Designed by Bill Wilson and the Wilson Combat design team to be the base for the ultimate precision tactical AR-15 rifle, the BILLet-AR matched upper and lower receiver is 100% machined in our Berryville, AR facility.

The Wilson Combat BILLet-AR receiver was engineered from the ground up to address structural design weaknesses in standard USGI receivers… Click here to read more http://wilsoncombat.com/new/billet-ar.asp

Ask any handloader why they measure their powder charge multiple times for a given load, and you’ll likely get an answer that has something to do with consistency. Whether it is for range use, a match, or personal defense, consistency from round to round is of paramount importance. Reliability and accuracy depend on it, and it is a key part of the equation when deciding whether to trust one’s ammo. It’s nice when a manufacturer shares that belief. And so when ammo is as good as the round in question, it’s an appropriate compliment to begin by saying that this is the most consistent round I have ever tested.

If there is anything that Wilson Combat knows, it’s .45 ACP. They built their name and reputation on perfecting the most famous .45 caliber weapon platform in history. But to anyone who may question that expertise, I would encourage you to try out this load for yourself. Per Wilson, this ammo is slightly downloaded to 760 fps on a 230 grain Hornady HAP bullet. Not to worry, though—it still has more than enough “oomph” to make major power factor while providing the shooter with noticeably softer recoil and much quicker follow up shots than full-powered loads. In any of the guns I tested, it didn’t necessitate a spring change, and that included everything from a 5” 1911 with an 18.5 lb recoil spring to a bone stock Glock 21. For competitive shooters who might not have space to reload, this round more than neutralizes the advantage previously garnered by those who “roll their own,” and with the current shortages on powders and primers and price gouging on standard economy FMJ, what used to look like a premium price should have begun looking a lot more like a bargain. Wilson uses only top quality components, and for those who reload or might want to do it down the road, the brass is fantastic. Not to mention every 100 round pack comes in a durable Case Guard box. The overall length (OAL) and the crimp are optimized to run perfectly in the 1911 platform, with the 1.225” OAL designed to mimic the feed profile of ball. In hundreds of rounds I’ve never had the first round hang up in my Colt; this is a JHP match load that you can trust in your 1911. To the consistency point, the 5 shots we chronographed came in at 753 fps, 755 fps, 760 fps, 761 fps, and 762 fps through a 5” 1911. That’s about as dead-on as it gets; just check the label.

I was going to bench the gun (a Colt Series 70 that was worked over by Novak’s but still has the stock Colt barrel) for the accuracy portion of the review until the groups I was shooting off-hand at 15 yards looked like the photo below; then I figured that the readers could extrapolate the rest for themselves. There was one flier for each cup of coffee I had just before shooting. Rested, those would have disappeared. So I take Wilson’s word when they say that the round could fire ½” groups at 25 yards through a testing fixture, because 3 out of 5 of my shots were in a ½” group off-hand at 15 yards. Across the board, you’ll be impressed accuracy-wise. This ammo groups like a round that is perfectly tailored to any weapon that fires it, and that’s enough to make any seasoned reloader jealous.

Not only is this ammunition accurate, it has virtually zero smoke due to the encapsulated base of the HAP bullet. Especially during longer strings of fire, you’ll come to appreciate that when no smoke accumulates or interferes with your view of the front sight. And you’re going to be seeing that front sight a lot more after trying this ammo for yourself, so you’ll definitely notice the difference.

-Colt Driver; Photos by Kchanko

www.wilsoncombat.com; Bill Wilson Signature Match (A45-230-HAP), $69.95/ 100 rounds

The basic functional difference between a full size (as John Browning designed it) 1911 pistol and a compact version with a 4.25” or shorter barrel is slide mass and speed. Basically anytime you reduce mass and propel it with the same energy you will get faster cycle speed. Why does this matter? The pistol needs a certain amount of time to eject a fired case, allow the magazine to lift, position the next round for proper feeding and chamber the round. When slide mass is reduced and therefore slide cycle speed increased there may not be time for this to all happen properly.

So we must slow the slide cycle speed down and this is accomplished by a combination of the following:

• Heavy hammer spring
• Square bottom firing pin stop
• Ammunition that generates less recoil impulse
• Proper recoil spring weight for the ammunition used

It’s much easier to slow the slide down by making it harder for it to cock the hammer than it is to just add poundage to the recoil spring. What we’re doing here is increasing the force needed to cock the hammer with a heavier spring and reducing the slides ability to cock the hammer by lowering the leverage point on the hammer, thus slowing slide cycle speed.

All the mechanical changes are important, but the biggest factor is ammunition selection because it affects both slide cycle speed and the magazine’s ability to lift the cartridge into position for proper feeding. Ammunition loaded with 230gr bullets generate more recoil impulse (especially +P loads) than 185gr loads and 7 rounds of 185gr ammunition weighs 315gr less than 7 rounds of 230gr ammunition making the column of ammunition easier for the magazine spring to lift. I hope you see where I’m going here? With modern hollow point bullets we have LOTS of bullet choices of 200gr or less that have proven to be VERY effective in regards to terminal performance.

Here are my personal ammunition choices for compact 1911s:

Range/Match Use

• 200gr Lead Semi-Wadcutter (H&G #68 mold) loaded to 850fps
• 200gr Hornady HAP loaded to 850fps

Self Defense

•  160gr Barnes TAC TX loaded to 1050fps
• 185gr Barnes TAC TX loaded to 950fps
• 185gr Winchester Silvertip
• 185gr Remington Golden Sabre
• 200gr Hornady XTP
• The ammunition you DO NOT want to shoot in compact 1911s is 230gr +P loads!

At Wilson Combat we have also pioneered the use of modern flatwire recoil springs in Compact 1911 pistols. These springs will enhance your overall reliability since they hold their overall length and tension many times longer than standard round wire springs since the coils never go into bind.

After extensive testing we now put them in all our compact pistols.

This brings us to push feed. 1911 pistols are designed for controlled round feeding which means the cartridge is supposed to slide under the extractor hook as it feeds into the chamber. However all 1911s don’t always do this, especially when slide speed is increased. This is really no big deal as long as the pistol is set-up to push feed. This is simply the shaping of the front of the extractor hook so it can snap over the case rim without undue resistance. This is easy to check by putting a empty case in the chamber, slowly lower the slide until the extractor contacts the case rim, then snapping the slide shut. You should be able to do this fairly easy with your thumb. If the slide won’t close or it takes both thumbs to close the pistol, it probably won’t push feed properly and the extractor needs adjusted.

I began shooting 4” compact 1911s almost exclusively in the late 90s primarily due to my failing eyesight, it just became easier for me to get a good focus on the sights with them closer together. 100′s of thousands of rounds later and several major IDPA match wins I can assure you a properly set-up and fed compact 1911 is every bit as reliable as any full size. As a final testament to my faith in a 4” compact, I carry one on my hip EVERY day, usually loaded with 160gr or 185gr Barnes TAC XP bullets.

WHO’S COMING TO GET THEM?

United Nations (UN)
We are the UN.  Other countries mostly join the U.N. to secure money, funding and training and few have any offensive combat capability. Most serve as guards at static locations and have no will to fight.  America is the enforcement arm of the U.N.  We have the money, equipment, personnel and lift platforms to get the job done.

If the president ever let the U.N. in this country, it would be a foreign invasion and armed Americans would stand up and crush them in a day. Our government would break down and the president would be ousted for letting foreign militaries invade our country.

Federal Government Military
Having served over 20 years in our military, I know that most soldiers would refuse the order to take part in the confiscation of weapons. First, the president would have to give the order, which is an “Illegal Order” in violation of the constitution.  I don’t believe that service members would go back into the communities that raised them and conduct raids on good Americans in violation of the constitution.

Remember, these forces would have to come from a military base that is surrounded and supported by American communities.  Civilians would simply cease to support the bases and they would fold in a short time.  Cut of the fuel, food, electricity on bases and this would stop the silliness.   Also, many, many service members live in the communities and they would have to travel from their houses to base unless they were locked down.  In that case, their families would still be in the community and people would not be too friendly to those supporting these actions.

Federal Government DHS or TSA
The Federal government is not large enough or talented enough to seize guns.  If they were to do 5-8 raids a day seizing guns, they would be physically and mentally exhausted and need a break.  Physically conducting raids is exhausting.  After the first few raids, the word would get out and Americans would start to fight back.  It would take one good ambush from a house or along a travel route to decimate a tactical force or make it combat ineffective

Next, most Federal Agencies work out of a fixed location centrally located in a community.  Also, their personnel live in those communities along with their families.  Once the word got out that they were doing raids in violation to the constitution, they and their families would be at risk.  If they were to start raiding houses, kicking in doors and breaking in windows looking for legally owned guns, their homes would be subject to the same treatment by Americans rising up to defend themselves.  They would shortly find themselves without a place to live.

State Law Enforcement
The Governor would have to order State and Local Law Enforcement to either:

• Seize guns
• Ignore the Federal Orders

If they ignore the Federal Orders, things would be tense, but people would be civil. If they started to seize guns, they only have limited people and assets to do this. Much the same consequences would take place as with the Federal Government.

Local Law Enforcement
Local Police and Sheriff Departments are the backbone of who protects American Citizens.  A Sheriff or Chief of Police would have to give the order for his people to begin to seize weapons.  Their people would either comply or see it as an illegal order and refuse.

Remember, Chiefs and Sheriff’s also have to live and work in the same communities they serve. As I described with the Federal Government, local Tactical Teams could probably only do 8-10 hits in a day and then need a break. So they hit ten houses and seize their guns, the word would get out and now they are subject to living in the same community as those they are attacking.  It would not go well.  Also, after one or two determined Americans or combat vets fought back, the team would lose many to death or injury and they would have made a decision whether to continue to push the fight.  Remember also, they have to sleep sometime.  Their homes and families would be at risk.  It is an ugly scenario at best.

Nation of Combat Veterans and Patriots
Having been at war for over 10 years, we have a nation of combat vets and contractors that have seen more action than many of our WWII vets.  It has been said that only a small percentage of Americans stood up to the British War machine in the Revolutionary War.  Americans are better armed and trained today than at any time in our nation’s history. Think about what would happen if just our nation’s veterans stood up. People have been buying more guns and ammunition in the past five years than any time in my life. The guns and ammunition are out there along with the talent to use them.

Kool-Aid Drinkers
Kool-Aid Drinkers is the term I use to describe the Jonestown voluntarily massacre where the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, a dedicated community western Guyana by the Peoples Temple led by cult leader Jim Jones intentionally drank poison Kool-Aid.  Over 900 people died.

In every law enforcement, government and military agency or branch, there are a small number of Kool-Aid drinkers who would blindly follow orders.  They would either be purged internally by their co-workers or people they attacked would stop their gene pool.

Also, at the police tactical team level, all members “volunteer” for the job and they can have the individual integrity to terminate their team service at any time if their profession becomes corrupt or misguided.  I know many a good officer that has done that in the past.

Finally, there would be a certain number of American Kool-Aid drinkers that would turn in their weapons if asked.  I believe it would be a small percentage as there are always those that do not have the will to resist or fight and they are not needed should thing get tough.

History of “Gun-Free Zones”
Our nation’s history is filled with examples of “gun-free” zones failed.

The Aurora Colorado movie massacre and the recent Connecticut shooting are two that come to mind.  Also, remember the Fort Hood massacre where an Islamic extremist Major Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 soldiers because our military bases are gun free zones.  Combat trained soldiers had to be rescued by a security guard.  That is embarrassing.

Evil came to all of these places and everyone was disarmed and not ready to fight back because they were gun free zones.
Think what would happen at a national level if the American people were disarmed.  Another evil would come along either from inside our country or outside of it and resulting in our downfall.

How about others in recent history:
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

Solutions
Write your state representatives and let them know how you feel about this issue. I would like to think that most states would refuse the order.

Next, at the local level, talk to your Sheriff or Chief of Police and ask them if they would allow or support the federal government in their confiscation of firearms.  Put them on the spot now and hold them accountable. I like to think that most states would refuse the order.

Should firearm confiscation begin, solutions are simple.  If they cannot live in a community, they cannot work in a community. If their house goes away while they are at work confiscating guns, so be it.  Allow them to leave with their family and what possessions they can pack in their car.  Point them to California and let them know all the Hollywood types would be happy to financially support them in the fantasy land they wish to live in and that they are not welcome in Free America.

In the end I believe that guns are the glue that hold our country together. Guns keep the government in check and the individual American safe and free.  Remove guns and the government will no longer be controlled by the people. The government will control the people.

Finally, it is claimed that the Battles of Lexington and Concord, in 1775 were started because General Gage attempted to carry out an order by the British government to disarm the population resulting in the “Shot heard round the world.”

About the Author
Paul R. Howe is a 20-year veteran and former Special Operations soldier and instructor. He owns Combat Shooting and Tactics (CSAT), where he consults with, trains and evaluates law enforcement and government agencies in technical and tactical techniques throughout the special operations spectrum. See www.combatshootingandtactics.com  for details.

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Head and eye alignment is critical and I use the nose to charging handle method. I am critical where I put my nose and usually can feel the notch on the left rear of the charging handle with either the tip or right tip of my nose. Using this check point, it puts my eye in the same spot on the rear sight each time along with the right side of my cheek on the rifle stock. If my cheek and nose are in the same spot, my eye will be in the same spot.

This is the way I index my index my nose to the charging handle and my cheek to the stock. This will put my eye in the same spot each time.

You can push your nose past the charging handle if your face is so shaped, but it will get your eye closer to the peep and may cause more light. You could move your rear sight forward if you like to shoot this way.

Finding reference points for your cheek is always a problem on traditional stocks. Above is my solution. I took a sling shot ball bearing and drilled about 1/16” of an inch into the stock and set it with shoe-goo. This is the spot that I run my cheek to each time and get a full tube of light when I index traditional stocks.

Some folks have even done this for their shooting hand to establish reference points for their firing thumb.

This simple reference point allows you to index a traditional stock the same way each time.

Finally, zeroing in soft caps, helmets or ear muffs can change your zero. All of the above will have an impact on how you index the stock and your head eye position. For me, soft ears to ear muffs will change my group about 3” off at 100 yards from one to another because of head eye position. In short, zero in the same head gear you are going to hunt in…

Author:
Paul Howe
Owner/Lead Instructor of CSAT-Combat Shooting and Tactics
www.combatshootingandtactics.com

Pros:

Easy and fast to find and put on target.

Cons:

Small objective and subject to fogging in some environments.

Personal Observations:

• Aimpoint performs the best out of what I have seen come to my classes. A lot of shooters run E.O Techs, but they have the highest failure rate.
• I believe any of these optics will work, but they should be co-witnessed with your iron sights. This way all your shooting reference points can be used to ensure accuracy.
• Difficult to discriminate targets at distance.

SHORT TO INTERMEDIATE RANGE OPTICS

Pros:

• Can be used for CQB or for distance shooting (800 Yards).
• Magnification aids in discrimination.
• ½ minute center dot is great for surgical work at distance.
• Center “C” can be used at CQB distances and placed on center of target for rapid optic acquisition.
• Simple reticle, easy to use.

Cons:

Additional weight added to rifle with scope and mount.

Personal Observations:

My optic of choice for the AR/M4 style platform. I have shot this out to 700 with consistent hits on a man sized target. If I could only have one of the three listed in this article for all around use, this is what I would choose.

LONG RANGE OPTICS

Pros:

Used for reporting, surgical shooting and discrimination.

Cons:

Additional weight added to rifle with scope and mount.

Personal Observations:

My choice for a “Designated Marksman” or Intermediate Sniper weapon. Solid well built with large objective opening. As for Mil Dots, this is what I learned on and still use.

Author:

Paul Howe
Owner/Lead Instructor of CSAT-Combat Shooting and Tactics

www.combatshootingandtactics.com

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