The Gun Digest Book of the Tactical Rifle: A User's Guide

259 Pages·2011·11.66 MB·English

by  Sweeney

GunDigest® Book of the
TACTICAL RIFLE
Patrick Sweeney
Copyright ©2011 F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
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Cover photo courtesy Yamil R. Sued/Photoworks, www.hotgunshots.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1432-5
eISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1892-7
ISBN-10: 1-4402-1432-8
Cover Design by Tom Nelsen
Designed by Kara Grundman
Edited by Dan Shideler
Printed in the Unites States of America
Dedication
First of all, I'd like to dedicate this to all the faithful readers, those of you who
have enjoyed previous volumes. Without your allegiance, my fun would not
be so extensive, and my expanding base of knowledge greatly restricted.
As well, I'd like to give a nod to those who are not fans. Without feedback,
authors (and radio broadcasters, movie stars and politicians) will veer off into
areas they themselves enjoy, and leave their customers behind.
But through it all, the continuing credit goes to a deserving Felicia, who
pointed out the path through the thickets, and patiently waited while I figured out
how to hack through the metaphorical underbrush.
Have fun.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: Selection and Training
Chapter Two: Overview of Types
Chapter Three: The AK
Chapter Four: The M14/M1A
Chapter Five: Bullpups
Chapter Six: The Kel-Tec RFB
Chapter Seven: The Steyr AUG
Chapter Eight: The FN SCAR
Chapter Nine: The FAL
Chapter Ten: PDWs
Chapter Eleven: Ammo
Chapter Twelve: The SIG 556
Chapter Thirteen: Sniper Rifles
Chapter Fourteen: Rimfires
Chapter Fifteen: Slings and Such
Chapter Sixteen: Reloading
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
First up, I'd like to thank Steve Hornady, of Hornady ammo, for the cartons of
ammo he's sent me for this and other projects. Also, Jeff Hoff man of Black
Hills has been a supporter of mine and other gun writers' efforts, such that we as
a group could probably not do what we do without the support of those two
gentlemen.
FNH-USA provided much in the way of guns, gear, ammo and access. Not
only did they host me at their 3-gun match (with CMMG) but they sent me an
invitation to a private, writers-only afternoon of shooting with the array of their
new firearms, including the 40mm grenade launcher. Elaine and David Golladay
were quite clear when they sent me the invite: “This is not for everyone you
know.” Clearly they know gun writers. There is usually a feeding frenzy when
the ammo boxes are opened. To kick open cartons of practice 40mm grenades, in
full view of gun writers, is to invite a riot.
Marc Christiansen of DS Arms was a very accommodating host, and not only
saw that my excreble Indian FAL parts kit was ushered through the build
process, but that whenever a problem came up, it was handled quickly and
efficiently. As a result of that visit I gained a much greater understanding of the
FAL than I had gotten in several decades of reading, and some shooting.
Marc Krebs is, well, a surpassingly gifted gunsmith, and an entertaining host.
If you feel the AK is the rifle to have over all others, he should be on your short
list to build you one or improve your current AK.
Century Arms has done what a lot of people said either couldn't be done, or
felt was something far in the future, the all-USA made AK. Now that they've
done it, I think we're going to see more USA-made AKs, and the world will be
better for it. Plus, the folks at Century don't blanch when I send them photos of
their firearms with dirt shoveled onto them, or dripping from the swamp-bath
they've just received.
And, a tip of the hat to Kel-Tec, who do not just build excellent guns at an aff
ordable price. They forge engineering and design progress that is often emulated
by others. You may feel that their firearms are just a little too “industrial”
looking for your tastes, but when it comes to performance in a particular package
looking for your tastes, but when it comes to performance in a particular package
size, they are often the ones to look to first.
Finally, SIG. People tend to think of them as “those guys who made all the
226s for the Navy SEALS.” In Europe, they are the rifle company who also
makes handguns. They have been kind and generous in sending me product, and
looking the other way while I heinously abuse their precision-built rifles.
So, get out there, handle the products you've read about, and see what fits you.
Then buy one, or two, and train with it. Learning to shoot well is entertaining, a
good way to keep sharp, focused and fit, and it is your right, heritage and duty as
an American citizen.
Patrick Sweeney
November 2010
Introduction
What is a tactical rifle? To many, it is something black, with rails and plastic
and a big magazine. Something faintly sinister-looking. That might even be
true in some cases, but it's a rather specialized example. A general description of
a tactical rifle might be “a rifle suitable for fighting, either in combat, or personal
defense, with the mechanical certainty and ruggedness that such conditions
require.”
“Tactical” might be something in a big cartridge, or a small one. You might
find that the FN 5.7 is perfect for your needs at the moment, while someone else
would find that only the .408 Chey-Tac would do. Tactical is as tactical does. Or
needs.
For a member of the 7th Cavalry, dismounted and facing an uncertain future at
Little Big Horn that June day in 1876, a tactical rifle would have been a Henry
or a Spencer. On a certain October day in 1918, the bolt-action rifle wielded by
Alvin York was a tactical rifle. Tactical is as tactical requires.
But you aren't here to argue the existential basis of a tactical rifle, nor the
peculiar requirements of any given moment in time. No, you want to know about
rifles that hold lots of bullets, or those that send a single one to a precise spot, a
long, long way away. You want to know about ARs, and AKs, and FALs, and