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Just a brief note... I don't have a large number of groups shot through it yet, but from the bench using handloads, I was able to fire a number of 1.5-2MOA groups with the BCM 14.5" Midlength. Those groups were 10 shots at 100 yards. The smallest was 1.46" (that was actually 12 shots because I apparently can't count) and the largest was 1.88". The load consisted of 73gr Berger HPBTs over Hodgdon Varget. I used a 10x Bushnell scope for those groups. For a more practical accuracy test, I… Read More

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words... Here are two cases I found at the range last week. On the left is a properly fired 7.62x54R case. On the right is a 7.62x54R case that was fired in a rifle which was decidedly NOT chambered in 7.62x54R! It should go without saying that this is dangerous and can end badly. If you feel resistance when chambering a cartridge, do yourself a favor and check out the round before you try to fire it. If you don't believe… Read More

Heat is discussed fairly often on various internet forums, especially when two subjects come up: barrel profile and method of operation. We often see comments about how light barrels heat up too quickly. This is partially true - a lighter barrel will generally heat up faster than a heavy barrel. The "too" part is where the problem lies. Too fast for a machine gun barrel? Most likely. When you're putting out a sustained rate of fire that can reach several hundred rounds per minute, a light barrel is definitely unsatisfactory.… Read More

I've updated my earlier heat dissipation graphs with the KAC M4 RAS. This is the railed handguard used by the US military on Colt M4 carbines and similar weapons. I did not have rail covers on the handguard during this test, because I was also comparing it to some other railed handguards. Here are the handguard temps: And the barrel/gas block temps: Not only did the M4 RAS transmit less heat to the shooter's non-firing hand, it also allowed the barrel to cool faster than the plastic handguards. This is… Read More

Last month, I wrote about the excellent, and affordable, Spike's Tactical M4 LE upper receiver assembly. I was so impressed with it that I decided to pick up a stripped Spike's Tactical ST-15 lower receiver. Now, I have two requirements for lower receivers: the magwell must be sized properly to drop free Magpul PMags, and all of the holes must be drilled in the right place. Anything else, such as a pretty finish, is nice, but unnecessary. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the $105 ST-15 receiver met not… Read More

Some of you may notice that this post is not filed under "firearms" or "reviews" or even "tests". It's filed under "Lies, Errors, and Omissions." Why is that, you ask? Well, this firearm is an error. The company that made it is an error. I might even go so far as to say that the ancestors of the people who founded the company were also errors. But first, the firearm. It looks just like this. Yes, I stole Auto-Ordnance's photo. I had a pretty hard time finding .30 carbine ammo… Read More

This is an update to the earlier heat dissipation comparison between the single and double heat shield handguards. Today, I tested the Magpul MOE handguards using the same protocol: 28 rounds fired in a rapid manner, with temperature measurements at specific locations and time intervals. The MOE handguards have a single heat shield. By that, I mean a single heat shield. The "single heat shield" handguards have one heat shield in each of two handguard halves, and the double heat shield handguards have two heat shields in each of two… Read More

I've received a fair number of requests for a tutorial or explanation as to how I painted the rifle you see at the top of this page. I have to say, I'm a little surprised, but thankful. I'm no artist - I used Krylon. Why Krylon? Well, it's easy to do. You can paint a rifle in 15 minutes or less. You can also remove it fairly easily with common chemicals and a brush if you get tired of a brown or green rifle. You can paint over it if… Read More

Heat shields. This is one of the items on "the chart" that a lot of people gloss over - especially if they want to replace the standard handguards with some sort of railed handguard. So, I don't expect this article to get a whole lot of attention. Also, please note that I am not a scientist and this is not meant to be a scientific test. However, I was frustrated with the progress of another project while at the range, and decided that a few mag dumps would raise my… Read More

This post has been removed due to threat of legal action from TangoDown, Inc.