Author: Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson is an American author, editor and entrepreneur. He's done a lot of silly things in his life, but quitting police work to follow his passion of writing about guns was one of the smartest things he ever did. He founded this site and continues to manage its operation.

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General Information

New Gun Reviews & More

New Gun Reviews on GunsHolstersAndGear

New Gun Reviews on GunsHolstersAndGear

In recent weeks, I’ve written a number of new reviews and resource lists. All of my reviews can be accessed from that tab at the top of the page.

Here are the links to the most recent articles.

Gun Reviews

  • Smith & Wesson Model 610 – A revolver chambered in 10mm, this fighting handgun turned out to be one of the better wheelguns I’ve shot in recent months. And contrary to popular myths, the recoil is quite tame.
  • Diamondback DB9 Gen 4 – The original Diamondback DB9 was met with some resistance by the shooting public and many of the criticisms were fair. However, the latest generation of the DB9 is quite good. I found it to be reliable and significantly more comfortable to shoot that the original. I tested it with HST, Critical Defense, Gold Dot and more.
  • IWI Galil ACE Pistol – I took the arm brace version of this pistol for a spin. It proved to be accurate and reliable. Even more, the gun was just plain fun to shoot. Yes, it is heavier than an AR pistol, but it is well balanced and has minimal recoil.
  • Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P380 EZ Shield – Without a doubt, the M&P 380EZ is a very popular handgun. It’s not hard to understand why – it fills the hand, is easy shooting, has good sights and is easy to manipulate even if you have diminished hand and arm strength. I took the new Performance Center version of the pistol for a spin, and it proved to be everything I hoped it would be.
  • Diamondback AM2 – This pistol was a pleasant surprise to me. Although I had good experiences with Diamondback in the past, internet naysayers suggested the company would not be able to make a solid, combat-capable pistol. The gun I tested proved that the company can make a reliable pistol – and offer features that some of the big boys don’t.  I was impressed by this pistol.

Other Shooting Product Reviews

  • Mantis X2 Review – Mantis is making big moves in the firearms training niche, and the new X2 offers a very affordable system for you to dry fire train at home. I’m a proponent of dry firing to improve your shooting fundamentals and ultimately your accuracy. The X2 brings the ability to run different skill drills and give you actionable feedback on how to improve your technique.
  • SureFire G2X Flashlight – After reviewing this flashlight, it became my preferred daily carry and bedside flashlight. It proved to be tough with good light output and a reasonable runtime on CR123A batteries.
  • Elite Survival Systems Stealth SBR Backpack – I love my Maxpedition and 5.11 bags, but for the discreet carry of a large pistol or SBR-style weapon this is the best I’ve found. It is a high-quality bag that blends very easily into the scenery. It attracts no attention but is extremely functional.
  • Streamlight ProTac HL Flashlight – This has been a long time favorite of mine. I’ve used it on duty as a police officer and for years since as a regular good guy. It proved itself time and time again. I updated my original review of this light to include runtime and output data with my current measurement tools. I still recommend this light.
  • Phalanx Stealth Holster – In this case, one size fits all doesn’t really. The Stealth Operator holster from Phalanx proved to be acceptable with a few of my handguns, but it failed to live up to my expectations on others. Read the review for a better understanding, but I do not recommend this holster unless you try it out prior to purchase and understand its limitations.
  • Wowtac A7 Flashlight – This inexpensive flashlight bills itself as being suitable for tactical use. But, I don’t recommend it for that. In fact, I don’t recommend it for anything other than hobbyists. And even then, you need to be careful as I found something that makes this light potentially dangerous.

New Resource Pages

Finding a holster or other accessory for a particular handgun or rifle can be a pain. Google only gives you a limited number of selections based on which companies have better search optimization skills – not the best product. Likewise, places like Amazon give preference to products with the deep pockets to advertise.

My intent is to bring many of the options together into a single article so you can compare them and make an informed decision.

Also, I updated the Flashlight Reviews page with additional testing information and a large comparison chart to help you navigate all of the testing I’ve been doing.

Categories
Handguns

Palmetto State Armory PS9 Dagger: $300 Glock Killer [UPDATED]

PSA Glock Compatible Pistol

At the 2020 SHOT Show, Palmetto State Armory announced a new 9mm pistol called the PS9 Dagger.

With its combination of features and price, the new gun stands to make quite a splash in the industry.

Continue reading “Palmetto State Armory PS9 Dagger: 0 Glock Killer [UPDATED]”
Categories
Ammunition

BWA 10×100: New Cartridge with 100-Year-Old Roots

BWA 10x100

Blackwater Ammunition is a company to watch. Today’s announcement is one example of why.

At SHOT Show 2020, Blackwater Ammunition announced a new caliber: the BWA 10×100.

The BWA 10×100 is a new design with some very modern technology, but it has roots that stretch back to World War I.

Before I get into the details, let me share that the initial load developed for this cartridge generates more than 11k ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. Now, let’s talk about this new monster caliber.

Case

Case dimensions and properties are highly important aspects of cartridge design and load development.

The new 10×100 BWA cartridge has the same base diameter, rim thickness and primer pocket as a .50 BMG cartridge. Additionally, the overall length (OAL) of the 10×100 BWA is the same as the .50 BMG.

In other words, many, if not most, .50 BMG rifles can be converted to 10×100 BWA with a barrel change. The bolt, extractor and ejector all work the same with the 10×100 case.

10x100 BWA

The 10×100 BWA case is 1mm longer than the .50 BMG. That may not seem like a lot, but according to the company, it allows up to 20% more powder to be loaded in each round. But, that may not be the only thing impacting case capacity.

Case technology also plays a role in this new cartridge.

Back in 2018, Blackwater Ammunition and its parent company, Precision Ballistic Manufacturing (PBM), introduced a new case technology that used a two-piece design. According to the company, the pieces were machined from solid metal. This is different than standard brass manufacturing that starts with a small “doughnut” of brass that is drawn (stretched) multiple times.

It is likely that the machined case is stronger than a drawn case. If so, the walls of the case could be thinner and still provide the same strength. Thinner walls would allow for a greater case capacity.

Bullet

As you might expect, the BWA 10×100 sends large, heavy projectiles downrange. How big? How heavy? How fast?

Right now, Blackwater Ammunition only released data on one load, and it is a doozy.

With a 420-grain monolithic Carobronze bullet, Blackwater Ammunition is able to get 3,500 fps at the muzzle. If my math is correct, that puts the muzzle energy at more than 11,400 ft-lbs. Much like the .50 BMG, you can take out lightly armored vehicles with those kinds of numbers.

[Note: If you’re not familiar with Carobronze, it is a dense, homogeneous copper alloy that is often used in the aerospace industry. It is said to offer very low friction and a high surface hardness – 90 points on the Brinell scale.]

In a head-to-head matchup, the .50 BMG can still generate more raw power. For example, the Federal American Eagle .50 BMG pushes a 660-grain bullet to more than 2,900 fps. That’s roughly 1,000 more ft-lbs of energy.

Keep in mind that energy doesn’t dictate accuracy, nor is an established .50 BMG load vs the first load of a completely new caliber a fair comparison. It is, however, an interesting starting point for the inevitable comparisons and discussions regarding these two rounds.

I’ve reached out to Blackwater Ammunition for additional information on the cases and cartridge. As I get additional information, I will share it here.

In the meantime, I hope you chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.

Categories
Shotguns

Escort Versatile Tactical Shotgun: A New Series of Scatterguns for the Rifle Crowd

Escort VTS Gas Piston System

HatsanUSA, the exclusive US importer of firearms from Escort Shotguns, announced a new line of gas-operated scatterguns at SHOT Show 2020.

Table Of Contents
  1. Escort DF12
  2. Escort SDX
  3. Escort BTS
  4. Gas System
  5. Final Thoughts

The new Escort Versatile Tactical Shotgun (VTS) series is designed to replicate many of the controls and features of the AR15-style rifle. The concept is to have shotguns that will very familiar in the hands of shooters who are comfortable with modern rifles.

Escort SDX 12 Gauge Shotgun

Escort is making a range of VTS variants. Initially, the company will offer the DF12, SDX and BTS shotguns to the US market.

Let’s take a look at each.

Escort DF12

Escort considers the DF12 as the premier VTS model.

Escort Df12 Shotgun

Offered only in 12-gauge, the gun is magazine-fed and can chamber both 2.75″ and 3″ shells. The standard magazine capacity is 5 rounds while a 2-round mag will also be available for hunters and others needing more limited capacity.

Like an AR-style rifle, the DF12 has an upper and lower receiver that is held together by a pair of pins. Also like an AR, the upper and lower separate for easy cleaning and maintenance. The receiver halves are made of black anodized aluminum. Escort does not identify the aluminum used other than “aircraft alloy.”

The DF12 barrel is 18″ long and is hard chrome plated. It is internally-threaded for chokes and ships with a slug-friendly cylinder bore choke brake. Included with the shotgun are full and improved cylinder (F and IC) chokes.

Sights consist of a rear aperture in the carry handle with a front post. However, the carry handle is removable, so Escort includes flip-up sights the raplce the carry handle and front tower. You can also add your own optic.

The DF12 is available in two colors: black and flat dark earth (FDE) Cerakote.

Escort SDX

The SDX shares a similar configuration as the DF12, but has two significant differences.

Escort SDX 410 Shotgun

First of all, the SDX is available in both 12-gauge and in .410 bore. So, if you are looking for a lighter shooting shotgun, the SDX might be a better choice than the DF12.

The other major difference is that this gun uses a polymer lower and forend instead of aluminum. According to the company, the magazine well has metal guides to ensure proper magazine seating and increased durability.

Like the FD12 shotgun, the SDX is available in both black and FDE.

Escort BTS

Escort BTS 12 Gauge Bullpup shotgun

Using the same operating system as the two other shotgun models, the BTS reconfigures the package into a compact bullpup format. Keeping the 18″ barrel, the company is able to reduce the overall length of the shotgun by 9″. This gives the BTS a significant advantage in maneuvering.

Like the SDX, the BTS can be had in 12-gauge and .410 bore.

Gas System

AR shooters might expect to see a gas tube running above the barrel from the front sight tower. That is not how Escort designed this system.

Instead, the company developed a gas piston that floats around the barrel of the shotgun. According to the company, this improves the efficiency of the system while decreasing the overall weight and size of the shotgun.

Escort VTS Gas Piston System

By having the piston coming back with equal pressure above and below the barrel, muzzle rise should be reduced. In theory, the recoil should be closer to a straight push backward.

Final Thoughts

Modern rifle-style shotguns are not an entirely new concept. However, this seems to be a more complete approach to the design. Shooters have three different variants to choose from – two AR-style and a third in a bullpup configuration.

For me, reliability is always a key factor. For a semi-automatic shotgun, I expect it to run with light and heavy loads without a lot of tweaking. I look forward to seeing how the Escort VTS line does.

Pricing starts at $589.99.

Categories
Rifles

Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW: New Pistol & SBR

Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW

Days ahead of SHOT Show 2020, Daniel Defense teased a new firearm – something that looked like it could be a PDW.

Well, that’s just what they released. Say hello to the new Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW.

Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW camping with beautiful girl

Available in both pistol and SBR configurations, the AR-style weapon system was designed to be both compact and easy to transport. With a 7″ barrel, the pistol version has an overall length of 20.75″. The SBR is slightly longer at 21.0″. This suggests it should be able to fit into backpacks or specialized weapons packs like the ESS Stealth SBR Backpack.

Daniel Defense PDW SBRDanielDefense PDW Pistol

At launch, the guns were only chambered for the 300 BLK cartridge. Over time, the company could introduce other cartridges depending on customer demand.

Pistol variants are equipped with a Maxim Defense CQB Pistol Brace in lieu of a rifle stock. SBR versions are NFA items, meaning additional paperwork and tax stamps, but you get a Maxim Defense CQB Gen 7 collapsible stock.

Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW

“I believe our new DDM4 PDW is the absolute best gun you can buy to protect your family. And protecting our families is the most important thing any of us can ever do,” said Daniel Defense President & CEO Marty Daniel. “It’s accurate, easy to shoot, and compact. I couldn’t be any prouder of this groundbreaking product.”

Additional features of these guns:

  • 7″ barrel with 1:7″ twist
  • barrels are cold hammer forged with S2W profile
  • enhanced buffer system that ensure reliable operation with short barrel, subsonic loads and suppressor use
  • 6″ MFR XL flat front rail
  • SLR M-LOK MOD2 handstop
  • linear comp to redirect muzzle blast forward
  • ambidextrous GRIP-N-RIP charging handle
  • Made in the USA (of course)
  • Pistol MSRP: $1,865 (Updated: $2,073)
  • SBR MSRP: $1,935 (Updated: $2,012)

Daniel Defense shipped both versions of the DDM4 PDW starting in February 2020. They are both still in the company’s catalog at this time.

Daniel Defense PDW for home defense

I don’t know about you, but the SBR with a suppressor looks like it would be a fun gun to run and worth the two stamps.

Last Update: September 22, 2021