. Usually the completion of these two steps will end with the topic being close to or right on my desired zero.,
Completing the zero was extremely easy with the HE509T. The windage and elevation adjustments have a great audible click with a firm movement between clicks. Each click on the windage and elevation on the HE509T is 1 inch at 100 yards, so at 25 yards you are moving ¼ of an inch per click. I was able to achieve a zero using only a few rounds.
While zeroing, I use a B-8 target and my point of aim is the X ring.
Note: the reason I complete my zero at 25 yards is that it is more precise. If one can achieve a quality zero at 25 yards with a pistol-mounted optic, it will be better than a zero at 15 yards. I have noticed this with individuals who zero their pistol optics at 10- or 15-yards. Such results are good at those ranges, but when you step back to 20 and 25 yards (or even further), there is a degradation in achieved accuracy. By zeroing back at the 25 I can ensure I’m more likely to hit what I want to hit from the 25 and in.
Doing It with the Dot
I used the first 50 rounds with the Holosun HE509 to complete the Dot Torture shooting drill. I typically complete this drill* at 3, 5, or 7 yards, and every string of fire started from the holster and this time was no different.
The first 50 rounds fired after my zero, completed using the “Dot Torture” drill. I completed this 50/50 at the 3-yard line.
The Holosun HE509T has a 2 MOA dot that is clear and crisp. Although I was shooting outdoors in bright desert sunlight the dot was easy to acquire and maintain. This is complemented by the optic’s closed emitter housing, the structure of which actually provides an aiming reference aid.
*This target can be downloaded at www.pistol-training.com/drills/dot-torture.com.
If you look through the 509T and can see the side, top, or bottom of the housing, you need to adjust your firing grip. Properly done, this will help you look directly through the two viewing windows with no sides in view and should allow you to readily “pick up” the dot inside the window.
I utilized several drills to test the 509T, including the aforementioned Dot Torture. Another, pictured here, is the “5×5”. The 5×5 Drill is an awesome way to test both skill and equipment.
While evaluating the Glock 34 with HE509T mounted on it, I have completed the following shooting drills: FBI QIT, FBI Bullseye Qual, Half and Half, The Super Test, 5×5, and others.
The optic remained zeroed, the dot remained visible, and the optic remained mounted properly through all those shooting iterations. The optic has been mounted for approximately four months now and I’ve yet to change the battery.
There are many things to recommend the HE509T. Some that stood out for me were:
• Bright dot intensity
• Easy and audible elevation/windage adjustments
• Rugged housing
• Battery tray allowing battery change without optic removal.
• Ability to choose three choices of reticle, i.e. 2 MOA dot, 2 MOA dot with 32 MOA circle, and 32 MOA circle.
• The only negative I’d call out in this stage of my evaluation is that windage and elevation adjustments require a tool supplied by Holosun.
If you are looking for an optic for your pistol, particularly if you have a limited budget, I would strongly recommend you consider the Holosun HE509T as an option. It is, as of this writing and round count, at the top of my list in a market full of RDS options.
Note: Plate Particulars
CHPWS plates are designed and manufactured in the USA. They’re CNC Machined from Aircraft Grade 6061 Aluminum with a Type III Hard Anodized Finish and come with Stainless Steel Torx Head M3 screws to mount the plate to your slide. Each plate comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. (Read my CHPWS review at: https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/red-dot-mount-glock-19-mos-chpws-v4s-review/) They are online at CHPWS.com; connect via Facebook /CHPWS/ or follow @chpws on IG; #boomsquad on Instagram.)
Holosun 509T Manufacturer Specs
The HE509T-RD is an enclosed reflex optical sight designed for pistol applications. Features include a Titanium housing, Holosun’s Super LED with up to 50k hours battery life, Multi-Reticle System, Solar Failsafe, and Shake Awake.RMR
The included 509T-RD RMR adapter plate is not compatible with ZEV or Shadow Systems style RMR interfaces.
-
- MRS: Circle Dot; Dot Only
- Up to 50,000 Hours Battery Life (Setting 6)
- 12 Brightness Setting: 10 DL & 2 NV Compatible
- Enclosed Design & Titanium Housing
- Convenient Tray Battery Compartment
- Parallax-free & Unlimited Eye Relief
- Solar Failsafe
- Shake Awake
- Multi-Reticle System
- Super LED
- Reticle2 MOA Dot & 32 MOA Circle
- Light Wavelength650nm
- Reticle ColorRed
- Parallax FreeYes
- Unlimited Eye ReliefYes
- Magnification1x
- Multi-Coatings
- Power SourceSolar & Battery
- Battery TypeCR1632
- Battery Life (Hours)
- Housing MaterialTitanium
- Surface FinishTitanium
- Adjustment per Click1 MOA
The optic ships with:
• RMR Adapter
• User Manual
• Lens Cloth
• T10L Key
• CR1632 Battery
About the author
Daniel Bales has been in law enforcement for nearly 15 years. During his career he has worked for a large Sheriff’s department in Nevada on such assignment as detention, courts, court transport, patrol, and S.W.A.T. He is currently a full-time rangemaster. Daniel has numerous firearms, tactics and instructor certifications, to include: handgun, shotgun, carbine, less lethal, force on force, low light, certified armorer, basic and advanced S.W.A.T. schools. He has instructed many students for LMS Defense and is one of the founder-owners of Crucible Consulting. Follow or connect via Instagram, @crucible_consultants.
Daniel Bales of Crucible Consulting
Dan Bales is a veteran LEO, a seasoned firearms instructor, and part of the Crucible Consulting cadre