'Bolt Bag' - REVIEW

 

We often neglect our rifles bolts. We protect our rifles in expensive padded bags, even our ammo goes in plastic boxes for protection but more often than not the rifle bolt is just thrown in or wrapped in a rag.

 

 

The Buy Used Guns Team recently picked up a 'Bolt Bag' from an Australian business manufacturing Australian made products for the shooting and outdoor community - Outback Packs and Gear.

Our Bolt Bag was custom made by Outback Packs and Gear. Inside are two sleeves to hold and protect two rifle bolts. There is even a little velcro tab to keep the bolts in so they don't slide around. The whole bag was made from 1000 denier cordura in 'Kryptec Camo' and looks great. The bag was made using a no.10 zipper and is lined with 5mm foam to protect the contents.

 

    

 

We found the bag to be quite tough and very well made. We do appreciate the peace of mind knowing our rifles bolts won't be lost in the glove box or stuffed under a seat. Most shooters will have been there before. We have no doubts the tough material and overall design will stand up to rough treatment, meaning your bolts won't have to. 

 

     

 

The Bolt Bag is just a small sample of the products offered by Outback Packs and Gear. The fact they custom make all their gear means their range is near endless. All you need to do is get in contact and they will guide you through the design process for whatever gear you need. The fact they are Australian owned and based is just a bonus for already excellent made products.

You will find a selection of their products already advertised on our website - Outback Packs & Gear

 

          

 

Check out their website for more info - www.outbackpacks.com.au

 

 

Daisy Red Ryder Carbine QUICK REVIEW

 

We are all told guns are NOT toys, but enter the Daisy Red Ryder Carbine. Shooting small 177 cal steel BB's at 350fps with a toy like appearance and marketing clearly aimed at kids or possibly the big kid inside every shooter - the Red Ryder is most definitely what we would call a toy. 

 

 

There is a alot of history around Daisy air-rifles, head over to Wikipedia for the complete low-down - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_Outdoor_Products

We picked up our Red Ryder Carbine for around the $199 mark. This is the price for the the shooting 'kit'. You get your rifle, selection of paper targets, tin of 750 steel BB's and a pair of shooting glasses. You even get a colourful and cheerful cardboard box, quite obviously designed to be hung from a couple of pegs on a store shelf - obviously we won't have any of that in Australia because as defined under our gun laws - the Red Ryder BB Rifle is a Firearm.

 

     

 

 

Features

The Daisy Red Ryder is basically a lever action rifle with a tube-fed magazine. Speaking of the magazine it boasts the highest capacity of any rifle available in Australia - 650 rounds! (or BB's). You might want to NOT put that on your Permit to Acquire. 

The entire rifle is made of a smooth bore steel barrel, timber stock and various other bits of plastic and metal, including a few nuts and bolts clamping the receiver together. You get your standard open sights with the rear adjustable for elevation. The rifle seems to be well made with the important parts made of steel and other parts of plastic to obviously cut down on costs.

 

     

 

The entire rifle and package has a 'nostalgia' feel going for it, from the colourful packaging and printing to the saddle ring on the receiver (complete with leather cord) and artwork burnt into the stock. Many years ago this rifle was aimed at youngsters growing up watching their favourite cowboys on TV. Times might have changed but the amount of fun you will have shooting this rifle has not. 

 

Shooting the Red Ryder

The only negatives you really need to know about shooting the Red Ryder - the lever action is a bit stiff and you will need to wear some type of eye protection because those little BB's really like to bounce around, including back at you.

We did a bit of accuracy testing with the supplied BB's. See below for our paper target shot off-hand with 10 rounds at around 10 paces, more than enough for knocking down some tin cans or green plastic army men. 

 

 

The trigger is on the heavy side and so is the cocking lever. Children with weak hands may struggle to cock the lever to compress the spring inside the rifle. We found it was easier to grab the bottom section of the lever loop and pull it out. Speaking of the cocking lever we were a bit disappointed to find it is made of plastic. It seems to be hard plastic but only time will tell how it stands up to being cocked thousands of times. 

Recoil is nothing and so is the report of the rifle being fired. Smack your hand on the table it and it will be louder. This makes it a great afternoon time waster if you have the land to shoot on and tin cans to spare.

Loading BB's is very easy. There is a small latch towards the front of the magazine, just push it up and pour your BB's in. The rifle will catch and load them into the barrel ready to be fired when you cock the lever.

 

     

 

We do feel the need to advise some warnings about the Daisy Red Ryder! Firstly, as ridiculous as it seems, the Red Ryder is classed as a firearm in Australia. This means it is still subjected to the same storage and use requirements of any firearm. Don't go firing the Daisy in your suburban backyard, you might end up in a bit of trouble!

Secondly, those little BB's really do bounce everywhere. We were hit with ricocheting BB's a few times which was of course no issue but a stray BB in some ones eye could cause damage, where your glasses!

The only improvement we did to our Daisy rifle was put a dab of white paint on the front plastic sight. The rear and front sights are both black and difficult to aim. Having the small white dot at the front really helped.

 

      

 

Final Thoughts

The Daisy Red Ryder Carbine is an excellent little rifle for that lazy afternoon. Setup a few targets and plink away without the need to worry about noise and the cost of ammo. It would also be an excellent tool for teaching children how to shoot.

 

Pros

• Cheap with endless hours of fun
• Well made
• Great for kids 

Cons

• Australian gun laws ruin the fun a little bit
• We weren't fans of the stiff plastic cocking lever

 

 

 

Ruger Gunsite Scout QUICK REVIEW

 

If you have been around shooting in the last few years you are no doubt familiar with Ruger's Gunsite Scout Rifle. If you are not familiar with the 'Scout Style', navigate to the following link and have a read; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_rifle

 'The scout rifle is a class of general-purpose rifles defined and promoted by jeff Cooper in the early 1980s' - Wikipedia

Most people however will identify the scout style by the forward mounted scope setup. Scopes used for this setup are required to have longer eye relief (for obvious reasons). Many manufactures are starting to release extended eye-relief scopes for this purpose. Scout rifle shooters in the past have also been known to use pistol scopes for this purpose. We won't go into to much detail on the 'philosophy of use' for a Scout rifle and the pro's and cons' versus a standard rifle. The characteristics are obvious and you should be able to determine if the scout style is for you or not. 

Once you are familiar with the scout style of rifle, read on to our quick review of Ruger's offering in this class of rifle. 

 

 

You may initially notice our model of Ruger Scout is a bit different to the current line-up of models offered by Ruger. Our Rifle is from the first models introduced by Ruger and varies only slightly with an 18 inch non-threaded barrel and no flash hider. Our rifle is chambered in 308 Winchester which was the only calibre option at the time. The current line-up of rifles come with threaded barrels and flash hiders as standard. We have also installed an XS Sight Systems Full Length Picatinny rail.

 

FEATURES

Our Ruger Scout (along with new line-up of Ruger Scouts) came with an Accuracy International compatible steel 10 round box magazine. We liked the included magazine, it was tough and durable. Just watch when shooting off the bonnet/roof of your vehicle as the steel magazine protrudes a fair way from the bottom of the rifle. The 10 round magazine also doubled as a handy mono-pod style rest. Other magazines are available including 5 round mags (pictured) and even plastic mags. Magazine release is also quick, easy and only requires one hand thanks to the small latch just below the trigger guard. Magazine lock up is tight with no rattling. 

 

     

 

The rubber butt pad was excellent at taming some of the 308 recoil. Ruger also include plastic spacers which can be installed/removed to adjust the length of pull. This is a handy and an almost necessary feature when dealing with a rifle capable of different scope style setups. Below you can see one plastic spacer installed between the rubber butt pad and the stock. Installation/removal is again easy by simply unscrewing two bolts. The laminate stock also had a nice grey/pepper colour with aggressive checkering around the hand grip and fore end to give you a confident grip on the rifle. 

 

 

The scout came standard with an adjustable rear ghost ring sight and fixed front blade sight with blades to prevent glare and protect the sight post. The sights are durable however not exactly suited for long range accuracy. We imagine most shooters would be mounting some sort of optic on this rifle. It is reassuring to know the open sights are there as a back-up, especially if you damaged your optics out in the field or on hunting trip. This is another nod to the scouts feature of being an all-round rifle. 

We have installed an XS Sight Systems full-length picatinny rail to our Scout Rifle. This rail also incorporates a ghost ring sight as the factory rear sight must be removed. The obvious benefit to this rail is it gives the user more mounting options when it comes to scopes and accessories. Ruger also includes two sets of rings with the Ruger Scout rifle (30mm and 25mm). The rifle comes standard with a shorter factory rail that sits in front of the action. 

 

     

 

The 18 inch cold hammer forged barrel including the receiver came in stainless steel with a matte silver finish. The finish has been very durable and doesn't seem to be as prone to wear and rubbing marks as other blued rifles. The short barrel certainly makes the rifle more maneuverable especially when shooting from a vehicle. The draw back is an obvious increase in noise when firing.

 

 

Shooting the Scout

Lets talk accuracy first. The Ruger Scout is an accurate rifle, you just have to find that factory or reloaded ammo that it likes best. We achieved our best grouping (.75inches at 100m) using 'Praetorian Tactical' ammo which was sold by a few retailers around Australia. We haven't seen it stocked for some time however. The projectile used was a 165gr Sierra Game King SPBT so reloaders might like to start there. We tested numerous other factory ammo around 155gr to 175gr and found the average grouping to range from 1 inch to 1.5 inches at 100m. We think this accuracy is more than acceptable for the rifles intended purpose. 

 

 

We have found over the years the main complaint about the Ruger Scout is the rough action which is justified. The Ruger Scout does have a rough bolt travel but we think it adds to the rifles whole 'ruggedness' look and appeal. The rough action did not bother us or affect our shooting in any way. Ruger has this to say about their action;

'Non-rotating, Mauser-type controlled round feed extractor is the most positive case extraction system ever invented, and features a fixed blade-type ejector that positively ejects the empty cases as the bolt is moved fully rearward.' - Ruger.com

The factory trigger broke at about 5 pounds with minimal creep. We have since installed a lighter trigger spring and brought that down to 3 pounds which we feel made a good trigger great. Of note the trigger guard is made of plastic however it appears to be quite tough and durable. The long steel magazine is also going to offer some protection from bumps and knocks to the guard.

 

 

As we would expect from all modern rifles, there were no jams, mis-feeds, fails to extract or eject of any kind. This was with all ammo, FMJ, soft point, hollow point, etc. Make no mistake this is a fun rifle to shoot hard and fast, you will only be limited by how much recoil your shoulder can take and how big your wallet is. Shooting the rifle from the bench was not overly enjoyable, mainly due to recoil. Shooting in the field of course was much more comfortable. The current Scouts made by Ruger all come with a threaded barrel so the option for a brake is there. This would be an excellent rifle to shoot suppressed however if you live in our lucky country this is most likely not an option for you. 

 

Final Thoughts

The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle lives up to the hype and promises of being a versatile all-round rifle. This is further justified by the 308 Winchester chambering, there aren't many four legged creatures on our planet that can't be taken with this fantastic and versatile round. The features included not only stay true to Jeff Cooper's 'Scout Rifle' definition, they are well thought out and useful. From the varied optic mounting choices to the stock adjustability, this is a rifle sure to fit almost all shooters and we feel there is a spot in every ones safe for a scout rifle. Other manufactures are slowly releasing scout style rifles including Mossberg and Savage. Styer have also had a scout style rifle in their line-up for quite a number of years (at over twice the price of a new Ruger Scout).

Don't be put off thinking the scout style rifle is not for you. The extra features are useful and the rifle can still be changed to mount standard eye relief optics. We enjoyed our time shooting the Ruger Scout and it now sits in the safe of one of the Buy Used Guns Team!

 

 

Pros

• Ruger tough! Well made, reliable and accurate
• Versatile - as close to a do-it-all rifle as you are going to get
• Nice trigger and useable features
• Now comes in more configurations including a 223 calibre, different stocks, finishes and barrel lengths

Cons

• Rough action
• Versatility can also be limiting - if you want a rifle purely as a long-range setup, the Ruger Scout is not for you

 

You can check out Ruger's current line-up of Scout Rifles at http://ruger.com/

 

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team review the Rossi BIG LOOP Lever Action Carbine chambered in 357 MAGNUM

 

We can not deny our fascination and love for lever action rifles stemmed from watching cowboy shows in our younger days. It is almost impossible to watch a show such as 'The Rifleman' and not want a lever action rifle of your own (despite the fact the rifle from 'The Rifleman' had unsafe modifications to make it fire that fast). We have included 'The Rifleman' intro video below for those of you who aren't aware of the show.

 

 

Of course if you fired that fast from the hip we doubt you could actually hit anything but it still portrays lever action rifles as pretty cool. 

 

 

OVERVIEW

The prices and availability of Rossi Lever Actions tends to vary in Australia. We have seen Rossi rifles on special for as little as $500 new and sometimes advertised well over $1000. We wanted to review the big loop carbine model so we specifically imported this rifle after not finding any for sale in Australia. 

We received our Rossi in a cardboard box with the usual manual, something shooters have come to expect from budget or 'cheaper' rifles. You will notice our rifle differs slightly from the usual crop of lever action rifles, namely due to the 'Large Loop' lever and saddle ring attached to the receiver. Whilst we had no use for the saddle ring we found the large loop comfortable to use and almost a necessity if you find yourself shooting with large thick gloves, plus we thought it looked pretty cool. 

We chose the 357 Magnum calibre due to the ability to use 38 Special rounds as well for cheap plinking and practice. The action was tight and smooth right out of the box which has of course has smoothed out even more after hundreds of rounds. We imagine only fussy shooters would go about making modifications to slick it up even more. It is certainly smoother then many Marlin lever actions we have used. Winchester and Uberti actions are no doubt slicker but you might find their prices hard to swallow at two or even three times the price of a Rossi. 

 

 

SHOOTING THE ROSSI 357 CARBINE

We spent many hours shooting targets and steel with the Rossi and every shot always brought a smile to our faces. The light weight and short barrel together with the ability to shoot the cheaper and less powerful 38 Special makes for awesome plinking sessions at the range or on private property. Our rifle weighed in at 5.5 pounds with a overall length of 846mm which is interesting as Rossi list the rifle has having a weight of 4.8 pounds. 

We are unsure of the cost to reload 38 Special but factory rounds can be purchased for under 50 cents a shot if you shop around. 38 Special produces almost no recoil in this rifle and would be great for younger or recoil shy shooters. If we had to compare the recoil we would say it would be on par with shooting a rimfire rifle chambered in 22 Magnum. Obviously stepping up to 357 Magnum increases the recoil and would be much more suitable when shooting pests for obvious ballistic reasons. 

The lever action can be racked relatively fast despite the long throw (the lever must be brought down to the vertical position to eject a round and cock the hammer). We were certainly able to fire the Rossi quicker then a bolt action which also added to the fun factor of the rifle. You might not be shooting as fast as 'The Rifleman' but you will be having just as much fun!

 

     

 

SIGHTS

Factory sights consist of a front blade with a small brass bead and a rear leaf sight. Both sights are adjustable - front sight for windage, rear sight for elevation. We found the sights easy to use and target acquisition was quick. Lining up targets with in the large U was great for close targets whilst more precise shooting was achieved by lining up the front sight bead with the small cutout at the bottom of the rear sight.

 

     

 

The brass bead on the front sight was difficult to see at times and would be improved with a coloured fibre optic sight. There are aftermarket options available for mounting optics if you so desire. 

 

MAGAZINE

The 16 inch barrel carbine comes equipped with an eight shot magazine. Obviously the longer the barrel the larger the magazine capacity, for example the 20 inch barreled model chambered in 357 Magnum will hold 10 rounds. You could load nine rounds if you are comfortable with handling the rifle with a round chambered. We don't condone this however as we believe the best safety in the world in no round in the chamber.

 

     

 

Loading rounds was surprisingly smooth right out of the box and unsurprisingly it became easier and easier the more it was used. The last couple rounds are still tight to load however and a day shooting and loading the Rossi will certainly result in some sore thumbs. We did not experience any jams or misfeeds caused by the magazine. The factory magazine follower is yellow and plastic making it easy to see when your rifle is empty. 

 

ACCURACY

We shot a variety or 38 Special and 357 Magnum loads through our rifle from a bench rest to achieve the best accuracy. We averaged two inch groups at 50 metres with most loads, as usual the more expensive 'premium' ammunition tendered to be more accurate. We found the accuracy to be more then acceptable for this rifles intended use, we couldn't imagine trying to shoot live game at more than 100 metres with this rifle and with accuracy at about four inches at 100 metres you probably wouldn't want to. 

 

     

 

We imagine most buyers of this rifle would be looking for a quick shooting close range rifle for medium game. The Rossi carbine would be great for throwing on the front of your quad when out and about or on the dash of your vehicle for those times when you stumble across a mob of feral pigs or goats. The carbine model also comes chambered in larger calibres for those shooters wanting a bit more knock down power. 

 

TRIGGER

We loved the factory trigger and didn't attempt to modify it in any way. We measured a consistent trigger pull of 3.5 pounds with only a small amount of creep. There are options however for lightening the trigger if you so desire, basically this involves modifying/polishing the internals. 

 

SAFETY

The Rossi carbine comes equipped with two safety features. The first and most obvious being a receiver mounted lever safety. Simple and easy to use with a big red F for fire and green S for safe. The hammer will still release if the trigger is pulled and the safety is on, it will just stop short of striking the firing pin. 

 

 

The second safety is what Rossi calls a 'Taurus Security System'. This basically consists of a small screw below the hammer which is screwed out to prevent use of the rifle (basically the hammer can't be pulled back rendering the firearm useless). We liked this extra safety feature and also the fact if you don't intend to use it you won't even notice it is there!

 

QUALITY

We have heard and read some horror stories in relation to the quality of Rossi rifles. Whilst they may not be in the same league quality wise as say a Winchester or Uberti we found our rifle to be excellent. We did not experience any quality related issues, well we didn't experience any issues at all actually. We did not find any unsightly machining marks and the steel to timber fit was excellent, no gaps or dodgy fittings. The timber was nice with a smooth finish. We did notice some minor wearing of the bluing in places where the steel parts rub against each other, namely the hammer and the top of the lever. This is to be expected however after running through hundreds of rounds. 

 

          

 

We would not hesitate to purchase another Rossi rifle and although we have heard some negative feedback from Rossi owners its only far that we mention we have also heard alot of positive feedback from Rossi owners. 

 

UPGRADES

Of course we couldn't help ourselves and did a few minor upgrades to our rifle. We had heard stories from other Rossi owners in relation to the magazine spring being prone to rust. We also weren't overly fussed with the plastic magazine follower so we purchased and installed a new stainless steel magazine spring and magazine follower which can be seen in the below photo. Whilst it didn't improve the performance of our rifle we are confident it will help to ensure its reliability over time. 

 

     

 

We also purchased a couple metres of paracord and wrapped the lever. This made racking the lever a little easier on our fingers and we think it looks pretty good! You could achieve a more traditional look by using leather instead. 

 

Conclusion

We thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the Rossi lever action carbine. If you are chasing a short and light weight rifle for carrying around or even just plinking away at the range or on a property the Rossi would serve you well. The ability to chamber two different cartridges is also a big plus and has many obvious benefits. Younger or inexperienced shooters would have no issues handling and shooting the Rossi, especially when using 38 Special loads. 

We found the quality to be excellent along with reliability, fit and finish. We experienced no misfeeds, fail to ejects or jams of any kind with any of the factory rounds we used, 357 Magnum and 38 Special. The accuracy is certainly not outstanding but this can be partly attributed to the fact 357 Magnum and 38 Special are pistol rounds and not known for long range accuracy. If you are chasing a lever action rifle with longer range and better accuracy you really need to be looking at the 30-30 Winchester or even a lever action rifle that doesn't use a tubular magazine. 

We hope you enjoyed reading our review and if you are looking at a lever action rifle for your next purchase make sure you give Rossi a consideration.  

 

 

You can check out the full range of Rossi firearms at the following link;

http://www.rossiusa.com/

 

PROS

• Quality, reliability, fit and finish all excellent
• Ability to use 357 Magnum and 38 Special
• Aftermarket parts and upgrades available
• Cheaper than a Winchester or Uberti and just as fun to shoot

 

CONS

• Bluing has worn in some places - but thats it!

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: M92 Carbine LARGE LOOP

Calibre: 357/38 (also available in 44 MAG, 45 Colt, 44-40 Win and 454 Casull)

Barrel Length: 16 inches

Weight: 4.8 pounds (5.5 pounds as measured by us)

Overall Length: 846mm

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team review the KIDD (Charger) Pistol chambered in 22LR

 

Welcome readers! As usual we have been hard at work putting another great gun through its paces to help you decide whether it is worth your hard earned dollars.

 

 

This time we are taking a look at the KIDD Pistol chambered in 22LR. KIDD are well known for making high-end quality parts and complete rifles/pistols that are a copy of the popular Ruger 10/22 rifle and Charger pistol.

 

OVERVIEW

Ok we may need to clarify the actual pistol being reviewed here. Our pistol was actually assembled using various parts KIDD parts. As you may be aware, the Ruger Charger which our KIDD pistol is a copy of, is simply a 10/22 with a shorter (10 inch usually) barrel manufactured and sold as a pistol. Our KIDD pistol is no different. We aren't going to go into the in's and out's of the 10/22 and its many features. There are literally TONNES of 10/22 and Charger reviews already on the internet. If you aren't familiar with them, have a read.

You can check out the full line of KIDD parts and complete rifles/pistols available at the following link; http://www.coolguyguns.com/

Basically what you need to know, KIDD are well known for manufacturing some of the best 10/22 parts. After spending many months shooting and testing our KIDD pistol, we would agree. The spec's on our pistol are as follows (copied from the above website);

Receiver

• 10/22® style aftermarket slip fit receiver
• durable anodized finish
• billet aluminum
• rear access cleaning hole
• optional v-block, rear tang, take down screw, bolt buffer, and pins
• specialized interchangeable scope base
• Zero scope base

Barrel

• 10" KIDD stainless steel aftermarket pistol barrel (weighing two pounds)

Bolt

• CNC Machined steel from billet
• Proper head spacing and firing pin protrusion
• Hardened for durability
• "pinned" firing pin for consistent ignition
• Radiused and polished for improved cycling

Trigger

• KIDD Two Stage Trigger Unit (silver, red trigger blade)

 

 

QUALITY

We are going to jump straight in to talking about the quality of this pistol. Simply put, it is excellent. The precision and craftsmanship of KIDD guns and parts is very high. We could not find any machining marks or imperfections on our pistol. All lines and edges are perfect, even the bolt cycled straight out of the box silky smooth. It's as if it has already been worn in with thousands of rounds. 

We have included two photos below as an example of the precision used in manufacturing. When we first picked up our new KIDD pistol we thought the compensator was integral with the barrel. If you look closely at the left photo you can see a fine line which separates the barrel and threaded compensator. Our barrel was threaded with the common 22 calibre thread size - 1/2x28TPI.

 

     

 

We will let KIDD have the final say of the craftsmanship of their barrels and trigger groups;

'We believe these are the finest barrels on the market, each one is hand lapped. Our stainless steel barrel is bored and rifled by Lothar Walther in Germany. Tony Kidd then performs all the final machining to make our match barrel a worthy KIDD product. A proprietary chamber reamer is used to ensure the cartridge and bullet feed smoothly. Our barrels are chambered to accept .22 ammo and have a 1:16 twist. The unique convex extractor slot eliminates extraction problems by ensuring the extractor is always in perfect alignment with the case rim.'

 

     

 

'Our trigger guard is CNC machined from 6061 T6 billet aluminum and each assembly. The hammer, sear, transfer bar and other internal tool steel parts are CNC machined and cut by a wire EDM. All springs are manufactured by a .22 aficionado and KIDD customer Murphy & Read Springs. We assemble each trigger in the KIDD shop employing the strictest quality control knowing our reputation rides on every trigger.'

The KIDD receiver is of course CNC machined aluminum and the bolt CNC machined steel. Each part is first class and made to within the tightest of tolerances. 

 

 

SHOOTING THE KIDD

Our KIDD has digested thousands of rounds but you wouldn't know it. The usual wear marks on the bolt and receiver are non-existent. We were able to find some marks on the barrel where the bolt touches as it feeds in a new round, but thats it. We won't go into the calibre of our KIDD pistol. You all know the 22LR round - cheap, low powered (despite what the media like to think) and fun to shoot.

 

ACCURACY

As expected we found the accuracy to be excellent. We have shot quite a few rifles and pistols chambered in 22LR in our time and with a few exceptions we have found the more expensive 22LR ammunition will generally shoot better than the cheaper stuff. The KIDD digested every type of ammunition without fuss. To really test the accuracy of our KIDD pistol we transferred the barrel and action to a full 10/22 stock and mounted a variable magnification scope - a Vortex Viper PST to be exact (very nice scope).

 

 

The best group we achieved is below - not bad at 50 metres with a 10 inch barrel. Typically most ammunition shot around the one inch mark at 50m with surprisingly no real preference for the cheap or expensive ammunition. Every 22LR chambered rifle and pistol we shoot always surprises us ammunition wise with the KIDD being no exception! As we always remind readers we are not benchrest champions so the accuracy of your rifle or pistol will depend on your skills and equipment. Ours was shot with a front and rear rest and little to no wind. 

 

 

TRIGGER & SAFETY

If you do some research you will find a lot of hype around the KIDD single stage and two stage triggers. Our KIDD has the two stage unit installed as we have a personal preference for two stage. Our trigger had a consistent first stage take-up of one pound followed by a second stage break of two pounds. The trigger was smooth and broke like glass. Triggers have always been a personal preference among shooters however we can honestly say it is the nicest 10/22 trigger we have ever used. 

 

 

Safety is typical Ruger push button style. The safety is easily activated by extending your shooting finger to just forward of the trigger. Our KIDD also came with an extended magazine release lever. Dropping a magazine was quick and easy, simply move your hand forward of the trigger and use the top of your index finger to push the lever forward. 

 

MAGAZINES

Our KIDD accepted all types of 10/22 mags we had on hand and fed rounds without issue. Again make sure you use quality Ruger factory mags. There are plenty of other brands making 10/22 mags but we have found Ruger to make the most reliable and robust mags. The photo below includes all Ruger mags besides the clear single stack ten rounder which is made by Butler Creek, they are also a quality mag. 

 

 

RELIABILITY

This is always an issue especially when it comes to rimfire semi auto's. We have never found a 22LR semi auto that doesn't at least jam up occasionally, it the nature of the beast. We can happily report however that fail to feeds and fail to extracts were almost non-existent with our KIDD pistol. The occasional jam usually came from cheap ammunition which we can safely assume is more of a ammunition quality issue than a firearm issue. The cheap ammunition also had its fair share of mis-fires. 

 

 

KIDD rifles and pistols are high end and arguably the best on the market. if you buy the best, feed it the cheapest ammunition and complain about reliability issues than you have only yourself to blame! KIDD firearms are made with extreme precision and attention to detail. Shoot ammunition through your KIDD that has had the same treatment during manufacturing and you won't have any issues.

 

CONCLUSION

If you, like countless other shooters over the decades, love your 10/22 and/or Charger and want to upgrade to the best there is, KIDD should be firmly in your sights. We have never handled or shot a 10/22 with such a high level of quality and workmanship. 

Can't afford to buy an entire pistol or rifle? No worries because all of KIDD's parts and accessories can be purchased separately to upgrade your existing 10/22 or Charger. We would highly recommend upgrading to the trigger unit and barrel at the very least. As you might expect KIDD parts and accessories are not cheap, they will need to be imported and prices will vary. Complete rifles as per their website start at about US$1000 (2015). Expensive for some but how do you put a price on perfection?

Head down to your local dealer and don't forget your wallet!

 

 

You can check out the full line up of KIDD parts, accessories, complete rifles and pistols at http://www.coolguyguns.com/

 

PROS

• Quality, reliability, accuracy - all A+
• Hyped as the best complete guns and parts you can buy for the 10/22 (and we tend to agree)

 

CONS

• Not cheap, but you get what you pay for

 

WHERE ARE THE SPECS?

There are so many options when building a complete KIDD rifle/pistol or upgrading your own, so specifications such as length and weight will vary. Check out the above website for more details on the parts you are wanting.

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team Review the Ruger SR22 Rimfire Pistol Chambered in 22LR

 

Welcome and thanks for reading another review by the Buy Used Guns Team. We have been busy shooting literally thousands of rounds through Ruger's little 22 plinker and having a lot of fun in the process. We hope you find our review informative and a pleasure to read. 

 

 

What do I get for my money?

There are basically three different variants of the SR22 pistol available from Ruger (besides the Distributor Exclusives). The standard pistol is the same as our review pistol minus the threaded adapter. You then have the threaded adapter model and a model with a silver anodized finish for the slide instead of black. 

 

     

 

The Ruger SR22 is a blow back operated semi-automatic pistol chambered in 22LR. The pistol consists of a polymer frame/receiver, aluminium slide and steel components. Polymer frames/receivers are becoming more common on pistols due to its light weight and low cost. Plus there is no need to worry about corrosion or rust.

You actually get quite a few extras with the SR22. The pistol is supplied with two different sized rubber grip sleeves along with two different sized base pads for the magazines. Ruger has attempted to cater for different hand sizes and they have done well. We wish more pistols came this way. Besides the usual manuals and warranty cards you get a nice little nylon black gun case to store your pistol and a small spanner and thread protector to replace the threaded adapter (threaded model only). You also get a large Ruger padlock for locking up the action if you want a bit of extra security. 

 

     

 

Please note the ventilated compensator you can see in the above images was not supplied with the pistol. We chose the threaded barrel model so we could attach accessories thus making the pistol legal for sports and target shooting in our state. The SR22 comes with a barrel length of 3.5 inches making it too short for sports and target shooting in most, if not all, states and territories. Legislation and policies will vary from state to state however we were able to attach a compensator to the threaded adapter increasing the barrel length to over five inches and making it legal for sports and target shooting in our state. You as a responsible shooter will need to make enquiries with your states firearms licensing into the legalities of doing this.

 

Shooting the SR22

One word sums up shooting the SR22 - FUN! We ran many different brands of ammunition through our pistol and we are happy to report it is extremely reliable. We did not have ANY fail to feeds or fail to ejects with any type of ammo. We did not test any subsonic ammunition. Of course not all ammunition is created equal and being a 22LR semi-automatic there is bound to be the odd malfunction, thankfully we didn't experience any. The pistol was given a quick clean after every 500 or so rounds however this was more so to familiarise ourselves with various parts and take down procedure. We wouldn't be surprised if the SR22 ran fine after thousands of rounds and no cleaning.  

The slide stop and magazine release latch were easily reached by our thumbs, as was the manual safety. The SR22's manual safety and magazine release latch are ambidextrous which is great news for left handed shooters. The SR22 is equipped with a magazine disconnect safety which prevents the pistol from being fired without a magazine inserted. You either love or hate this safety feature, we are firmly in the hate camp. There is also a small accessory rail at the front of the receiver, great for mounting lights and lasers to satisfy your inner mall-ninja tendencies. 

 

Disassembly

Generally easy and pretty straight forward. There is a small take down lever towards the top of the trigger guard which must be pulled down. The slide assembly then simply lifts up and slides off the front of the barrel, only issue being if you have barrel accessories attached they will have to be removed first. The guide rod and recoil spring will also come out. This is the best way to clean the SR22 as it gives full access to the receiver and slide. 

 

     

 

Size and Weight

There is no denying the SR22 is a small pistol, standing only 4.9 inches high and under an inch in diameter. The supplied extended magazine base pad and larger grip sleeve help to 'beef up' the grip a little for shooters with large hands. Despite having a polymer receiver the entire pistol is quite well balanced and with an overall weight of around 500 grams it is by no means a heavy pistol. We think Ruger were wise to produce the SR22 with an aluminium slide as a steel slide would have made the pistol very top heavy. Younger shooters will find the SR22 a pleasure to shoot, especially with the ability to decrease the grip size for smaller hands. 

 

 

Magazines and Grip

Ruger supply the SR22 with two steel magazines along with two different base pads for each magazine. One pad sits flush with the bottom of the grip whilst the other has a small lip which extends the pistols grip when the magazine is inserted. Small handed shooters were able to just fit all fingers on the grip with the flush base pad however large handed shooters needed to fit the base pad with the small lip to get a full grip. 

 

     

 

The magazines were sturdy and came with a small loading assist tab on the side. The base pads are easily removed allowing for the magazine spring and follower to removed if you so desire. We also liked the ambidextrous magazine release latch, handy for the lefties. 

 

 

The SR22 is also supplied with two different sized rubber grip sleeves. These are removed by slipping them off the bottom of the receiver which is easier said then done. The grip sleeves were incredibly tight but with a bit of patience we eventually got them changed over. As you may have guessed one sleeve is slightly wider then the other, catering for shooters with small and large hands. The rubbery texture of the grip was also nice, helping shooters to get a firm grip. There is no disguising the fact the SR22 is a small pistol, even with the larger grip sleeve and magazine base pad installed. We would recommend shooters with large hands hold one before buying however It certainly wasn't a deal breaker for us, we still managed a comfortable grip. 

 

 

Sights

Supplied sights were the usual white 3 dot polymer type with a fixed front sight and the rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation. We found target acquisition to be a quick and easy affair. The rear sight is easily adjusted with a small flat head screwdriver. 

 

 

Trigger

The SR22 trigger is typically heavy in DA mode however we measured a consistent 4 pound trigger pull in SA mode with a small amount of creep and a long reset. We weren't overly fussed with the trigger however for general shooting or plinking it was fine. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of aftermarket upgrades to improve the trigger pull at the moment. We did find the trigger felt smoother and a touch lighter after a few hundred rounds. 

 

 

Accuracy

We tested roughly a dozen different types of 22LR ammo through our SR22 and found general accuracy to be acceptable for what is essentially a plinking pistol. We did some accuracy testing using a front and rear rest from a bench and achieved the below 0.60 inch five shot group at 15 metres using CCI Standard Velocity rounds. Most ammunition tested grouped around 1.5 to 2 inches at 15 metres. The SR22 may have achieved better results with more expensive 22LR ammunition but we think that defeats the purpose of this pistol. We doubt many shooters are going to buy the SR22 and feed it expensive premium target rounds.

 

 

Quality

We have never been let down by a Ruger firearm in this department and the SR22 is no exception. We found the build quality and overall fit and finish of the SR22 to be excellent. The polymer is tough and the anodizing on the slide has shown no signs of wearing or rubbing. There was slight side to slide play of the slide when fitted to the receiver however this did not seem to affect functioning in any way. This would be one of the very few negatives we could find on an otherwise fantastic pistol. 

We seem to mention this a lot in our reviews however with proper care and maintenance we are confident the SR22 will give many years of trouble free service. 

 

 

Conclusion

If you are in the market for a 22LR pistol for any sort of rimfire shooting you would do well to consider the Ruger SR22. There are similar offerings from other firearm manufactures such as Walther and Smith & Wesson, both well known manufactures making quality firearms. We liked the SR22 for its quality and reliability plus its a very nice looking pistol. 

There isn't a lot left to say other then the SR22 is a fun and reliable little pistol. You could easily waste an afternoon with the SR22, a few tin cans and a brick of ammo and we think that says it all. 

 

Pros

• Reliable and Accurate
• Customizable grip
• Excellent fit, finish and overall quality

 

Cons

• Large handed shooters may struggle to get a comfortable grip
• Lack of aftermarket parts/upgrades

 

Specifications (as listed by Ruger)

• Barrel length: 3.50 inches (minus threaded adapter)
• Overall length: 6.40 inches (minus threaded adapter)
• Height: 4.90 inches
• Weight: 496 grams (504 grams as measured by us with no thread adapter and an empty magazine inserted)
• Width: 0.97 inches
• Twist: 1:16 inches RH

 

The Ruger SR22 Rimfire Pistol used by the Buy Used Guns Review Team was imported through one of our very own dealers, SINGLE HIT ARMAMENTS

 

 

You can check out all of SINGLE HIT ARMAMENTS ads at the following link;

http://www.buyusedguns.com.au/dealers_listing.php?id=14

 

You can check out the SR22 and all of Ruger's great firearms at http://www.ruger.com/index.html

 

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team Review the CZ 612     HC-P Pump Action Shotgun 

 

Welcome readers and thanks for taking the time to read another one of our reviews. We spend a lot of time putting our reviewed guns through their paces so we hope the below information will assist you if you are looking at purchasing a new pump action shotgun. 

The CZ 612 line of Turkish made pump action shotguns is quite diverse. Shotguns are offered in various barrel lengths from 18.5 to 32 inches with different coatings and intended uses from home defence to game bird hunting. The HC-P most closely resembles the 'home defence' line of shotguns with a slightly longer barrel (20 inch v 18.5 inch) and different stock, forend and sights. The 612 'Home Defence' seems to be a good alternative to the HC-P, especially if you like the feel and use of a more traditional stock and can get away with an inch and half less barrel. 

 

What do I get for my money?

Open your box and you will find your new shotgun, manual, choke tool and.....that's about it - but what else do you need? This shotgun is setup straight out of the box. Interestingly enough the shotgun comes with a magazine plug restricting the capacity of the tube magazine. Luckily it is easily removed via instructions in the manual giving you the full 5+1 capacity. The manual states the plug is installed to comply with your countries magazines restrictions (if applicable). Luckily the maximum capacity of the tube magazine is five shells with the plug removed, so no problem for us!

 

 

Supplied and already installed was one 'Improved Cylinder' choke which should handle any sort of 12GA ammo you want to use. Other chokes are available from CZ-USA. You would be correct in thinking the 'Hoard Control Pump' is a reference to dispatching the walking dead. Taken straight from the CZ-USA website page for the HC-P; 'With the HC-P (Horde Control Pump), you won't be under-gunned when zombie hordes fill the streets.'  

At the time of writing this review the zombie apocalypse is yet to occur so we will have to take CZ's word on that one. 

 

Size and Weight

The HC-P is fitted with a 20 inch barrel and with an empty weight of 6.5 pounds, it is light weight and easy to manoeuvre around. The shotgun was very well balanced and a pleasure to shoot, we even managed to knock over a few feral pests from the car window, something which can be difficult with long barrelled firearms.

 

 

 

Shooting the CZ 612 HC-P

We ran quite a lot of shells (hundreds - we lost count) through our HC-P and we are pleased to say it did not jam or misfeed in any way (with the exception of accidental short strokes).

 

 

Just for a bit of fun whilst testing reliability we shot some 00 Buckshot at some reactive targets. Results are below (Shot at 5 metres and 15 metres respectively). We would certainly dislike being at the business end of a 12 gauge with buckshot at close range. The ability to accept up to 3 inch shells is always a bonus giving you a great selection of 12 gauge ammo to choose from. 

 

     

 

Stock and Forend

The HC-P comes equipped with a matte black synthetic stock and forend which lends to the shotguns entire 'tactical' look and feel. The pistol grip is a slightly larger than an AR-15 grip and is ribbed for extra grip. The grip felt good in our hands and very natural. The stock is equipped with sling attachments either side and towards the front of the magazine tube, should you feel you need one. The front sling attachment can also be moved to protrude left and right (as well as straight down as in our photos). 

 

     

 

The forend is made from a tough plastic and again is ribbed for extra grip. The forend is wide and long and we had no issues when pumping the action fast. There is a small but pad to absorb some recoil but you will still get a bit of a kick from the 12 gauge round. The stock and forend were sturdy and we found no issues with the quality or workmanship. Plastic seems to be appearing more and more on new guns these days, whether you are a fan or not that's up to you. We prefer the synthetic stocks especially if your gun is going to get bumped and knocked around.

 

 

Sights

On top you will find ghost ring front and rear fibre optic sights (red and green) with an attached picatinny rail should you wish to attach some type of optic. We loved the fibre optic sights, target acquisition was quick, easy and accurate enough for the intended ranges of this shotgun. 

 

     

 

Would we mount an optic like a red dot sight? It depends on the application. The open sights are quite clear and quick to get a sight picture, again it's up the end-user. We liked the generously sized blades to protect the front and rear sights, another nod to its robustness. 

 

Trigger and Safety

We measured a consistent 4.5 pound pull on the single action trigger. There is a bit of creep however it is certainly smooth enough and more than suited to shotgunning duties. Just behind the trigger you will find a push button safety easily toggled with your index finger and thumb when holding the pistol grip. You may have read in our other reviews we don't believe in using safeties. Unless we about to discharge a firearm we don't have any rounds in the chamber. We did like the position of the safety and its ease of use however. Should you be carrying the shotgun whilst loaded, it would not take but a second to toggle the safety off if you needed to discharge the shotgun in a hurry. 

 

 

Disassembly

Stripping the HC-P couldn't be simpler, screw off the magazine end cap and your barrel and sling attachment slide straight off allowing you further remove the forend and internal working parts for a complete strip down. We are usually content with running a bore snake through our shotguns unless they have had heavy use. Either way cleaning this shotgun is anything but a chore. Unlike its semi-automatic cousins, there are no gases or crud being pushed back into the action and after firing hundreds of shells the action was still relatively clean.

 

 

Quality

The CZ 612 HC-P may be marketed as a budget shotgun but we found nothing to indicate it won't go the distance with other more well known manufactures of pump action shotguns. The finish seems durable as do the working parts and accessories. The fit between the stock/forend and the metal work was excellent with no unsightly or uneven fitting. The metal work itself was flawless, no sharp edges or defects with a nice smooth glossy finish. Needless to say we were very impressed especially when this is essentially a shotgun sold for around the $300 mark in other countries such as the USA. 

Whilst we certainly didn't torture test this shotgun we are confident it will serve a shooter well with the proper care and maintenance. 

 

 

Conclusion

We enjoyed our time with the CZ-USA 612 HC-P and can certainly recommend this shotgun to anyone in the market for a pump action 12 gauge. The quality including fit and finish are excellent, as was the reliability (flawless in fact). We loved the short barrel and pistol grip as we felt it made the shotgun very user friendly. We have no doubts almost anyone could pick this shotgun up and immediately feel comfortable and effective in its use. The sights are clear and accurate and picatinny rail is a welcome addition, especially for mounting optics. 

The only real negative aspect we can mention about the HC-P or CZ 612 shotguns in general is the lack of aftermarket accessories. Having said that this shotgun is ready to go out of the box and we can't think of any accessories that would substantially improve the shotgun in any way. Maybe a side saddle shell holder? Maybe accessories aren't your thing? Either way make sure you shoulder a HC-P if you're in the market for your next 'zombie gun'. 

 

 

We hope you enjoyed reading our review of the HC-P. Feel free to leave us some feedback or any other comments below.

 

Pros

• Quality, reliable and user friendly
• Short barrel and very well balanced
• Fantastic open sights with options to mount other optics/accessories
• Easy maintenance

 

Cons

• Lack of aftermarket accessories

 

Specifications (as listed by CZ-USA)

Barrel Length: 20 Inches

Weight: 6.5 pounds (verified by us)

Overall Length: 39.5 inches

Length of Pull: 14.5 inches

 

The CZ-USA 612-HC-P used by the Buy Used Guns Review Team was imported through one of our very own dealers, SINGLE HIT ARMAMENTS

 

 

You can check out all of their ads at the following link;

http://www.buyusedguns.com.au/dealers_listing.php?id=14

 

You can check out the HC-P and all of CZ-USA's other great guns at http://cz-usa.com/

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team Review the Ruger American COMPACT in 22LR

 

Welcome shooters and thanks for reading another Buy Used Guns Review! We have just spent the last couple of months playing with the Ruger American COMPACT chambered in 22LR and needless to say, we are very impressed. We have broken down the many different aspects of the rifle for you below and outlined the good, the bad and thankfully no ugly. 

 

 

What do I get for my money?

For under $400? Quite a lot actually! We received our Ruger American in a cardboard box (like most rifles these days) with the usual manual, action lock, 1 x 10 round magazine and 2 x 'interchangeable stock modules' which basically change the height of the comb. The receiver is machined to accept 3/8" dovetail rings and is drilled and tapped to accept standard Weaver #12 bases. We were a bit disappointed the rifle did not come with bases as one of the Ruger American's competitors, the Savage line of rimfires, come with aluminum weaver bases. We can't imagine supplying some aluminum bases with the American Rimfire would be costly for Ruger but then you're still getting a lot of rifle for your money.

 

 

Bases aside, you are getting a fantastic rifle with features not found on other rifles at this price point. For under $400 you get a rifle made by Ruger (a gun manufacture well known for making reliable and quality rifles), the ability to take 10/22 magazines, an adjustable trigger, a free-floating barrel, a fibre optic sight, the ability to mount scopes using weaver and dovetail bases and an adjustable stock! We think this is a huge selling point for the rifle. We did not do a lot of research on other rimfire rifles at this price point but we imagine you would struggle to find something else with the above features.

 

What's the Difference Between the COMPACT and Standard American Rimfire?

Not a lot really. The COMPACT is just a bit shorter on both ends and subsequently a bit lighter. The barrel on the standard American is 22 inches verses 18 inches on the COMPACT. The standard model also comes with a slightly longer stock module making the length of pull 13.75 inches verses the COMPACT'S length of pull of 12.5 inches. Losing four inches of barrel does help in the weight department with over half a pound difference between the two models, 5.38 pounds for the COMPACT and 6 pounds for the standard model. 

Ruger has also just released threaded barrel versions of their Ruger American.

 

     

 

Size and Weight

As you would expect with most rimfire rifles, the Ruger American is light and easy to maneuver around which is helped by the short 18 inch barrel. We found the short barrel to be very handy for shooting out of a vehicle and general handling of the rifle. You do not need a long barrel to make the most of the little 22LR round. The barrel has a medium contour being half way between a thin sporter barrel and a heavy varmint barrel. We noticed the rifle is a bit front heavy but nothing to really worry about, it's just a bit heavier than a sporter barrel. 

We shot approximately 50 rounds through the barrel only stopping to reload, and whilst the barrel was hot, it was still mild enough to hold. We found the length of pull was a little short and those of you with long arms may find it uncomfortable however we managed fine and it is certainly not a deal breaker for us. This does however make it a great rifle for teaching younger shooters. There are stock modules available from Ruger that increase the length of pull however they are not included with the compact model. 

Feel free to scroll down to the end of the review to read the specifications of the rifle as listed by Ruger and verified by us.

 

     

 

Shooting the Ruger American COMPACT

We spent a lot of range time shooting this rifle and after you read this review we have probably clocked up well over 1500 rounds (which realistically is nothing for a rimfire). We also did a bit of bunny shooting and as mentioned above, the compact size and light weight made it the perfect rifle for lugging around the paddock and knocking over a few pests. We will break the different aspects of the rifle down into a few topics to give you a better understanding of this great little rifle.

 

Stock and Interchangeable Stock Modules

The Ruger American COMPACT comes with a black composite stock with serrations to help with grip. We liked the overall feel of the stock. It felt solid and tough unlike the plastic stocks on other rimfire rifles such as the Savage (Sorry Savage but your stocks feel like Tupperware containers). You also get front and rear sling studs (pretty standard these days).

What you also get is the ability to swap between two different height comb pieces supplied with the rifle. Ruger claims the flat or lower module is for using the open sights and the raised module for using a scope. We tested both modules and can verify they do a great job putting your head and eyes at the level they need to be. Only downside is we found it impossible to use the open sights with the higher module, we simply could not get our head down far enough. So remember if you want to change back to open sights, you are going to have to change back to the lower module!

 

     

 

Changing the modules over is simple, quick and easy. You simply unscrew the rear sling stud with something long and thin, such as a screwdriver and slide the module piece off. Slide the new one on, re tighten the sling stud and you're done! The module pieces are a snug fit and did not have any play. This is just another nod to the quality you can expect from Ruger. As we have already mentioned there are stock modules available from Ruger which increase the length of pull. 

 

Magazines

Another plus for this rifle, and one we can't stress enough is the ability to take 10/22 magazines. The little 10 shot rotary magazines made by Ruger are excellent and have been in use for decades by other rifles. These magazines are tough, reliable and compact due to the rotary design. The housing of the magazine is made from a tough polymer while the lips are steel. We have a few 10/22 magazines from a rifle made in the 80's that have seen tens of thousands of rounds and still work fine. The magazine release lever was easy to use and the magazines dropped free every time. 

 

     

 

We have shown in the above photos a few of the different 10/22 magazines available on the market today. On the left you will see three 10 round 10/22 magazines clipped together with a 'tri-clip'. The magazines are the same as the standard 10/22 magazine, just with a clear housing. Next we have the standard black 10/22 magazine followed by a Butler Creek 10 round magazine. This magazine is a bit different as it single stacks the rounds. Lastly on the right we have the Ruger made 25 round BX-25 Magazine, again a single stack magazine.

We liked the three 10 round magazines held in the 'tri-clip' the best. It is still compact enough to fit in your pocket and doesn't protrude far from the bottom of the rifle. Best of all you have 30 rounds on hand ready to go. 

NOTE* Please check your states/territories laws and regulations on magazine capacities before using magazines above 10 rounds.

 

Sights

The front sight on the Ruger is a Williams fibre optic sight and is fluro green in colour. We are big fans of fibre optic sights, they are easy to see and always bright, making target acquisition quick and easy. The rear sight is your standard adjustable V slot which can be folded down. Please note your scope mounts will need to be high enough for your scope to clear the rear sight.

You can knock a pin out to remove part of the sight if you are desperate for a millimeter or two of clearance however we wouldn't recommend it (we all know how easy it is to loose those little parts).

 

     

 

Trigger

We liked the adjustable factory trigger on the Ruger and we found for hunting, plinking or anything besides competitive bench rest shooting it did its job well. Ruger claims the trigger is adjustable from three to five pounds. Adjusting the trigger is again, a simple affair. Remove the barrel and action from the stock by loosening two actions screws and you will see there is a small screw on the front of the trigger mechanism. Simply loosen the screw to lighten the trigger or tighten to increase pull weight. We lightened the trigger as far as we could and measured 10 pulls with our trigger pull gauge and came up with an average of 3.1 pounds, that's pretty close. 

 

 

You will also notice the little skeletonised blade on the trigger. This is a safety feature that requires the blade to be depressed before the trigger will fire which is a handy little feature. The trigger guard is molded with the stock making disassembly that much easier with fewer parts to be screwing back on. The stock trigger is crisp but with a small amount of creep, however, for plinking and hunting you will hardly notice. 

 

Safety

Besides the trigger safety as just mentioned, the Ruger comes with a tang mounted safety that is easily accessed with your thumb when holding the rifle. We liked the red colouring on the F as it stands out. 

 

     

 

Accuracy

We mounted a 3-9x40 AR 223 scope made by Bushnell and headed to the range so we could really test the accuracy of this great little rifle. We will feature this scope in an up-coming review and go into a bit more detail for those interested. Scope mounts used were simple aluminum dovetail rings (more than suited for the harsh recoil of the 22LR!).

 

 

We spent a lot of time at the range with the Ruger American, trying over 30 different types of factory 22LR ammunition. We tried the cheapest and most expensive ammunition available to put this rifle through its paces and see what the little Ruger could really do. We have shown the best group from cheap ammunition (CCI) and the best group from the expensive stuff (RWS). As you can see, the Ruger American is an accurate rifle, you just have to find what it likes to eat! The below groups were shot using a front and rear rest at a distance of 50 metres.

 

     

 

On average however we found the Ruger will consistently put out 1 inch groups at 50m with most ammunition. If you are happy with this type of accuracy then grab a few boxes of different ammo with your rifle and you'll be set. If you want groups as small as you can go, you are going to have to spend the time shooting it with a variety of ammunition to find what your rifle likes. 

 

Quality

We have all come to expect a certain level of quality from Ruger and the Buy Used Guns Team is happy to announce the Ruger American Rimfire Compact is no exception. The action was initially rough but after a few hundred rounds has smoothed out and is a pleasure to use. It can be difficult to explain what constitutes a 'tough' or 'solid' action but that is simply how we would describe the action of the Ruger. If you have ever used Rugers line of M77/Hawkeye rifles you will understand the ruggedness we are referring to. What does this mean to the average shooter? This rifle is solid and will last you a lifetime if you take care of it. 

The barrel and action have a sleek satin blued finish which we quite liked and as already mentioned the composite stock is tough giving the shooter a confident grip on the rifle. There were no rough edges or issues with the quality or finish with our rifle. Simply put, the Ruger American Rimfire feels like it should be more expensive than it is.

 

Conclusion

What is there left to say? If you are in the market for a do-it-all bolt action 22LR then it is hard to go past the Ruger American Rimfire Compact. We don't even feel it is fair to mention the word 'budget' when describing this rifle but at under $400 it is! Budget rifles usually carry the stigma of having average quality and/or accuracy which isn't fair to put on the little Ruger. We will admit we haven't tried and tested every rifle on the market at this price point but we wager it is up there with the best, if not THE best rimfire on the market for under $400. 

There is only one thing left for you to do, get out there and grab one of these great rifles and test it for yourself! You can check out the full line of Ruger American Rifles and everything else Ruger at:

 

http://ruger.com/index.html

 

Thanks for reading another Buy Used Guns REVIEW. We have heaps more reviews coming up so keep an eye out.

 

 

Pros

• Reliable and high quality
• Accurate (with the right ammo!)
• Ability to accept 10/22 mags
• Adjustable trigger and stock
• Open sights and two different scope mounting options
• Cheap! but only in price

 

Cons

• Not supplied with weaver bases
• Length of pull on the compact version is a bit short but perfect for younger shooters (can be increased with different stock modules)
• Ammo fussy

 

Specifications (as listed by Ruger and verified by the Buy Used Guns Team)

Barrel Length: 18 inches (45cm)

Barrel Twist: 1:16" RH

Weight: 5.38 pounds (2.44 KG)

Overall Length: 35.75 inches (90cm)

 

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team Review the Savage 93R17 CAMO in 17HMR 

 

Welcome and thanks for reading another BUY USED GUNS Review! We have had this rifle for the last six months or so and have been putting it through its paces. If you have been considering purchasing this rifle or are in the market for a new 17HMR rifle then read on! We have done our best to bring you the highs and lows of this neat little package from Savage. We hope you enjoy reading our review as much as we had fun making it.

 

 

What do I get for my money?

You can expect much the same as with most new rimfire bolt actions purchased today. You the get the rifle as pictured above (minus the scope, rings and bipod) with one 5-shot magazine, a set of black aluminium weaver bases and the usual trigger lock and manuals that seem to come with most, if not all Savage rifles. The included aluminium bases are a nice touch and make it that much easier to mount a scope and get out shooting. 

We purchased ours for around the $450 mark last year (2014) so you could expect about the same taking into effect the rise and fall of gun prices in our country. We think this rifle is excellent value for money and with the addition of a half decent scope and rings you could be out there busting some bunnies for under $800 or even less if you want to settle for cheaper glass.

 

Size and Weight

Not much to touch on in this subject. Savage lists the rifle with a weight of five pounds which we verified ourselves. It is a lightweight rifle and easily carried for hours if need be. The barrel is a good length at 21 inches and overall the rifle is well balanced. The Savage 17HMR would be a great rifle for younger shooters who are still a bit limited in experience or are recoil/noise shy but want more power than a 22LR.

 

 

Shooting and Living with the Savage

With negligible recoil you might find yourself a little too trigger happy with the 17HMR. Unlike it's smaller and cheaper cousin, the 22LR, you will notice how much louder the 17HMR round is and how quickly the barrel heats up. We wouldn't recommend the 17HMR as a great plinking rifle but then that's not really what it's for. The 17HMR is in its element when parked up near a rabbit warren or spotlighting for foxes/cats and other small pests.

There is a lot of different elements that go into making a rifle enjoyable to shoot and the Savage is no exception. We have broken these down a bit for you.

 

17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR)

We hear alot of 17HMR v 22LR v 22WMR type questions and debates which are not easily answered or settled. The 17HMR has its benefits and drawbacks like any round. It is up to you as the shooter/buyer to do the research and decide if this little round is what you want and/or need. The 17HMR is going to shoot flatter and hit harder then the 22LR but that will come at an increased financial cost and noise. The differences between the 17HMR and 22WMR are arguably less noticeable. We won't go into the specifics of the 17HMR as this review is about the rifle, not the calibre. If you are unfamiliar with this little round we would recommend doing some research first. The 17HMR Wikipedia page would be a good start;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.17_HMR

One thing we will say is the 17HMR should not be looked at as a replacement for the legendary little 22LR round, every shooter should have one.

 

Trigger

Like most Savage rifles (maybe all?) the 93R17 comes equipped with the AccuTrigger. Most of you are probably familiar with this style of trigger so we won't go into a lot of detail. There is a great little video on the Savage website which explains it in detail;

http://www.savagearms.com/accuracy/accutrigger/

 

 

You will notice the small blade in front of the trigger which must be depressed first before the trigger will move. This is a great safety which you will see on many other makes of rifles. The AccuTrigger is easily adjusted by removing the barrel and action from the stock and using the supplied tool to increase or decrease trigger pull on the trigger mechanism itself (explained well with the supplied manual). Our rifle came with a crisp trigger pull of around 2.4 pounds with a small amount of creep. We were happy with this weight for feral and bench shooting and felt no need to adjust it.

 

Magazine

Unfortunately we did have a minor issue with regards to the supplied single stack five shot magazine. Occasionally a round would jam whilst trying to load from the magazine. It was almost always the first round however after a few hundred rounds have been cycled through the magazine and action it seems to have smoothed up a bit. 

 

 

We weren't overly fussed on the small tab at the rear of the magazine well used to guide the magazine in. While it did help with stability whilst the magazine was loaded in the rifle, it was quite fiddly during rapid magazine changes. The magazine release lever is also quite thin and we are unsure of its quality and reliability over the life of the rifle, only time will tell! It performed its job well however as it easy to find with your index finger and the magazine dropped free every time. We did like the large red magazine follower as it can easily be seen through the top of the action to identify if you have any rounds left. 

 

Stock

As you've no doubt noticed the rifle comes with a 'Woodland' camouflage plastic stock which compliments the satin/gloss bluing and makes it a very striking rifle to look at. We liked the pattern and as you can see below it blends in quite well. The fore end and pistol grip also have checkering either side which help in getting a firm grip on the smooth finish of the plastic stock. 

 

 

We felt the stock (and subsequently the whole rifle) was let down a bit by the cheap and flimsy feel. No doubt it's a light weight stock which is appealing however we would not trust the stock for any harsh bumps/knocks or being dropped. Whether you feel this is a 'you get what you pay for' situation or not is entirely up to you as the buyer. We would recommend at least holding and having a play with the rifle before purchasing. There are aftermarket stocks available so it is not a deal breaker for us. The butt pad is just plastic which is more then adequate for the almost recoil-less 17HMR round.

 

Scope and Rings

The rings used and pictured are steel Leupold PRW rings. We have been using them on various rifles over the years and they have never let us down. They are sturdy and reliable, qualities you come to expect from Leupold. Our only complaint is you have to push the top half of the scope ring over the scope tube so it clips on. This could mark your scope however this has never happened to us (but we have heard of it happening).

 

 

The scope pictured is a Vortex CROSSFIRE II 4-12x44. This is Vortex's cheapest line of scopes and served us well on the Savage. We did notice the clarity dropped off a bit around the edges of the glass, noticeable more-so after looking through the scope for extended periods. The finish and overall quality of the scope was excellent and we enjoyed the smooth and easy turning of the magnification adjustment ring (unlike the stiff magnification adjustment on Vortex PST scopes). The turrets however were a little 'mushy' when adjusting and didn't really give positive clicks. This is a common complaint of cheaper scopes. If you are after a scope on a smaller budget make sure you check them out.

 

V-PLEX Reticle

 

Accuracy

We spent many hours at the range testing the accuracy of this little rifle. Unfortunately however the results were average at best. Pictured below are our best groups and we know the 17HMR round is capable of a lot more. To be fair we could only manage to get our hands on about seven different types of factory 17HMR ammunition and these results are only from one rifle. The worst ammunition by far was the Remington Accutips which we used to sight the rifle in. We initially thought the scope mounts were loose, the grouping was that horrible! All testing of the Savage rifle was done with a front and rear rest from a bench at a distance of 50 metres. 

 

     

 

We have seen Savage 17HMR rifles shoot much better than this, so our rifle is most likely the exception, not the rule. You may find the above accuracy acceptable, we personally would not. We did play around a bit with the torque of the action screws but this did not help. 

 

Quality

The standout feature of this rifle has to be the glossy and smooth finish of the bluing on the metal work. It really gives the rifle a nice look and seems to be a quality finish. The bolt travel is smooth (initially a little stiff as with most new rifles) and the action locks up tight and solid. As we have already mentioned we felt the stock has let down the whole package a little with its cheap and flimsy feel. 

Provided you treat the rifle well we are sure it will give you many years of trouble and hopefully rust free service!

 

 

Conclusion

We enjoyed our time with the Savage 93R17 in 17HMR and it deserves to be a consideration for anyone after a budget rifle chambered in this fantastic round. The rifle was let down by a few issues, the most disappointing being the accuracy. We have seen Savage Rimfires shoot better and we have certainly seen the accuracy potential of the 17HMR, it just wasn't here. Some more time on the range shooting different factory ammunition might have produced better results however we like our rifles to shoot a wide variety of ammunition well. We loved the whole look of the rifle, especially the camo pattern on the stock. Take note this is a well built and put together rifle, Savage have been making them for years and have quite an extensive range of rimfire rifles.

We hope you enjoyed reading our review. We will be sure to include more Savage firearms in our upcoming reviews, Savage make fantastic rifles and definitely deserve consideration! You can check out the full line-up of Savage rifles at:

http://www.savagearms.com/

 

PROS

• Quality finish on rifle
• Inclusion of ring bases 
• Stock pattern is nice and blends in well with the Aussie bush
• Adjustable trigger

 

CONS

• Average accuracy
• Stock a little flimsy
• Feeding issues from magazine

 

Specifications (as listed by Savage and verified by the Buy Used Guns Team)

Overall length: 39.5 inches

Barrel Length: 21 inches

Barrel Twist: 1:9 RH

Weight: 5 pounds

Barrel Finish/Colour: Satin Blued

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team Review the Semi-Automatic Colt LE6920 Carbine in 5.56/223

 

Welcome to another Buy Used Guns Review! We have been lucky enough to have a fantastic rifle land on our tables to poke, prod and play with. The above photo shows the Colt LE6920 as is comes straight out of the box (literally, it comes in a cardboard box). The below photo shows what happens when the Buy Used Guns Team gets ahold of a new gun, good enough is NEVER good enough!

 

What do I get for my money?

There are a few versions of the popular AR-15 rifle you can purchase from Colt. Ours is the LE6920 model and comes with 1 x 30 round Magpul P-MAG (great mags), a manual and a padlock and key. You might not get many extras with the gun but it's a great rifle straight out of the box. The furniture supplied with this rifle include a Magpul flip-up rear sight, standard M4 style adjustable stock, standard pistol grip and standard M4 style handguard. You will also notice the standard A2 style front sight, which also serves as the gas block. The barrel is threaded 1/2 x 28 to accept most barrel accessories. Supplied and installed on the rifle is a standard A2 style flash hider. 

 

 

If you are not familiar with the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle then you best hit the web and do some research. It is by far the most popular semi-automatic rifle in the USA and has been in service with many militaries around the world. We won't go into much history of the rifle, the name speaks for itself. It uses a mechanism known as 'direct gas impingement' or 'DI' to cycle the bolt and chamber a new round each time the trigger is squeezed and a round is fired, thus making the operation semi-automatic in nature.

Again we won't go into too much detail. If you aren't familiar with this style of rifle then there is plenty of info on the web. Basically gas is tapped from the barrel (through the gas block), travels down a tube back to the upper receiver. This gas is then used to push back the bolt carrier group, extracting and ejecting the empty and fired case. The buffer spring and assembly (housed in the receiver extension or 'buffer tube') pushes the bolt carrier group back forward, picking up a new round from the top of the magazine and loading it into the chamber, ready to fire again. Simple!

 

     

 

Size and Weight

Quickly scroll down to the bottom of this review and you can see the specifications listed by Colt and the specifications as measured by us. What do these figures mean in the read world? It's a very well balanced rifle. The adjustable stock also helps to make the rifle more user friendly whilst still remaining above the legally required length for a rifle in Australia (check your state/territory!). 

Whilst the listed weight by Colt is quite light, it is unlikely any owner of this rifle would keep it stock for very long. We have weighed our rifle with the modifications and a full 30 round magazine, which is how it should be. Our rifle topped the scales at 4.3 kilograms or 9.47 pounds. The accessories and modifications done to this rifle have certainly added a bit of weight over the stock rifle weight of 6.9 pounds. The loaded 30 round magazine didn't help either! The length of the rifle (with Magpul CTR stock) is 825mm with the stock fully collapsed and 909mm fully extended. 

One aspect we didn't initially take into consideration is how far the 30 round magazine protrudes out the bottom of the rifle. It can prove cumbersome if you are used to shooting bolt action rifles with internal or short detachable magazines. You may wish to use 10 or 20 round magazines instead, but where is the fun in that? We did a lot of shooting off the bonnet of a vehicle and unless you have a bipod with long legs or a high rest the bottom of the 30 round magazine will touch the surface you are leaning on. One advantage however is the front of the lower receiver and magazine can be gripped when shooting if that's your preferred style. 

 

 

Shooting the LE6920

We tested the Colt in a variety of conditions utilising slow and rapid fire in the standing, kneeling and prone positions. What did we discover? The Colt is easy to shoot and very effective at what it does, which is sending rounds to a target as fast as you can pull the trigger. The rifle is very well balanced, quick to shoulder  We will break this section down into the key points;

Stock v Geissele Trigger

We did not measure the stock trigger however it was heavy, gritty and had alot of travel. We almost immediately swapped it out for a Geissele trigger. You can scroll down a bit to read our impressions of the Geissele trigger, we were very impressed. This was probably our most liked modification. If we could only do one thing to this rifle it would be swapping out the stock trigger. To be far on the Colt none of the team have ever truly loved a factory trigger from any rifle.

 

 

A2 'Birdcage' Flash Hider

The flash hider came stock with the rifle and seemed to do its job as advertised. We shot the rifle with and without the flash hider and it did help to tame muzzle rise, especially during rapid fire. Due to the bottom of the flash hider being solid with no vents it did not kick up alot of dust when shooting prone, a definate plus should you find yourself in that situation. 

Magazine Changes

Changing out the 30 round magazines is a quick and simple affair. Extend your index finger (if you're a right handed shooter) to depress the magazine release button and it will fall out ready for a reload. With about two thirds of a 30 round magazine extruding from the bottom of the rifle you will have no issues getting a firm grip on the magazine. 

Recoil

As with most rifles chambered in 5.56/223, the recoil is almost negligble. We were able to manage decent control of the rifle when shooting rapid fire but unless you are firing a semi-auto 22LR your point of aim will wavour around a bit. The buffer spring or 'action spring' helps to absorb some recoil. You could further tame the recoil by fitting a muzzle brake however we found this would really be un-necessary unless your competition shooting with this rifle (an unlikely prospect in Australia!).

Safety

The Colt LE6920 (or any AR-15 really) comes with a simple lever to select between safe and fire. The Team at Buy Used Guns don't really use safeties on our guns as we believe the safest way to handle a rifle is with no round in the chamber. Whilst moving around with the rifle we had a loaded magazine inserted, the bolt locked back and the dust cover closed. When we needed to fire we simply depressed the bolt catch which released the bolt forward chambering a new round. 

The DI Price

The Colt has a Direct Impingement Gas System, which means it shoots hot gases and carbon back into the upper receiver to cycle the action. This does come at a price, which is a hot and dirty receiver after firing a lot of rounds. The more rounds you fire, the dirtier it gets. If you are used to giving your rifles a clean after every use no matter the amount of rounds fired, then you probably won't mind much. Our advice? If you are going to have a few shots with this rifle and clean it, you may as well make it worth your while and empty a few mags! The deciding factor will be your wallet. There is a lot of debate over DI v Piston AR-15's with many pro's and con's for each. You can even buy piston kits to convert your DI AR-15. Do your research and make up your own mind. 

 

Accuracy

We tested a few boxes of different factory ammunition and have shown the best and worst five shot groups below. The more expensive Hornady Match had the worst group which was quite suprising. Hornady Match ammo is well known to be quite accurate and with the 1:7 twist barrel the 75gr projectile should have shot a lot better.  The following groups were shot at 100 metres utilising a front and rear rest. 

 

     

     

 

Our handloads ended up performing the best as per the below photo. We imagine with further load development these groups could shrink closer to 1MOA. If it hadn't been for the odd flyer these groups would've been under 1MOA however we aren't going to shoot groups all day and just show you the best ones, that's not a fair representation of accuracy. 

 

 

Semi-autos are not known for fantastic accuracy when compared to say, bolt action rifles. We imagine a determined (or more skilled!) shooter could find some factory ammunition their rifle liked and shoot much smaller groups. Would we call the Colt LE6920 an accurate rifle? We would say it has the potential to be accurate however it seems to be picky with ammunition. We did test more factory ammunition not shown above (including Hornady SuperPerformance Match 75gr and Remington 55gr FMJ to name a couple) however we found it all grouped between about 1.8MOA to 3.1MOA. 

 

Assembly/Disassembly

Stripping down the rifle for cleaning is a breeze. Removal of one pin separates the the upper and lower receiver for removal of the charging handle and bolt carrier assembly. This also allows you access to the inside of the lower and upper receiver for cleaning. The bolt carrier group can then be disassembled for further cleaning. All this disassembly can be done by hand without tools. We did find however that some pins were a bit stiff, no doubt because the rifle is new. After stripping the rifle down for cleaning numerous times we have found the pins have loosened up a bit. After you have stripped the rifle a few times you will have it down pat as it is not difficult by any means. This is great for field cleaning or attending to minor maintenance on the go.

 

 

                    

 

Modifications

We will run through the list of modifications and accessories we have done to this rifle, why we chose them and what we like about them.

 

Magpul CTR Stock, Rail Ladders and RVG (Rail Vertical Grip)

We chose Magpul gear due to its reputation of quality, reliability and strength. The CTR stock is a basic adjustable style stock, a simple lever is pressed to slide the stock back and forth along the buffer extension to the users desired length. The CTR also comes with a separate 'clamp' which eliminates the annoying wobble or play some stocks have between the stock and buffer extension. Magpul offer numerous accessories for the stock including different width butt pads, sling attachments and even cheek risers. (you may notice we have a sling swivel attached to our CTR stock.)

The rail ladders are simple rubber covers that clip onto a standard picatinny rail. This makes holding the handguard more comfortable and protects the rails from any harsh knocks. The RVG is a molded polymer front grip held on by two bolts. It has a great feel in the hand and helps to control the front end of the rifle. Although we didn't add the rear flip-up sight we will be leaving it on the rifle. It does not interfere with the mounting of the optics and weighs next to nothing. Our Magpul accessories are O.D. GREEN in colour. 

 

     

 

Hogue Overmolded Pistol Grip

If you have ever used/touched a rifle with a Hogue overmolded stock or grip then you will know the unique rubbery feel. It's great in getting a secure grip aided by the rubbery overmold and cobblestone texture. Replacing the original grip is a matter of unscrewing one bolt. This grip also has a small rubber 'extension' which fills the annoying gap between the grip and trigger guard. 

 

 

Daniel Defence EZ CAR 7.0 Handguard

When it comes to AR-15's with a fixed A2 front sight, changing over handguards can be difficult unless you remove the front sight or grind/cut it down. Luckily there are a couple options out there to avoid this. The Daniel Defence EZ CAR handguards come in two pieces and are designed to slip in without the removal of anything except the existing handguard. Once installed four tiny grub screws secure the rail in place. The handguard is made from lightweight aluminum and has been rock solid since installed. Our rail is seven inches in length designed for carbine length gas systems and adds plenty of rail for whatever accessories you desire. Another great feature is a small extension along with top of the rail which bridges that annoying gap between some handguards and the the rail along the upper receiver, as shown in the below photo. 

 

     

 

Burris MTAC 1-4x24

There is quite a few reviews of the Burris MTAC on the web already so we won't go into too much detail as this is a rifle review after all. Click on the following link for the manufactures web page for this scope;  http://www.burrisoptics.com/mtac1x4x.html

We chose the MTAC for a couple of reasons, firstly the reputation of Burris producing quality scopes (The MTAC is no exception). The magnification range of 1-4 is perfect for a quick handling rifle of this nature and the illuminated reticle with bullet drop compensator for the 5.56/223 round is very useful. The glass is clear and overall quality fantastic. The scope just feels solid and reliable. The scope can be wound down to 1x and used like a red dot scope due to the design of the reticle and wound up to 4x for longer shots. We were comfortably shooting out to 300 meters with this scope however the reticle does have marks for 600 yard shots if your feeling game. 

Our MTAC came in a package with the P.E.P.R. single piece AR mount. Again this is a quality product from Burris and we could not fault it in anyway. Plenty of info on the web if you are interested.

 

 

Geissele SSA-E Trigger

Replacing the stock trigger was a simple affair with the Geissele SSA-E being a drop in unit. We will provide a link to the manufactures website for this trigger so you can have a more detailed read about the trigger and how it works; http://geissele.com/super-semi-automatic-enhanced-ssa-e-trigger.html

To say this trigger is an improvement over the stock trigger is a major under-statement. The trigger is a two stage design with the initial pull being 2.3 pounds followed by an additional second stage pull of 1.2 pounds, giving an overall pull weight of 3.5 pounds. Geissele describes the second stage as having a 'candy-cane' break and we tend to agree. It is crisp and with a short reset allows for faster and more accurate follow up shots. Geissele claims 'The Geissele Super Semi-Automatic Enhanced (SSA-E) Trigger is a finely-tuned semi-automatic-only version of our full-auto, two stage combat trigger presently used in the U.S. Special Operations Community.' 

Hard to argue with that!

 

Raptor Charging Handle

The stock charging handle performed its role well and we never had any functional issues. After a day of shooting however our fingers were a bit sore and we wished for a more 'meatier' grip when racking the bolt. We settled on the 'Raptor' charging handle made by Rainer Arms. The stand out difference is the handle itself which is larger and provides a more secure grip when pulling the bolt back. The Raptor can also be pulled back utilising either side of the charging handle. This along with the Geissele trigger was one of our favourite modifications to the rifle. 

We have taken a side by side photo of the stock and Raptor charging handles to give you a bit more of an idea.

 

 

Quality

We have to admit we have not had the pleasure of shooting or playing with a lot of different AR-15 rifles (no thanks to Australian gun laws!). We can not however find fault with the quality of this rifle. Everything works and is rock solid. We have had ZERO malfunctions of any kind and we are satisfied with proper care and maintenance this rifle will provide many decades of trouble free use. With the ease of which parts and accessories can be replaced on this rifle, short of the upper or lower receiver exploding you should never have any issues with replacing minor parts yourself. 

 

Conclusion

What is there to say other than the Colt LE6920 is a fantastic offering of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. It is reliable, versatile, customizable in every aspect, easy to use, easy to clean, easy to disassemble and reassemble. The AR-15 is so customizable is can be difficult to cast criticism at different aspects of the rifle. Why? Well if you don't like something simply replace it! There are thousands of different accessories for this rifle. You could literally end up replacing the entire rifle with aftermarket parts. We would've liked to have seen better accuracy however with further testing from handloads and factory ammunition we are confident this can be an accurate rifle. 

If you are one of the few Australians with the holder of the correct firearms licence you owe it to yourself to at least try one of these rifles. We have enjoyed shooting the LE6920 and will continue to do so for quite some time.

 

 

Pros

• So many but we will list them again!
• Reliable, versatile, easy to maintain and work on
• Customizable is so many ways. If you can think of an accessory for it chances are it is already on the market.

 

Cons

• Receiver gets very dirty due to the design of the DI gas system
• Stock trigger was too heavy with too much creep for our liking
• Accuracy was not outstanding

 

Cons (for owning an AR15 in Australia)

• Difficult to obtain in Australia due to state/territory and import firearm laws
• Aftermarket support for your rifle in Australia is not going to be great, many AR-15 parts are heavily restricted for import
• You will discover MANY new shooting 'mates' you never knew you had

 

Specifications (as listed by Colt)

• Barrel Length - 16.1 inches
• Bore - Chromed, 1:7 RH Twist
• Extended Length - 35.5 inches
• Collapsed Length - 32 inches
• Weight - 6.9 pounds

 

Specifications (as measured by the Buy Used Guns Team)

• Extended Length - 35.78 inches or 909mm (with CTR stock)
• Collapsed Length - 32.48 inches or 825mm (With CTR stock)
• Weight - 9.47 pounds or 4.3 kilograms (with all accessories as pictured and a full 30 round magazine)

 

You can check out the full line-up of COLT rifles at http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Rifles.aspx

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team review the Ruger LC9 Lightweight Compact semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9mm

 

 

The Ruger LC9 is a compact pistol designed for concealed/open carry, to that there is no doubt. Its stand-out features include a thin frame, short length and height, ease of use and many safety’s which all point to the concealed/open carry market (pro-dominantly in the US).

You are probably asking yourself why the Buy Used Guns Team are reviewing a pistol designed for concealed/open carry when laws allowing this practise do not exist in Australia. The answer? Because we love guns no matter the purpose and these types of pistols can easily be obtained on certain licences in Australia.

 

What do I get for my money?

Basically everything in the below photo which is standard for a newly purchased pistol. You get the Ruger LC9 with one magazine with two different base plates, soft gun case, a padlock, small key for disassembly, manual and assorted brochures. You also get a nice white cardboard box.

You also get a fired 9mm case inside a small envelope. The label on the envelope provides some specs of the pistol and signed by 'Tom Martin'.

 

    

 

There are actually quite a few variants of the LC9 including quite a few ‘distributor exclusives’ which leads us to believe this is a very popular pistol. The Ruger website lists the following models in their ‘lightweight compact pistols’ range;

• LCP Chambered in 380 Auto (The LCP is even smaller than the LC9)
• LC9s (Striker-fired version of the LC9 in 9mm)
• LC9 Chambered in 9mm
• LC380 (LC9 sized pistol chambered in 380 Auto)

 

The LC9 we are reviewing is a distributor exclusive, namely the ‘NRA Edition’. Basically this means the receiver is coated in a nice camo coating and there are NRA logo’s on both sides of the slide. It’s a nice touch if you wanted something a bit different besides the standard all black LC9.

 

    

 

Size and Weight

In real world terms, it’s a small lightweight gun. The pistol has been designed for shooters to carry comfortably and easily conceal. It is a small gun and when you pick it up and start shooting you will certainly know. You will also notice how THIN the pistol is. Another nod to the concealed/open carry market.

You can follow this link www.ruger.com and navigate to the Ruger LC9 listed specifications. You can also quickly scroll to the bottom of this review for the dimensions and weight as measured by us.

 

 

Shooting the Ruger LC9

We will mention this straight away to highlight the only real negative of the pistol, the trigger pull is LOOOONG! It is so long you might even think something is wrong the first time you squeeze the trigger. We are unsure on the idea behind the long trigger pull. We can only speculate it has something to do with the concealed carry/defensive nature of the pistol, but we really don’t know. You can see in the photos below how far the trigger needs to be pulled to fire.

 

    

 

Along with the long trigger pull, the trigger must be returned roughly two thirds of the way back before the pistol will reset ready to fire again. Does the long trigger pull really matter if you were ever required to use this pistol in a self-defence scenario? Maybe, maybe not. Longer trigger pull aside, the trigger is actually quite nice and has a smooth, not-to-heavy pull. In the below photo we have paused the trigger at the point where it resets.

 

 

Shooting the LC9 was fun and we found the recoil and size of the pistol quite manageable. Due to the size and dimensions of the pistol, you may struggle to shoot it comfortably if you have large hands. One of the magazine base pads supplied extends the grip just enough for you to rest your little finger on. This does make the pistol more comfortable to hold and shoot. The checkered grip also provides a nice secure feel. We had a young female shooter with small hands hold the pistol and she found it quite comfortable.

The three dot sights are simple and we found obtaining a sight picture to be easy enough. The dovetailed front sight is fixed and the rear dovetailed sight is adjustable for windage. We found the serrations on the rear of the slide to be nice and helped when racking the slide. The slide was quite stiff initially but seems to have loosened up a little with use.

We did not experience ANY malfunctions/stoppages/jams of any kind whilst shooting this pistol. This is typical of the reliability we have all come to expect from Ruger, (to be fair however we didn’t fire ALOT of rounds). Loading and unloading the LC9 was a straight forward process and no different from most semi-auto pistols. Insert your loaded magazine, rack the slide and start squeezing the trigger. This is of course provided you don't have any of the safeties activated.

 

Accuracy

We will only touch on this subject due to a number of factors, namely we did not fire a lot of rounds through the pistol, the shots were fired from a new barrel and we used cheap ammo.

 

    

 

The results speak for themselves. The pistol is more than adequate at hitting a human sized target at a reasonable distance. The squares on the targets represent one inch.

 

Assembly/Disassembly

We won't go into war and peace on this subject. Disassembly is quick and easy by using the supplied key to push one pin out. The slide comes off and the barrel and recoil spring come out easy enough for cleaning. The same key can be used to remove the magazine base pads to swap over or clean the magazine internals. Once you have done it a few times you could probably do it blind folded.

 

 

Safety

The Ruger LC9 comes with 4 safety features which may seem excessive however they do not detract from the use or effectiveness of the pistol. They can also not be used should the owner wish to do so. The first and most obvious is the manual safety. This is simply a lever just under the right side of the slide. The user simply flicks the lever up with their thumb which prevents the trigger being pulled. It also locks the slide in place.

 

 

The second most stand out safety feature is the loaded chamber indicator (Ruger MKIII owners will be familiar with this one!). Basically a small tab on top of the slide pops up showing a small amount of red warning/telling the user there is a round in the chamber.

Thirdly there is an internal key activated lock on the right side of the frame. Activate this lock with the provided key (which is also used to disassemble the pistol and magazine) and the pistol will not fire when the trigger is pulled. This is a handy feature for when the pistol is not being used and in storage.

Lastly we have the magazine disconnect safety (Ruger MKIII owners again you will be familiar with this) which prevents the pistol from firing WITHOUT a magazine installed.

 

Quality

There are no negatives to discuss in relation to the quality. The fit and finish are excellent which is again typical of Ruger. The frame has a bit of a 'plastic' feel to it but that is to be expected. Ruger advertise the frame as a one piece nylon grip frame reinforced with long glass fibre (sounds fancy?). The slide and barrel have a sleek blued finish and it seems quite durable.

Provided you keep the pistol clean and well-oiled it will no doubt last you a lifetime.

 

    

 

Conclusion

We would be hard pressed to recommend this pistol for anything other than concealed/open carry. This really is the whole point of the pistol. It was fun shooting the little Ruger but it is no range or duty firearm. This certainly limits the market in Australia however it may still appeal to collectors and occupational shooters.

If Australian laws permitted the use of carriage of firearms to defend ourselves we would certainly give the Ruger LC9 consideration. Especially as a day-to-day carry with minimal discomfort to the user whilst still packing a punch.

 

 

Pros

• Quality
• Compact and lightweight while still able to fire a decent calibre
• Plenty of safety features (even a message on the pistols frame tells you to read the manual first!)

 

Cons

• Trigger! Long pull and long reset. Aftermarket kits are available
• Not very accessible to the Australian market (mainly due to barrel length)

 

Specifications (as listed by Ruger)

• Barrel Length - 3.12 inches
• Overall Length - 6 inches
• Width - 0.9 inches
• Height - 4.5 inches
• Weight - 17.10 oz
• Capacity - 7 + 1
• Twist - 1:10
• Slide/Barrel Finish - Blued

 

Dimension Specifications (as measured by the Buy Used Guns Team)

• Weight - 491 grams (with empty magazine and regular magazine base pad)
• Height - 113mm (including sights and regular magazine base, extended magazine base will add a few mm)
• Width - 26mm (if you exclude the manual safety which protrudes a few mm you have an overall pistol width of about 23mm)
• Length - 150mm

 

 

We hope you enjoyed reading our review of the Ruger LC9, we certainly had fun shooting the little pistol and writing this review. If you have any questions about this or other reviews don't hesitate to send us a message!

 

The BUY USED GUNS Team review the Hera Arms – TRIARII Pistol to Carbine Stock System

 

Many of you are probably wondering straight away, what is it exactly? We will get this out of the way first so you have a better understanding of the product and this review.

The Hera Arms - TRIARII is an aluminium stock or chassis that your pistol ‘slides’ or ‘sits’ inside, transforming your pistol into the feel and look of a small carbine. It does not increase barrel length, magazine capacity or change the way the pistol operates in any way. When you shoot using the TRIARII you are still only firing a semi-automatic pistol.

WHY would you want to do this? Well shooting a pistol inside the stock increases accuracy and stability whilst firing your pistol. It also allows for alot of accessories and attachments. This product would certainly have military/law enforcement applications however we won't cover those topics in this review.

 

What do I get for my money?
The stock system as it comes is pretty useless by itself, as shown in the below photo. You need to install accessories to make if functional, namely a butt stock and sights. Sights are the bare minimum required to actually use the stock to some degree of effectiveness (plus your pistol). Otherwise you would just be looking at a bare rail, (not very effective for aiming).

 

 

You could use the stock without installing a receiver extension and butt stock but again, you wouldn’t be utilising the stock system to its full potential. The stock is made from ‘aircraft grade’ aluminium. The Buy Used Guns Team were very impressed with the overall quality of the product. We could not fault the quality in anyway. Typical German engineering.

After you decide which pistol you want the TRIARII Stock System to use with, all you need to do is choose the colour, either black or tan. Please see below a list of pistols the stock is made for, this was sourced directly from the Hera Arms website;

• SIG 226 (Picatinny Rail)
• SIG 2022 (European Model)
• Glock 17/19/20/21/22/23/31/32/34/35
• CZ SP01
• HK P30
• HK P30L
• Walther P99 (Gen.2 +)
• Walther PPQ
• S&W M&P9

Our TRIARII stock is for Gen4 Glock 17’s, 22’s and 31’s, (9mm, 40S&W and 357sig). You may notice we are actually using a Gen3 Glock 17 in our TRIARII. We found the Gen3 Glock 17 to function flawlessly in the TRIARII designed for Gen4 Glocks. This may be due to very little difference between Gen3 and Gen4 Glocks.

 

     

 

Function
The stock system is very simplistic in its function. The pistol is held within the stock via the front accessory rail on your pistol and a small bracket at the rear of the stock specifically designed to sit against the rear of your make and model of pistol. There is a side ‘charging handle’ which allows you to move your pistols' slide back and forth as required.

Why would you want to attach a large aluminium chassis to your pistol? There are a few reasons. It adds A LOT of rail allowing for A LOT of accessories. There is a full length rail running along the top of the stock along with 3 shorter rails on the sides and bottom. The other reason being you can attach a receiver extension also known as a buffer tube to the rear of the stock allowing you to mount many different adjustable butt stocks. The stock does come with a ‘plug’ and sling attachment, should you wish to use the chassis without a butt stock installed. The rear stock can also be adjusted to sit on an angle as per the below photo. This is done by simply loosening one bolt.

 

You can see on our TRIARII Stock System we have installed numerous accessories, namely front and rear flip up sights, red dot scope, front vertical grip, rail covers and an adjustable butt stock.

 

The accessories you add are really what transforms your pistol into a carbine like firearm. Hera Arms have made a smart move in supplying the stock system by itself. This allows the end user to truly customise the stock to their shooting style and tastes. Hera Arms state you can install a pistol into this stock system within 4 seconds. With a bit of practise this is not impossible. We recommend installing your pistol into the stock UNLOADED. This will prevent any mishaps. Loading and unloading your pistol whilst installed in the stock is quick and easy, utilising the side charging handle.

 

Step 1: Twist the locking knob to unlock and slide the front of the stock forwards

Step 2: Slide your pistol into the stock (there is a slot designed specifically for your pistols accessory rail)

Step 3: Slide the stock and pistol backwards closing the locking knob and you're ready to go!

 

Shooting the TRIARII

There is no doubt about it, shooting pistols using this stock system is a lot of fun. We found many of the benefical attributes of shooting a carbine/rifle carry over to the TRIARII. You can expect a more stable shooting platform, less muzzle flip, increased overall accuracy (due to stability of the pistol) and reduced recoil. Although the recoil is aborbed mostly through the stock into your shoulder. We ran a simple accuracy test shooting our Glock with and without the TRIARII. Results are as per the below photos and as you can see, groups were tighter using the TRIARII, (with the exception of a couple flyers).

 

      

 

You can install/remove your pistol in seconds with no modifications to your pistol at all. Obviously you need to utilise the front accessory rail on your pistol and the small gap between your pistols slide and the top of the stock will probably limit your pistol to open sights only.

The only downside to shooting the stock is the build-up of carbon and fouling inside the fore end of the stock. This is unavoidable due to the design of the stock and can be difficult to clean due to the tight space. Luckily with the chassis being aluminium you won’t ever have to worry about rust.

During the thousand or so rounds we have fired using the TRIARII stock we did not expereince ANY malfunctions. The design of the stock is great in that it does not interfer with the operation of the pistol in anyway. It simply 'holds' the pistol via the front accessory rail and rear of the reciever.

 

     

 

Conclusion

If you are after a pistol stock/chassis system to have some fun with you can’t go wrong with the Hera Arms TRIARII. The quality is second to none, along with the ease of use and ability to accessorise.

You will need to check the legality of these stocks within your state/territory before going out and purchasing one. Many issues come to mind such as pistol maximum lengths and possible military appearances.

If you can legally own one then the Buy Used Guns Team highly recommend you do so! There are not many places you can purchase these stocks within Australia. The cheapest the Buy Used Guns Team have seen them has been approx. $600AUD for the bare stock system. The price will no doubt be closer to $1k once you add decent quality accessories and sights.

Don’t forget the stock system is limited to specific pistol models, you can’t use any pistol with any TRIARII stock.

 

 

Pros

• Fun! You are transforming your pistol into the look, feel and somewhat operation of a small carbine
• Ease of use
• Quality
• Ability to accessorise
• Lightweight

 

Cons

• Expensive (In Australia at least)
• May not be legal in your state/territory
• Cleaning inside the fore-end can be difficult

 

Specifications (as measured by the Buy Used Guns Team using our TRIARII Stock with the rear plug/sling attachment and NO accessories/pistol installed)

• Weight - 1088 grams
• Length - 447mm
• Height - 72mm
• Width - 81mm (including the charging handle)

 

If you have any questions about the Hera Arms TRIARII Stock System don’t hesitate to send us a message! We also love feedback on our reviews.

 

Check out the TRIARII Stock System on the Hera Arms website;

http://www.hera-arms.com/