Adaptive Tactical is now offering the Sidewinder Venom shotgun enhancements as home conversion kits.  These kits will work with Mossberg 88, 500, 535, 590 and 835 shotguns.

There are three kits:  one with a five round box magazine, one with a 10 round rotary magazine, and one with a new M-4 style buttstock and 10 round rotary magazine.  The first two kits are available in black only and are priced at $219.99 and $279.99 respectively.

The Venom -SE 10 kits are available in black, A-TACS, MultiCam and Tiger Stripe Digital Desert colors.  The MSRP on the black kit is $339.99 while all of the other camo patterns retail at $399.99.

It should be noted that while these Sidewinder Venom kits are very similar to the Sidewinder conversion kits made by Knoxx prior to its acquisition by Blackhawk, Adaptive Tactical states the “new Sidewinder Venom magazines and related components are not compatible or interchangeable with the original Sidewinder magazines and conversion kits.”

Chiappa is now making a clone of the Winchester 1887 lever action shotgun.  The Chiappa states the gun can handle all modern “high-pressure” 2 3/4″ shotgun ammo.  It has a five shell tubular magazine and can also hold two additional shells (one in the chamber, one in the receiver) for a total of seven rounds.

The gun will ship with either a 22″ barrel or a 28″ barrel.  The stock is walnut and the receiver is either case colored or polished blue.  The 22″ barrel shotgun weighs nine pounds, while its longer brother comes in a nine pounds, four ounces.

The shotguns are assembled by hand in Italy.  MSRP runs from $1,333 to $1,533 (US) depending on which model and finish the buyer wants.

The Chamber-View Company introduced a safety accessory for the shotgun market.  This bright orange device fits into the chamber, through the ejection port, of nearly any shotgun.  It provides immediate visual recognition that the firearm has been rendered safe.

The device is currently being sold by Beretta USA and will also be sold through Brownells.  Beretta is selling them for $9.95.  It is made of 100% silicone.

TriStar announced the addition of left-handed Viper G2 shotguns.  The shotguns will be nearly identical to the set ups found on the right-handed guns.

The shotguns will be available with a black synthetic stock and with a camo patterned synthetic stock.  Both guns will have 28″ barrels and be chambered in 12 gauge.  The 3″ chambers will take both 2 3/4″ and 3″ shells.  The guns will come with three choke tubes.

The chambers are chrome lined and the guns come with a fiber optic front sight.  MSRP is $549 for the black stock and $629 for the camo patterned stock.  There is no word at this time if TriStar will introduce a left-handed version of the wood stock Viper G2.

There are few gun-related toys I want more than The Crazy Quail …

It is funny to see one guy with a double barrel shotgun, next to a bunch of guys with Nordic +9 magazine extensions attached to their semi-automatics.

LaserLyte Universal Shotgun Trainer is a sound activated laser that fits into any 12 and 20 gauge barrel. When the trigger is pulled the laser lights up, projecting 8 dots in a circular pattern and one dot at the center. The circle grows at one inch per yard of distance from the target. The trainer is going to sell for $219.95.

LaserLyte®, innovators in firearms laser technologies, has released their first shotgun laser system, the LT-120 Universal Shotgun Trainer laser system. Now shotgunners, from beginners to seasoned pros, can perfect their swing and follow-through on targets, through the innovative LaserLyte® concentric laser system. The LaserLyte® LT-120 fits all 12 and 20 gauge semi-auto, pump, over-under and side-by-side shotguns. Shotgun training for home defense, target shooting or wing shooting can be learned and perfected in the comfort of one’s own home.

The LaserLyte® LT-120 fits in the primary barrel’s muzzle-end and produces a sound-activated laser when the user pulls the trigger for each barrel (Example: 2 trigger pull clicks results in 2 activations). The LT-120 projects a ring of 8 red laser dots with one red laser dot in the center as the aiming laser. The circle grows at one-inch per yard, about the same configuration as the shotgun would when aimed at a moving target. The red laser circular pattern gives the user the advantage of a wide field-of-view while using both eyes for aiming. The LaserLyte® LT-120 allows shotgun shooters to build muscle reflex skills such as swing, follow-through and sight pattern identification.

Turkish firm Armsan had their new RSX2 UBS shotgun on display at the IDEF expo last month. The shotgun is essentially a Armsan RSX2 shotgun without a stock or grip with a picatinny mounting adapter screwed onto the receiver, allowing it to be mounted underneath a rifle. I comes with a foldable foregrip that does not look particularly ergonomic.

Thanks to Lionel for the information and photo.

Heizer Defense are busy working on their upcoming Pocket Shotgun pistol that will be capable of firing both .410 shotshells and .45 Long Colt. One of the Heizer’s staff emailed me the above photo of two of their employees who had spent two and a half days shooting 5000 rounds of .410 though the prototype Pocket Shotgun.  I am sure the first 200 or 300 rounds were a lot of fun …

UPDATE: I mistakenly confused Heizer Defense with Double Tap Defense. The companies split up a while back.

Mossberg announced a multi-year deal with the stars of the Duck Dynasty television program that will result in a new line of Duck Commander firearms.

According to the press release, Mossberg and the stars of the reality TV program will work together to “…develop a line of branded “Duck Commander” guns across multiple categories including pump-action and autoloading waterfowl shotguns.”  A photo with the announcement stated Duck Commander-branded rifles would be included in the deal.

Mossberg stated an expected release date of fall 2013, and I imagine we might see additional models of these new firearms at the SHOT Show in January.

Heizer Defense, the former business partner to Double Tap Defense, announced the Pocket Shotgun is set to ship in Fall 2013.  The new handgun is a single shot, top break pistol designed to fire .410 and .45 Colt ammo.

In the press release, Tom Heizer states:

It is important to know that we will only use Stainless Steel or Titanium frames. We believe that these are the safest and most durable alloys. In our opinion lighter metals do not provide the safest and most enjoyable experience that our consumers deserve. We will not allow the commercial distribution of a pistol until we are certain of the safety and the durability of the product. That is why we have chosen Stainless Steel as our base material.

Oddly, the Heizer website clearly indicates the Pocket Shotgun will come with either an “aluminium and stainless steel or titanium frame.”  Perhaps the website has not yet been updated to reflect an all stainless steel frame?

Browning’s recoil operated A5 Shotgun is now available with a super magnum 3.5″ chamber. The company says that it should be able to cycle a wide range of loads. The help mitigate the recoil, an improved recoil pad will be installed.

From the press release …

The recoil-operated Kinematic Drive system allows the A5 to cycle a wide range of loads. The A5 features the Vector-Pro lengthened forcing cone and the new Invector-DS choke tube system to deliver tight, consistent shot patterns. To reduce felt recoil, the A5 comes with an Inflex II recoil pad.

A5 3½” models are available with barrel lengths of 26″, 28″ and 30″. Composite-stock models feature Dura-Touch Armor Coating that gives shooters a better grip in wet hunting conditions.  The A5 Hunter features a gloss finish walnut stock.

The MSRP of the 3.5″ version will be $1599 for the A5 Stalker (black/synthetic) and $1699 for the A5 Hunter (wood) and camouflage range (Mossy Oak and Realtree) .

Browning A5 Hunter

Browning A5 Stalker

My friend Steve is that guy in my group of friends who is always rolling up with something new, which is great because it means we get to reap the benefits of his impulse buys and spending sprees. The other night my gang and I were sitting around my shop having a few adult beverages as we often do (fireworks, firearms, and firewater would be an appropriate credo for us) and Steve came in with his characteristic grin and an odd scabbard on his shoulder. He made some room on the table and plunked this little number down and immediately it took me back in time to the 90s when I remember watching Terminator 2 on VHS tape and being blown away as Arnold did that incredibly awesome shotgun flip.

Steve joked that it was his zombie rig as the rest of us dared him to try to flip-cock it like the Terminator (which could break your hand if you don’t have an enlarged loop, but he knew this). Still, a young me was screaming that I had to test this thing out, even though I don’t have a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I asked Steve if I could give this thing a whirl and he said absolutely and let me take the scabbard home.

The T-Series is a souped up Model 1887 shotgun that features a 5+1 capacity, a rubber birdshead grip and forend, and an 18.5 inch barrel so it is not subject to NFA registration! The action and receiver are beautifully machined as well, and the lever cycles very smoothly unlike the Norinco models which in my experience are a bit rough.

Loading is accomplished by opening the lever and pushing shells into the magazine tube. I must admit that it does feel a bit awkward to load this gun as every shotgun I have ever owned loads from the bottom. Nonetheless once you get the hang of it you can load and fire this bad boy just as quickly as you can any other pistol gripped short shotgun.

The T-Series also features a traditional bead in the front and a groove milled onto the receiver to serve as a rudimentary iron sight:

But the real question is how does it shoot? Well I dug around and picked up a smattering of different shells to test including slugs, buckshot, birdshot, and some steel not pictured:

All in all I would say that I am an experienced shotgunner thanks to going skeet shooting about twice a week when I was at university and dove hunting as much as my license permits, but that doesn’t really matter when you are shooting a gun like this that completely changes the dynamics of how a shotgun is conventionally set up. Regardless, I rattled off a few shots of bird and buck to get acquainted with the gun before I had an idea. The place where I shoot is a small tract of private land with about 50 members that we affectionately refer to as “The Sand Pit”. Hours are whenever you want to go, and the only rules are don’t shoot yourself, anyone else, or bring alcohol which I think are pretty reasonable. So I showed up on a Wednesday morning and my friend Jon was out with his lovely wife shooting a few of his toys. I asked if they wanted to give the T-Series a whirl and Jon eagerly jumped at the chance. He admitted that he did not have much experience with shotguns, but gave it a go regardless. These are the results with a slug:

Ready

Aim:

Fire!

Ok so that did not go as smoothly as predicted, but in Jon’s defense he DID hit the target! After this first shot he reevaluated his approach and got the hang of it:

The gun with the Remington rifled slugs was accurate, as you can see Jon landed the shots on that hanger:

Next up was Jon’s better half who had learned from watching her husband shoot. I also lended her a pair of gloves. Mind you, this was her first time shooting a shotgun and she surprised us both as she rang the gong with some buckshot and peppered it with some #8. She asked us how to aim it and we both laughed and responded that you don’t while telling her just to point it in the general direction of the target.

You do have to pull the lever a bit violently to get a spent shell to eject, which took her a few attempts to get the hang of:

But she continued blasting away!

All in all we put about 100 rounds of various ammunition through the gun collectively and it worked very well. No problems to speak of with either high or low brass, the gun did what it was supposed to, and it put a big smile on all of our faces. As for a bullet point review:

The Good:

• This thing is ridiculously fun to shoot
• Based on firearm genius John Browning’s design/action
• Easy to hold and maneuver
• 5+1 capacity makes this a viable home defense or truck gun

The Bad:

• 2 & 3/4 inch shells only
• Recoil will smack you in the face if you are not prepared
• Lever action shotguns take a bit of getting used to

The Ugly

• Some may find it ugly
• The MSRP is $995.00, which is quite a lot compared to other short shotguns

So there you have it, the T-Series gets a big thumbs up from me and I may just put one on my Christmas list!

The Chamber-View is a safety flag designed for semi-automatic and pump action shotguns with a side ejection port. It is made from solid silicone and is “Hunter Orange” in color. Because of its wedge shape (with teeth to grip the inside of the action), it will fit in shotguns from .410 gauge to 12 gauge in size. I don’t know for certain, but it may also fit pump action centerfire rifles.

Being solid silicone it is heavier than it looks and feels nice in the hand. The silicone is relatively soft so you can jam it in without worrying about damaging either the shotgun or the Chamber-View.

Its name is a misnomer. You cannot see the chamber. When the Chamber-View is inserted the bolt cannot close, nor can a round be inserted into the chamber. For most tube fed shotguns, you will be able to load or inspect the magazine. This may be an advantage or a disadvantage , or neither, depending on your point of view.

An added (minor) advantage of having the Chamber-View inserted into the action is that it prevents dirt getting into action. Personally when in the field I carry my shotgun with the chamber empty and the bolt closed, so this is not a problem I experience.

I enjoy teaching children to shoot clays, so it is great having a device like this to ensure they cannot fire a gun when they are not supposed to (it takes children a while to understand the basic safety rules and not violate them a couple of times per minute). At $9.99, it is a very useful tool that will not break the bank.

UPDATE: I got this one wrong. It is the Beretta 1301 Competition. I want! (Thanks Tyler for identifying it).

About 20 minutes ago someone at @Beretta_USA, the official Beretta USA twitter account, tweeted the above photo with the message “Having dinner with the team. Tomorrow we shoot this.”. The shotgun appears to be a Beretta Tx4 Storm with an enlarged tactical-style charging handle and a ribbed barrel with fiber bead sight. It looks to me like this is a prototype of a gun that will sit somewhere between the fully-tactical Beretta Tx4 Storm and a more traditional Beretta A300 and A400.

Federal has added a 12 gauge low-recoil load to their  Top Gun Target range of ammunition.

The proven and affordable Top Gun® Target load line has been made even better this year with the addition of a special low-recoil 12-gauge offering.

High-volume shooters who need solid performance at a reasonable price depend on Federal® Top Gun Target loads. The hard, high-quality shot and unique wads result in consistent patterns that reliably break clay after clay. For 2013, Federal expanded the Top Gun line with a 7/8-ounce offering loaded with Alliant Powder® Extra-Lite propellant, which provides low recoil, consistent ignition and cleanliness.

Top Gun Target loads feature consistent, reliable Federal primers and an eight-segment crimp for trouble-free shooting. They are simply the best-value option a shooter could want.

In the world of multigun shooting, the real race in most shotgun segments is the reload. It is by far the slowest reloading you do on the clock most matches, and as such, there is much to gain by having a fast shotgun reload. The world of shotgun loading accessories can be rather daunting to a new multigun shooter, and also very expensive. A full kit of a couple caddies or a load2 system can easily run well over $100. As a new shooter, breaking the bank on a set of kit is the last thing you want to do, especially if you’re unsure about the sport. Thankfully, there are a number of inexpensive or free options available, though they are typically slower than a full set of fancy kit.

The first, and slowest option, is the tried and true pants pocket. Cargo pockets can hold quite a few shells, but will be the slowest, as well as the most difficult. Shells will be all over the place, and they are a pain to get out of a pocket, but it gets shells onto your body and accessible for free.

Another option is a pouch on the belt. I’ve used this several times at matches in the past, and have seen many other new action shotgun shooters do the same. It can be anything from a Maxpedition Roly-Poly, to even an old fanny pack, for that hipster-chic 90’s look. This will be faster than a pocket, and a lot of people have something that can be serviceable in this role. Shells will still be loose and come out of the pouch in all sorts of orientations, but it will be faster and easier than using a pocket.

Taking the belt carried option as far as you can go on a tight budget is the use of a shell carrier pouch. These will have elastic loops in them to hold the shells in a consistent orientation, allowing you to get rounds out of the pouch faster and more consistently. I’ve got a nylon shell carrier made by Condor that serves well enough for my skill level for about 15 dollars from a local army/navy shop. MOLLE pouches, like this one, can be used on the belt without too much grief. This will still limit you to pulling only one shell from the pouch at a time, but it is the fastest option so far, and can be learned without much time spent practicing. MOLLE pouches on a molle carrier, like a chest rig or plate carrier is also an option, but it can quickly become more expensive than a more optimal setup.

Moving on to gun-mounted ammo, the first and probably most common choice is a side saddle. These mount to the receiver of your gun via various means, and can hold anywhere from 4 to 8 shells, or sometimes even more. These can be pretty quick to reload from with practice, and are relatively common gear. Most shotguns, even less popular ones, should have a saddle available for them. Another option to add another shell or two on an autoloader’s forend are 2-shell caddies that are mounted directly to the forend. A lot of competitors like these to use if they have run out on a stage and only need one or two more shells, as they can grab and load them quickly from a firing-side mounted caddy on the forend.

A slightly cheaper option for gun-mounted ammo is a universal nylon stock saddle. This stretches around the buttstock of the shotgun, holding a number of shells in loops much like the MOLLE pouch. These aren’t that good for getting shells to the action in a hurry, as they are awkwardly placed and hold the shells rather tightly. They can also interfere with cheek weld while support-side shooting, which some courses of fire will require.

For a cheap alternative to expensive shotgun caddies, my personal recommendations are to look into side saddles if you would like to carry ammo on your gun. If you want to carry ammo on your body somehow, a belt-mounted or MOLLE mounted elastic-loop pouch worn on the belt is the next-best thing to expensive caddies.

Winchester Repeating Arms has a new rifled shotgun for deer hunters: the Super X Pump Black Shadow Deer.

The new shotgun has a 22″ rifled barrel for slugs and a 3″ chamber.  The stock and forearm are synthetic, and the receiver is drilled and tapped for optics.  A fiber optic front sight from TRUGLO and an adjustable rear sight is standard.

The shotgun weighs in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and is 43″ in overall length.

MSRP is $519.99.

From Winchester Repeating Arms:

Winchester Super X Pump Black Shadow Deer

Deer hunters can now take to the woods with the new Winchester® Super X® Pump Black Shadow® Deer. New to the SXP line, the Black Shadow Deer features a 22” rifled barrel and 3” chamber.

The Black Shadow Deer model includes a black synthetic stock and forearm. The receiver is drilled and tapped for optional mounts that allow you to easily install an electronic or optical sight. The rotary bolt features four massive lugs that provide a solid lockup to the barrel. The bolt and other components have black chrome protection that lasts longer than traditional bluing.

The Speed-Plug system allows the plug to be easily removed without tools. A drop out trigger group allows for easy cleaning. A TRUGLO® fiber-optic front sight and adjustable rear sight are also featured.  Suggested Retail, $519.99.

ATI has developed a nice looking aluminum fluted magazine extension that will be available for a range of shotguns. Three different end caps are available. There is a regular flat cap, a flat cap with a swivel stud and a spiked stand-off cap. The stand-off cap would be useful for law enforcement officers with short barreled shotguns where the magazine extension will extend further than the barrel.

The press release …

Advanced Technology International® (ATI), the leading manufacturer in gun stocks and firearm accessories is now shipping aluminum fluted magazine extensions for select Remington, Winchester, and CZ 12 gauge shotguns.

ATI’s new magazine extensions will be offered with three different end caps for the customer to choose from. The three style options include a standard flat cap, swivel stud cap, and stand-off cap, with each providing a different style or unique combat option.

”The fluted magazine extensions will be offered in both 7 and 8-shot models which add 2 and 3 shells respectively,” said Jon Shaffer, Director of Business Development.

Shaffer later added that the extensions were uniquely engineered to match the outside diameter of the shotgun’s barrel lug. Designing the extensions in this way was key for ATI to make their aftermarket accessory flow seamlessly with the firearm.

The magazine extensions are constructed of Military Type III anodized 6061 T6 aluminum, and are covered by a limited lifetime warranty like all of ATI’s U.S. made products.

For additional information on this product, or to place an order, please contact ATI online at www.atigunstocks.com or by phone at 1-800-925-2522 for international ordering.

SureFire is now selling new shotgun forend weaponlights.  Like the older SureFire shotgun lights, the DSF unit replaces the entire forend of a shotgun and has built in controls in addition to a white light.

The new units feature flashlights that have a maximum output of 600 lumens and run up to three hours on two CR123A batteries.  SureFire does not offer any candela measurement for the peak beam intensity, but instead states:

The LED’s light is focused by a precision reflector to create a smooth, wide beam perfect for closer-range shotgun applications typical in law enforcement and home defense—with enough reach and surround light to properly identify threats and maintain situational awareness.

Older forend lights from SureFire, the 317 & 617 series, had 100 and 200 lumens output respectively.

The old SureFire 317 series.

Switches on the forend are ambidextrous.  There are both momentary- and constant-on switches.

The new DSF-series lights will be made for the Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590 series, Benelli M1/M2 and Winchester 1200 shotguns.  MSRP is listed as $375.  The 870 lights will ship by the end of the month.  No word on when the others will ship.

Hello y’all… Y-man here again…

I have FINALLY achieved what I have sought for more than five years now: self-cast and reloaded slugs, achieving accuracy, consistent performance and reliability. I also have fabricated a much better shotgun stock now (see photo above)

I finally got myself a Lyman Sabot Slug mold from the US in February 2013, and a BPI Roll-crimper. This has helped me arrive at where I proudly am today.

I cast and loaded some Lyman 525gr Sabot Slugs, in different configurations, with varying wad and buffer material considerations.

Everything was properly measured, and weighed – basically, what I was doing was casting the Lyman slugs, at about 525 grains, (Or 34 grams) taking a regular birdshot shell, cutting open the shell, pouring out the shot and loading the cast slug into the wad in the shell, then re-crimping using my BPI roll-crimper.

The major differences with normal reloading (Or what I like to call the “Y-man way…”) were the following innovations.

1. I used hard plastic donut buffer disks under each slug. In some, I used softer plastic disks, while in some, the material was more rigid.
2. I also inserted a small plastic ball into the cavity of each slug: just like the Federal Tru-Ball slug design.
The ball is to center the slug in the bore, and to prevent the wad being scrunched into the cavity. This is also to ensure clean separation of slug from wad.

Being able to properly roll-crimp is also a wonderful development.

I built up a large number of shells for testing, and of course, I decided to test-fire these new, promising slugs, and use the opportunity to also test my new improvised stock. (After the last model almost tore my cheek open with vicious cheek-slaps, I had to re-work my stock.) when I went up north to visit family at the end of August 2013.

I fired a total of 14 slugs, firing them with my Mossberg 500A Smoothbore Shotgun with my left elbow braced against a truck hood (Or “Bonnet” as we call it here…), and firing from exactly 35 meters (Or 115 feet, or 38.2 yards.) (This was accurately measured, not stepped or estimated.)

I made sure that the different configurations of slugs were properly planned, so there would be no mix-ups, and the results would be very clear. I actually drew up a shooting schedule to ensure my slugs were well arranged. Each slug was clearly marked with symbols to differentiate from others…

Slug/ Shooting plan September “Expedition”…

With each shot, and each subsequent batch of slugs, my excitement grew: I was getting accuracy! Consistent accuracy! At 35 meters!

I used an innovative target system: an eighteen-inch wide by four-foot tall HARD wood plank (Two inches thick) on which I hung my bullseye targets – the metal cover plates of discarded computer hard drives (Dimensions- six inches tall by four inches wide.)

In the first batch fired, out of five shots, I achieved a 6-inch circle of hits, including one miss. Two were on the target plate.
The second batch of four shots opened up a bit more to 8 inches, but ALL on the plank.

And the third batch of five rounds had a spectacular double-hit-in-one-hole… (Two slugs went through the same hole…Both on the metal plate) Yes, there were a few misses, but all within an eight-inch circle, and within 4 inches of point of aim for the last miss.

See video of the testing experience here. (Please drop a comment or two…)

By the third batch of slugs, I had quite a cheering audience of nearby villagers, and after this, I had to stop, as with each shot, costing equivalent of $3 here, my conscience bothered me as I felt it seemed I was “wasting” away the equivalent of a family meal for each poor villager. I kept the rest of the slugs for my self-defense hoard of ammo.

After shooting, I gave the village chief the fired empties: in the villages, they usually do some reloading, using locally made gunpowder, and stuffing the shell with locally made shot – lead melted from old car batteries, and dripped from height into buckets of rain water.

I searched for, and recovered the fired wads, and out of fourteen fired, I recovered thirteen wads, several buffer disks, and two slugs. Three wads were badly shredded, eight were not too bad: they lost their petals, and two were very good.

I also enjoyed using my new stock design. For the very first shot, I leaned forward a bit too much, and had my lip against the metal bracket of the stock. Needless to say, I did not do this for the subsequent thirteen shots! I only had a small split lip from the first one…

It was quite an exciting experience, and shows the possibilities that have opened up for me…

I know what direction to go now, with my designs and projects. In a way, it is almost an anti-climax: the feeling is more like, “Okay, this is done now, so what next?”

Meanwhile, a certain ”someone I barely know” seems to be building up quite an arsenal! Check out his line up below

1. Mossberg 500A 12ga with improvised stock and self-reloaded Lyman slugs…
2. Turkish Semi-Auto 12ga Shotgun (“Magnum”)
3. Crossman Air Pistol (With modified sights, as well as regular and “Penetrator” pellets…)
4. Daisy Sling Shot (With Steel Ball bearings…)
5. Gerber (Bear Grylls) Survival Knife (With built in Firestarter)
6. Cold Steel Kobun Knife…
7. Self-Fabricated “tactical” dagger.
8. SOG Tomahawk
9. Tactical shovel with serrated edge (Modified)

Maybe an African prepper?

Looking forward to your comments and advice!