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Ammunition

Federal Nyclad Ammunition in .38 Special to be Reintroduced at 2009 SHOT Show

Federal Premium Ammunition will be re-introducing the Nyclad in .38 Special at the 2009 SHOT Show according to the folks at the Pro Arms Podcast.  During a show on “snub nosed” revolvers, one of the participants made the announcement.

federal_nyclad_38The Nyclad line of ammunition was developed several decades ago and became popular as one of Federal’s self-defense lines of cartridges.  The .38 Special self-defense load was a 125 grain, standard pressure round that featured a soft-lead bullet with a very deep hollow point.  The bullet was coated in a jacket of polymer, similar to nylon, that allowed the bullet to reliably expand all even low velocities.

Many experts feel the 125 grain Nyclad hollow point was the best standard pressure cartridge loaded for the .38 Special.  It offered excellent expansion with a relatively light recoil in even the lightest of revolver frames.  My own informal testing seemed good out of a model 642 Smith and Wesson (1 7/8″ barrel), and Evan Marshall’s research tended to show good results in the street.

Until Federal confirms or denies this information, it is merely a juicy rumor at this point.  I have seen a lot of people snap up the remaining old-stock of Nyclad whenever it has shown up at AmmoMan and other places.  I suspect it will sell very well if re-introduced.

Update

Update: Federal did re-introduce the Nyclad.  Scroll down for additional information from the SHOT Show.

The re-introduced Nyclad is a .38 Special load that uses a 125 grain hollow point bullet.  The load is rated at 830 fps, which is in line with the original Nyclad load.  Federal designed this load for reliable expansion at low velocity.  While it would not be my first choice for personal protection, it is a great choice for anyone who carries a .38 and needs a low recoil load due to injury or infirmity.

Check out this video showing how well this load performs in gel through the denim test.

Report from the SHOT Show

Federal Premium Ammunition  re-introduced the Nyclad in .38 Special at the 2009 SHOT Show.  Available only in .38 Special, the Nyclad round is a standard-pressure, self-defense load with a nylon clad 125 grain soft lead hollow point.  The nylon coating allows the bullet to reliably expand at low velocities, unlike traditional copper jacketed hollow points which normally require faster velocities in the .355-.357 bullet size range.

The .38 Special loading pushes the 125 grain hollow point at 830 fps for a muzzle energy of 191 ft-lbs.  While this may not seem like a real “manstopper,” keep in mind that the Nyclad proved to be excellent in its class.  For a firearm not designed to handle +P pressures, or for someone that is especially recoil sensitive (such as someone who is arthritic), this is a mild recoiling cartridge that will reliably expand.

The Nyclad line of ammunition was developed several decades ago and made its way into one of Federal’s self defense lines of cartridges.  The original .38 Special self defense load was a 125 grain, standard pressure round that featured a soft-lead bullet with a very deep hollow point.  It appears that the new Nyclad ammunition will be a close copy of the original.

Many experts feel the 125 grain Nyclad hollow point was the best standard pressure cartridge loaded for the .38 Special.  It offered excellent expansion with a relatively light recoil in even the lightest of revolver frames.

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news

Smith and Wesson 442 and 642 | No Locks!

Two of the most popular Smith and Wesson handguns, the models 442 and 642, have been re-introduced without the infamous internal locks.  These J-frame snubbies are the classic blued and stainless steel .38 Special revolvers with the internal hammers.

Perfect for pocket, ankle, and other forms of concealed carry, these revolvers have been great sellers for Smith and Wesson for many years.  Like all S&W revolvers, in recent times, a consumer could only buy these with the internal lock.  Unfortunately, these locks have had a few problems and consumer confidence in them is very low.  Smith and Wesson have listened to their customers and brought these two classic J-frames back without internal locks.

If you have been wanting one of these sidearms, but have hesitated, wait no longer.

I am a proud owner of the model 642-1 that I bought more than 10 years ago.  It is a great gun!  I have carried it daily in a pocket and on an ankle.  It has always performed perfectly and is very accurate.  I have no doubt these new models will be outstanding revolvers.

Update

Smith & Wesson updated the 442 and 642 line with “Pro Series” models.  The difference:  they do not have locks – the same as these revolvers.  Here is what I wrote on the new Pro revolvers when they were announced in December 2009:

Continue reading “Smith and Wesson 442 and 642 | No Locks!”
Categories
Rifles

Kel Tec RFB Rifle: Carbine Model Shipping in December

An exciting new rifle, the Kel Tec RFB, is expected to ship the carbine model in December 2008.  This rifle has been one of the more eagerly anticipated firearms in 2008.

A video of the carbine in action is embedded below.

The RFB is a 7.62×51 NATO (.308 Winchester) semi-automatic rifle that will be offered in two models: carbine with a 18″ barrel and target rifle with a 32″ barrel.  The “bullpup” design rifle accepts FAL magazines.  All controls are ambidextrous and the rifle ejects fired brass forward making this firearm equally shootable for left and right handed shooters.

MSRP on the carbine is set at $1880.

RFB Carbine Features

  • 18″ Chrome lined 7.62 NATO chambered barrel
  • Birdcage flash hider included
  • Front ejection of cases
  • Top Picatinny rail for mounting sights (no sights included)
  • Gunsmith replaceable barrel with adjustable headspace
  • Click adjustable gas system for various power ammo, or suppressor use
  • Accepts FAL metric magazines with straight-in/drop-free magazine well (one magazine included)
  • Nylon sling and hardware included
  • In-grip storage capability

KelTec RFB Video

January 2009 Update

The Kel Tec RFB rifle will be shipping early next month (Feb 09) according to a Kel Tec representative at the 2009 SHOT Show.  The rep was very upbeat about the rifle, stating they are in production now and will be shipping very soon.

Kel Tec’s sales of the RFB rifles to distributers have been very brisk, selling 1,000 to one distributer on the first day of the SHOT Show alone.

I had a chance to handle the RFB, and I have to admit I was impressed.  The rifle, chambered in .308/7.62 NATO, is hefty, but very well-balanced.  Kel Tec had several different configurations of the RFB on display, and everyone stopping to check them out seemed to like them.

The RFB looks like it will be a very good seller for Kel Tec.

September 2009 Update

keltec_rfb_rifle_03The Kel Tec RFB (Rifle, Forward-ejecting Bullpup) is shipping, though slower than had been expected.  It seems there are some issues with the heat treating process, which have prevented manufacturing the RFB in large quantities.  Specifically, Kel Tec states:

Heat treatment issues with the ejector chute are slowing down RFB production. Batches are still coming out, but not in full production quantities as of yet. We are working closely with our heat treaters to resolve the issue.

Hopefully, the RFB will be in full-production soon.

Kel Tec also stated they were showing a suppressed RFB at the Advanced Armament Corp. (AAC) Silencer Shoot.  A suppressed RFB would be a fun rifle to own.

January 2012 Update

Kel-Tec RFB Sporter
The carbine version of the Kel-Tec RFB rifle.

The Kel-Tec RFB Sporter will be introduced at the 2012 SHOT Show if the rumors I am hearing are correct.  From what I hear, the mid-sized RFB will feature the 24″ barrel, putting it between the carbine and target models.

Kel-Tec indicated they would eventually produce a Sporter model when the RFB was introduced, but with all of the projects they have been working on during the past several years, I imagine the R&D on the 24″ model took a back seat to them.

The Kel-Tec RFB Sporter will be chambered in 7.62×51 (not in .223 as some of the rumors have suggested), and the longer barrel will offer increased long-range accuracy as compared to the carbine version.

I don’t have exact specs, but the new rifle should weigh about 9.5-10.0 pounds and have an OAL of about 32″.  It should otherwise look and work just like any other RFB (forward ejecting, etc.)

While it did not appear that Kel-Tec spent much time on the rifle in 2011, they did introduce a variety of RFB accessories such as a short quad rail, muzzle brake and a “tactical” operating handle.

This video shows the Kel-Tec RFB carbine in action:

January 2012 – Second Update

Even though the “Hunter” version of the RFB  got more attention, the Kel-Tec RFB 24 was introduced at the 2012 SHOT Show.  The RFB 24, also known as the Sporter model, is a forward ejecting, 7.62×51 chambered rifle in a bullpup configuration with a 24″ barrel.

Kel-Tec RFB 24

The RFB 24 is a mid-sized version of the rifle, falling between the carbine (18″ barrel) and target (32″ barrel) models.

I would be interested in seeing a side-by-side range test of all three versions to see what kind of accuracy, velocity and recoil differences there are between them.

January Update 3 – Tan Kel-Tec RFB

Kel-Tec is now showing the RFB rifle in tan.  Previously, I have only seen the RFB in black, but at the 2012 SHOT Show, the company had a tan model on display.

Kel-Tec RFB tan

Unfortunately, the woman representing Kel-Tec at the booth did not have any information on the gun.  So, for now, we will have to wait and see if/when they ship.

Kel-Tec RFB tan

Kel-Tec RFB tan

Categories
Rifles

TAPCO Introduces New AK Magazine: This 30 Round Magazine Looks Indestructible

TAPCO has announced  a new, 30 round AK magazine that looks darn near indestructible. The polymer magazine, designed for all of the AK-47 variant rifles (7.62×39 cartridge), has a rugged exterior, a heavy-duty mag spring, and an anti-tilt follower. The magazine is available in black, dark earth, and olive green. And, they also count as three Section 922 compliance parts.

Like all of TAPCO products, the magazines are covered by a full, lifetime warranty. Plus, the magazines will come with a 90-day inspection period. They don’t meet your expectations, send them back for a full refund.

TAPCO has filmed some of the torture testings they have done on these new mags. I’ve attached one here, but if you are at all interested in these mags, go over to their site and watch them all. They bang these mags off the ground, run over them with trucks, and while inserted in an AK-47, just plain beat the snot out of these things. And they still feed reliably.

I’ve bought a variety of TAPCO products in the past and can recommend them without reservation. At only $17.99 each, they are a real value buy!

Update:  TAPCO updated the AK-47 magazines to address some perceived weakness problems around the lips.  The original magazines were supposed to be good, while the updated mags are supposed to be great.

The MSRP may be $17.99, but I have seen the street prices on these to be closer to $10 each.  I’ve actually seen some sell in bulk for less than that.  With surplus steel mags going for more than $20 in some places, having a few of these TAPCO AK mags on hand seems to be a good idea.  You can have a few of the steel ones for serious business, and then use the plastic for training and recreational shooting.  At $10 (or less) each, it looks like a no-brainer.

Categories
Rifles

Rock River Arms LAR-15 Elite Comp: A Top Notch AR-15 Variant With Some Great Features Out Of The Box

Rock River Arms has introduced a new AR-15 variant: the LAR-15 Elite Comp. Guaranteed to shoot 1.5″ MOA, the Elite Comp features a number of very nice features, typically seen only on nicely upgraded AR rifles.

Chambered in 5.56 NATO (.223 Remington), the LAR-15 Elite Comp has a forged A4 upper with a 16″ chrome-lined barrel with a 1:9″ twist. The threaded barrel features an RRA Tactical Muzzle Brake standard.

Sighting is handled by the combination of a flip front sight gas block assembly and a PADS flip rear sight.

The trigger is a two-stage match trigger in a winter trigger guard. The front end features an RRA half-quad, free-float mid-length rail system. The pistol grip is an Ergo SureGrip.

The buttstock is my favorite: the Magpul CTR stock. The Magpul is fully adjustable, feels very good when the rifle is mounted and is designed in such a way as to prevent any inadvertent adjustment of the length.

I currently have a LAR-15 from Rock River Arms that I bought before they announced the Elite Comp. On my LAR-15, I installed the Magpul buttstock, the front flip-up sight/gas block, rear flip-up sight, and the SureGrip. All totaled, I paid more than what Rock River is asking for the Elite Comp.  So, I think the rifle package is a very good deal.  Also, my Rock River has run pretty well.  I don’t know who makes the “best” AR-15, but these Rock River rifles seem to be well built.

The LAR-15 Elite Comp ships with only one magazine. I would expect at least two magazines at this price point, but fortunately, new magazines are relatively inexpensive.  You can pick up Magpul PMAGs for less than $15 for example.

MSRP is listed at $1470, and advertised prices start very close to this number. Dealers are accepting orders now, and the Elite Comp is due to ship in the third quarter of 2008.