Good ideas often start in the strangest places, like the middle of a ground blind amongst a swarm of hungry mosquitoes at a Texas hog hunt. That’s where Evin Galbraith of DPMS and Travis Noteboom of Crimson Trace decided that the smoke from a good cigar was preferable to donating blood to the ravaging mosquitoes. And with the inspiration of that cigar, they also decided that a pre-accessorized AR-style rifle was a pretty good idea.

dpms2The AR-15 and its variants are without a doubt the most frequently and heavily accessorized rifles in the world today. Even a casual look through a few catalogs or search on the Internet will yield a plethora of available accessories that you can use to trick out your rifle. For experienced shooters who know what they like, it’s like the proverbial “kid in a candy store.” However, for shooters new to the AR platform and law enforcement agencies searching for a functional “one-size-fits-all” patrol rifle, the wide selection of aftermarket accessories can be confusing if not downright overwhelming. As those of us with boxes full of accessories that didn’t quite work can tell you, trial and error can be an expensive way of figuring out what you really want on your black gun.

Thanks to Evin, Travis (and the mosquitoes) there is a solution to this dilemma: the DPMS RAPTR (Rapid Assault/Primary Tactical Rifle)—a “pre-accessorized” AR that provides everything you really need in a black rifle and nothing you don’t.

After defining the basic concept of the RAPTR, Evin and Travis approached some of their colleagues in the tactical industry to get their insights into the accessories that made the most sense and were most in demand by savvy shooters. With the help of Dave Biggers of XS Sights, Jason Harmon of ERGO/Falcon Industries, and Julie Knuth of US Peacekeepers, they methodically developed the ideal “turnkey” black-rifle package based on three primary objectives: meeting the needs of the law enforcement community for an out-of-the-box patrol rifle, providing a pre-accessorized solution for the commercial customer, and making the resulting package affordable for everyone. Based on the sample rifle that I reviewed, the RAPTR satisfies all these requirements exceptionally well.

It seems the overwhelming majority of tactical rifles available on today’s market are chambered in 7.62×51mm (.308), and it’s easy to understand why. The fact that it’s a NATO round generally means it’s readily available around the world and theoretically, one of the most accessible calibers here in the States. It is also a cartridge that has been carried in the US military’s logistical system for over 50 years, and since it’s adoption as the military’s primary sniping cartridge in the Vietnam War, the 7.62×51mm has reigned supreme in the tactical world.

However, I frequently find myself questioning the almost fanatical devotion to the 7.62mm as a sniping cartridge when there are many other cartridges better suited to the task of long range shooting. There are cartridges with higher ballistic coefficients, cartridges with higher muzzle velocities and, sometimes, there are commonly available cartridges that have both. One such cartridge is the .300 Win Mag, now chambered by the good people at Kimber in their Model 8400 Police Tactical.

kimber-8400-2Bullet Drop Analysis
The Model 8400 Police Tactical rifle from Kimber is new for 2009, and their decision to chamber the rifle in the .300 Win Mag is significant as it offers Law Enforcement professionals a tactical rifle that shoots flatter and hits harder than its 7.62mm brother. For example, the standard load for the military’s sniping round (M118LR) is a 175-grain Sierra MatchKing with a listed BC (ballistic coefficient) of .505. The common load for a .300 Win Mag is Sierra’s 190-grain MatchKing with a listed BC of .533. While the BC increase might not sound like much of an advantage, the bullet with the .533 BC drops 10.2 inches less at 1000 yards when fired at the same velocity. My issued M40XB rifle fires M118LR ammunition at 2716 fps (feet per second), whereas CorBon’s load for the .300 Win Mag lists a muzzle velocity of 2900 fps. When we look at the .300 Win Mag’s higher BC and higher muzzle velocity we find that it drops around 53 inches less at 1000 yards than the standard M118LR in 7.62mm.

Little guns seldom make big news, but the Ruger LCP .380 ACP changed the rules. Many wondered what direction Ruger would move after they entered the polymer-frame handgun arena with their 2007 introduction of the striker-fired SR9 9mm. That question was answered during 2008 with the introduction of the ultra-compact LCP (Light Compact Pistol) .380 ACP. A true “watch fob” pistol that can slip comfortably into even the tightest pocket, yet is
chambered for the .380 ACP, it was an instant hit.

ruger21The LCP .380 ACP is a recoil-operated, locked breech semi-auto, using a tilting barrel (no barrel bushing) design. Built on a glass-filled nylon composite frame, it features an aluminum sub-frame inner grip frame, hardened steel slide and a 2.75-inch steel barrel. The resulting pistol weighs in at 9.4 ounces empty, measures 5.16 inches in overall length, 3.6 inches in height, and is a scant 0.82 of an inch wide.

Magazine capacity is six (one magazine supplied, with additional magazines available) and is of a drop-free design. The magazine release button is located in the approved American-style, left side behind and below the triggerguard, and is quick and positive to use.

The slide does not lock back on an empty magazine after the last round, but it can be manually locked back via a slide lock lever on the upper left side. If the slide is locked back and a loaded magazine inserted, the slide lock lever can be used to send the slide forward and chamber a round. But retracting the slide slightly to the rear and releasing it is a quicker and more positive way to charge the pistol from slide lock.

Taking a quick trip over to the Cabela’s website I found that Remington UMC 9mm FMJ ammunition could be had for $78.99 for 250 rounds. By comparison, the .223 UMC ammunition was $154.99 for 300 rounds. This makes the 9mm essentially 30 cents a round while the .223 was about 50 cents per shot. If a person could train with an AR platform rifle chambered in 9mm, they could save 20 cents per trigger pull.

cmmg2Well, guess what? You can have an AR/M4 platform rifle that feeds 9mm and CMMG, Inc. is offering that carbine right now. The firearm is titled the “M4 LE 9mm” rifle.

This carbine-length gun has a 16-inch barrel made of 4140 Chrome-moly vanadium and it is coated in what CMMG calls their WASP (Weapons Armored Surface Protection) finish. It is in essence a treatment, not a plating, and gives a better protection than traditional chrome plating.

Rifling is a 1-in-10-inch twist with a muzzle brake that is of NATO style birdcage. The upper receiver is an A3 variety including a flattop rail. The standard “A frame” front sight housing has a bayonet lug and forward sling swivel. Handguards are typical M4 style.

Mimicking the M4, the lower receiver has a retractable stock, AR pistol grip and all the controls you would find on an M4 style carbine. The most notable difference between the M4 LE and a 5.56mm M4 is the fact that, unlike other 9mm converted lowers with plugs; the CMMG lower receiver was purposely machined from 7075-T6 aluminum to accept a 9mm stick magazine.

As for the action, the trigger assembly on this rifle is semi-automatic and the gun operates not by gas-impingement but with a straight blowback. The manual safety, magazine release button, charging handle, bolt catch, and both the pivot pin and takedown pin are stock AR.

Fitted onto the flattop rail was a fold-down/flip-up rear sight. This sight is adjustable for windage and has dual apertures; large and small, just like an A2 rear sight. The A2 front sight adjusts for elevation with quarter clicks.

Tactical Solutions has become the “go to” company for a variety of .22 caliber conversions, Ruger 10/22 barrels, and a host of accessories. In the past year I have had an opportunity to evaluate their 1911 and M4 conversion units, and both products represent the company’s commitment to quality. In a recent conversation with Chet Alvord, owner of Tactical Solutions, I learned of a mission-
specific rifle they are making for law enforcement.

tacThe Lights Out Rifle is the result of several requests for a compact .22 caliber rifle to be used in tactical situations. As the name implies, one use may be to take out lights that put a tactical team at jeopardy during a high-risk operation. The Lights Out Rifle is a short-barreled rifle that features an integral suppressor, making it a restricted NFA (National Firearms Act) weapon.

I first saw the Lights Out Rifle early on in 2009. While it looked neat, at the time I was more interested in some of the other products from Tactical Solutions. Nevertheless, I kept the little rifle in the back of my mind and was recently given one for evaluation.

The Lights Out Rifle is based on Tactical Solutions’ exceptional X-Ring receiver, a precision made receiver that is modeled after Ruger’s venerable 10/22. However, under close examination, the resemblance is only skin-deep. The X-Ring is machined from a solid block of aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum. Instead of a screw mounted scope base, the X-Ring has an integral Picatinny scope rail machined into the receiver. The bolt is precision machined from hardened steel and features an extra large charging handle that rotates on the mounting pin. A dual recoil spring allows the bolt to function smoothly without binding. A unique feature is the cleaning port in the rear of the receiver that allows the barrel to be cleaned from the breach end.

There was a day when customizing a shotgun meant sawing off the barrel (either double-barrel or pump), sawing off the stock into a pistol grip or both. The idea was to make the 18- or 20-inch police “riot gun” more tactical. The modifications seemed sound, that is until you fired a short-barreled double or pump or a pistol-gripped version. Notions of a sawed off shotgun being an alley sweeper were soon dispelled when you found out that without sights or aiming, you can actually completely miss a target at realistic combat ranges. Despite the lack of accuracy when bead or rifled sights were removed, pistol grips are not fun to shoot with full-powered street loads. All of a sudden, those saw-delivered “tactical” modifications weren’t such a good idea after all.

scatter2Shotguns have lagged behind with street or combat-enhancing design changes. Let’s face it, carbines have been getting all the attention with improvements in design and available accessories. That’s too bad, as a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 00 buck or rifled slugs can be a devastating fight stopper. Shotgun-fired buckshot or slugs can be devastating against a human body – with the ballistic ability to create massive trauma.

Slugs and 00 buck can literally avulse (tear off sections of a suspect’s body) with impressive results. Case in point: I once responded to two shootings at the same housing project apartment. In the first shooting, a 16-year-old dope dealer was shot in the leg with a 9mm pistol round. Upon arrival, said doper was sitting on a sofa waiting for EMS. An entrance and exit wound were visible with minor bleeding observed.

One month later, same apartment/same doper got shot in the same leg with a 12 gauge but the resulting blood and gore were all over the hallway and the leg sustained so much damage that it had to be amputated. Considering that most suspects are stopped via blood loss (and resultant drops in blood pressure and heart rate) the bigger the hole, the more blood loss results and the quicker the stop in aggressive action.

M4 type carbines are a very hot ticket for law enforcement and civilian self-defense these days. They are light, handy, compact and offer a greater level of performance than any pistol caliber carbine. Due to this fact, many law enforcement agencies are changing over from pistol caliber submachine guns for SWAT use to M4A1 type carbines. For patrol, a semi-automatic version of the M4A1 is an ideal choice. Ammunition parts and accessories are plentiful and reasonably priced. In fact, one of the greatest strengths of the M4A1 type carbine is its modular capability.

The AR carbine wasn’t originally intended to be a modular weapon, but it became so in the early 1990s when the Special Operations thor2Command (USSOCOM) developed the SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modification.) There are actually two versions of the M4 – the M4 Carbine, basically a short barreled version of the M16A2 with fixed carry handle and three round burst in addition to semi-automatic fire and the M4A1 with a fully automatic capability and a flattop receiver with a MIL-STD-1913 rail. It is this version that is used for the SOPMOD conversion and in semi-automatic form the one most used by law enforcement.

In the department where I serve as a reserve officer, every full-time officer is issued a semi-automatic M4A1-type carbine for patrol carry. Several full-time and reserve officers have purchased carbines of their own for personal and duty use. Many officers have taken advantage of the M4A1 type carbine’s modular nature to customize their issue carbines to suit their personal tastes.

Cops are probably the most underpaid people on the planet, so very few can afford to buy a ready made custom M4A1 type carbine, which can cost well over $2000. But because of the simplicity of the M4A1 design and ready availability of parts, a custom carbine can be built a step at a time on a budget. Every feature in this article can be purchased and installed as a “stand alone,” usually using common tools and generally without the help of a gunsmith. We installed every custom part of the M4A1 carbine featured herein in the family kitchen, after first obtaining dispensation from a very understanding wife.