Outdoor Life - Gun Test RSS

Rifle Scope Review: Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 3-9X50

OL Editor — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:56:27 -0400

A riflescope without a fancy ballistic reticle and multi-colored illumination seems almost quaint these days. But both award winners in the category this year are delightfully retro. They do one thing very well: They place bullets with repeatable precision without a lot of extraneous distractions. In the case of the remarkably bright Bushnell Legend, that job is aided by a class of glass that has never before been featured in the company's rifle-scopes.

It's Ultra HD glass, previously available only in Bushnell's higher-end binoculars. The Legend was a top finisher in our low-light test and turned in adequate resolution. But the feature that really turned our heads was its bargain-basement price tag. For $250, you get precise side focus, Bushnell's fog-resisting Rainguard HD coating, and glass that we're accustomed to seeing in optics four times this price. The configuration we tested, 3-9x50, would be at home on any big-game, varmint, or target rig.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $250
Optics/Mechanics: B
Perceived Image: B+
Design: B+
Price/Value: A+
Contact: bushnell.com

Weatherby PA-08: Shotgun Combo Comes With Two Barrels at Rock-Bottom Price

OL Editor — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:38:49 -0400

As a utilitarian shotgun at a rock-bottom price, it’s hard to argue against the Weatherby PA-08 Slug Gun Combo. The combo comes with two barrels, one a standard smoothbore and the other a rifled slug barrel with a cantilever mount for attaching a scope or other optic. At $499, it is an excellent value. We found it difficult to load and cycle at times, and the accuracy with the slugs we shot was just so-so, with 3-inch groups at 50 yards.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★
Price: $499
Design: B-
Performance: C+
Price/Value: B+
Gauge: 12
Trigger Pull: 5 lb. 4 oz.
Action: Pump
Website: Weatherby.com

Mossberg Flex: Modular Shotgun Offers a Variety of Options and Features

OL Editor — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:10:58 -0400

The innovative Mossberg Flex is a shotgun that easily swaps out barrels, forends, stocks, and butt pads to quickly convert from one configuration to another. In particular, sportsmen with families will appreciate the ability to quickly change it from an adult-size gun to one sized for youths. This shotgun isn’t the most elegant gun on the market, but it ran very well, impressing the team with its durability and pointing.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $593–$826
Design: B-
Performance: A-
Price/Value: B+
Gauge: 12
Trigger Pull: 6 lb. 4 oz.
Action: Pump
Website: Mossberg.com

Mossberg MVP Predator: A Bolt-Action Rifle Fed by AR-Style Magazines

OL Editor — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:16:54 -0400

This compact .223 bolt rifle is a solid predator gun that has the benefit of being able to use AR-style magazines to feed the action. Mossberg engineered a tab in the design of the bolt head that drops down to pick up rounds off the top of the magazine. The overall look and feel of the rifle didn’t wow the test team. The accuracy was adequate (1.081-inch average group size), but it was outclassed by the other .223s in the test.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★
Price: $649
Design: B-
Performance: B-
Accuracy: A-
Price/Value: B-
Cartridge: .223 Rem.
Trigger Pull: 3 lb. 2 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: 1.081 in./.057 in.
Ammo: Win. 50-Gr. BST
Website: Mossberg.com

Ruger American Rifle: Incredibly Accurate Big-Game Rifle at Bargain Price

OL Editor — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:29:57 -0400

Outdoor Life Editor Andrew McKean put it best when he said the Ruger American Rifle is a “screaming bargain.” Somehow the wizards at Ruger brewed up this innovative, accurate, and supremely functional rifle and are able to sell it at a profit at $449. How accurate is this .30/06? The 5-shot group average was just over 1 inch and it turned in two .840-inch groups, one with Federal’s 180-grain Trophy Copper hunting load—outstanding performance for a big-game caliber. The ergonomics of the rifle are as impressive as the accuracy.

The three-lug action cocks smoothly, thanks to a smartly designed cocking ramp, and can be run from the shooter’s shoulder. Likewise, we all loved seeing a tang safety on a Ruger bolt-action once again, and the flush-mounted rotary magazine blends with the rifle’s lines and loads smoothly no matter how it is fed. This rifle sets a new standard for affordable accuracy.

More from the Gun Test.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $449
Design: B-
Performance: A-
Accuracy: A
Price/Value: A
Cartridge: .30/06
Trigger Pull: 4 lb. 10 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: 1.062 in./.842 in.
Ammo: Hrn. 168-Gr. M Garand
Website: Ruger.com

Fabarm XLR5 Velocity: A Handsome Italian-Made Sporting Clays Shotgun

OL Editor — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:45:22 -0400

We nicknamed this shotgun “the beast” because of the effortless (and merciless) way it tracked and shattered targets during the evaluation. The Velocity is designed for sporting clays competitors who prefer to start with a pre-mounted gun; as such, both the raised target rib and the comb on the stock adjust for a precise fit. The adjustable trigger reach is a nice addition on a semi-auto. It has handsome wood and engraving too.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $2,885
Design: A
Performance: A-
Price/Value: B
Gauge: 12
Trigger Pull: 5 lb. 5 oz.
Action: Semi-auto
Website: Fabarm.com

Rifle Review: OL Ranks the Best New Rifles for 2012

OL Editor — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:04:49 -0400

Our team of experts spent a week at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, where they torture tested the newest rifles, sending thousands of rounds down range. See which guns scored the highest in our 2012 Gun Test.

Shotgun Review: OL Ranks the Best New Shotguns for 2012

OL Editor — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:31:28 -0400

Our team of experts spent a week at the foot of the Rocky Mountains testing the new shotguns for 2012. The smoke has cleared, the numbers have been crunched, and the results are in. See which shotguns took home top honors.

2012 Optics Test: Best Innovations

Alex Robinson — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:36:39 -0400

In its EL Range (left), Swarovski incorporates a fast, accurate laser rangefinder in the barrels of the binocular. Nikon’s EDG Fieldscope 85 VR (center) is stabilized with a vibration-reduction unit. The illumination module in Swarovski’s Z6i (right) remembers preferred intensities of reticle brightness.

Nikon’s remarkable, pricey, and heavy new spotting scope employs the same vibration-reduction technology found in many of its high-end camera lenses. The VR module contains velocity sensors that detect pitching (vertical movement) and yawing (horizontal movement). Every fraction of a second, these sensors fire data to a microprocessor, which makes compensatory adjustments to the lens, ensuring that the image is always delivered to the optic’s focal plane, even if you’re glassing in a gusty wind. The VR technology doesn’t make the scope see better, but it does eliminate much of the blur caused by shaking, creating a sharper image.

But all that electronics makes the Nikon fragile and pricey. My fears that it might not be durable enough for hunting conditions were confirmed when our unit blew over at the shooting range and slammed onto a concrete pad, and the lens separated from the body. After I quit sobbing—and wondering how I would ever cover the $5,500 bill—I put the pieces back together. The lens focused, but even more remarkable, the electronics fired and stabilized the image. The Nikon is not only ingenious but hardy.

Swarovski El Range
The laser rangefinder in Swarovski’s EL binocular is simply the best in the business. It’s not the fastest—Zeiss owns that distinction—but it’s the most sensitive, and the addition of an angle-compensating inclinometer also makes it one of the most useful. The ranging information is displayed as an LED readout over the main optical image, requiring twin diopters on the barrels to focus the display and the overall image.

Swarovski Z6i
The illumination module on this new riflescope is not only elegant, it’s also smart. It remembers previous intensity settings, illuminating a small aiming point with the flip of a toggle switch on the eyepiece. The switch has high and low settings, allowing the shooter to instantly select for subtle or bright intensities, depending on the situation. —A.M.

2012 Gun Test: Best Innovations

Alex Robinson — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:22:27 -0400

Getting more out of your guns. It’s a nice idea and is the philosophy behind two of this year’s most innovative guns. Both firearms have their virtues but face some challenges as well. Switch-barrel rifles have always been a tough sell for American shooters, and Mossberg will need to find out whether there’s a demand for a convertible shotgun. But both are cool.

Thompson/Center Dimension
In designing the multi-caliber Dimension, Thompson/Center decided to take the rifle in a new direction, with respect both to how the gun operates and the rifle’s aesthetics.

In simple terms, the barrels on the Dimension are clamped to the receiver with a barrel nut that screws down, much the same way that the barrels on Savage rifles are held in place. With the Dimension, however, the barrel nut is machined with gear teeth that mesh with a special wrench that helps the shooter torque the nut to the correct tightness and loosen the nut when he wants to switch barrels.

To accommodate a full range of calibers, the Dimension offers bolts with four different face sizes and appropriately sized magazines, allowing one rifle to go from a .204 Ruger to, say, a .300 Win. Mag.

Barrels can be rigged with a fixed mount for optics so the shooter doesn’t need to re-zero the rifle after every barrel switch, though this mount makes removing the barrel nut a bit more complex.

The look of the Dimension, with its hog back synthetic stock and hogged-out barrel channel will not appeal to traditionalists but will doubtless find a following with shooters who have a techie bent.

Mossberg Flex
The concept behind the Flex has been gestating at Mossberg for several years and is now ready to be revealed. With the push of a button or twist of a lever, every major component of this shotgun can be swapped out in a matter of seconds. This represents a new high-water mark for configuring a shotgun for multiple uses. The core of the shotgun is a pump-action receiver that will be familiar to Mossberg fans, though it has a stout zine stub where different style stocks can be affixed. The stocks themselves also have a push-button release to attach butt pads of different thicknesses to alter length of pull. Forends clip on and off with the same simplicity. With the purchase of additional components, one shotgun can serve multiple uses.

2012 Gun Test: How We Test Shotguns

Alex Robinson — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:02:28 -0400

Unlike rifles, which one can shoot from a bench to collect objective performance data, shotguns are things that, ultimately, are judged on their feel.

Ask three people for a definition of shotgun “feel,” however, and you’ll probably end up with five different answers. Feel is a squishy, nebulous concept, and the only way to really arrive at a valid conclusion is to spend plenty of time with each individual gun, running hundreds of rounds through it in a methodical fashion.

Curiously enough, our method doesn’t actually have much to do with how the gun breaks clays—at least that’s not the primary objective when the Outdoor Life test team starts pulling the trigger.

Instead, we focus on a specific attribute to evaluate—how well the shotgun swings, whether it is nimble when coming to the shoulder, how it does with snap shots, and so forth—and run it through a scenario that allows us to arrive at a sound conclusion. For example, with snap shooting, the shooter might stand just to the side of the target launcher with the gun at port arms and turned slightly away from the path of the clay—as he would stand in a thick grouse covert. Shoot a couple dozen targets this way, and that attribute of the shotgun begins to materialize. The goal is to put the gun in real-world situations and see how it reacts.

It takes cases of shells and a pallet full of targets to cover all the bases with each shotgun, but such are the trials of an Outdoor Life shotgun judge.

We spend a lot of time combing over each shotgun from butt pad to bead. While doing so, we’re grading the quality of the stock; looking to see if the barrels are struck well and free of ripples and other flaws; checking to see if the finishes are applied well and are durable; judging the quality of the checkering; and otherwise scrutinizing the gun with the fervor of a gem merchant grading a diamond.

In order to evaluate Price/Value, we also look at what comes with the shotgun—extra choke tubes, the carrying case—to help determine whether it is a good buy.

How We Test: 2012 Optics

Alex Robinson — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:52:09 -0400

To most hunters, optics are magic black tubes. Binoculars conjure deer. Riflescopes place bullets across great distances. But how do you tell a good optic from a lousy one without relying on price or brand? You measure its performance with scientific repeatability, then you give it to a group of hardcore hunters and shooters and ask for their practiced assessment of details like focus knobs (precise or mushy?), eyecups (do they stay or stray?), and image quality (are the edges of the picture crisp or blurry?). Judgments are made. Scores are recorded. Then we argue over which we think are the best optics of the year.

OL’s Optics Test has two parts. The first is objective: We evaluate the optical quality of each submission on a resolution range, using the standard of the industry—a 1951 U.S. Air Force resolution target—to measure the optic’s ability to define ever-smaller black-and-white lines. We test resolution twice with two sets of eyes and average the results.

We also mount riflescopes to a device that lets us track the precision of windage and elevation adjustments and the ability of a scope to retain its point of aim across its magnification range.

We have one other objective test, one that makes our test the best in the business. It’s our low-light evaluation, in which we position a team member 100 yards from a blacked-out room and ask him to slowly turn a black-and-white resolution target as twilight fades to night. Meanwhile, team members in the room glass the target through open windows and record the moment they can no longer define the direction of the contrasting lines. The longer an optic “sees” into the dusk tells us a lot about its light transmission and optical clarity. We repeat this test on successive nights and average the results.

Objective scores make up half of an optic’s overall rating. The other half is a lot more fun: It’s our subjective testing, in which we spend a week using the optics like any hunter would: glassing distant deer and mountains, detecting optical flaws such as spherical aberration, color flaring, and sharpness of image. And we pay special attention to a metric that all hunters recognize: How comfortable is the optic to look through? The ones that are easy on the eyes often are the ones that end up with the best scores.

Franchi Instinct L: Reasonably Priced Over/Under 12 Gauge Shotgun

OL Editor — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:05:19 -0400

It can be a trick to find a decent new over/under for less than $2,000, but Franchi has made one with the Instinct L, which goes for $1,149. This field gun is built on an attractive case-hardened receiver and comes with okay wood with functional checkering. The crisp mechanical triggers and tight lock-up are both indications of good workmanship. We would prefer to see a simple brass bead on the rib rather than the red fiber-optic bead.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $1,149
Design: B+
Performance: B+
Price/Value: B+
Gauge: 12
Trigger Pull: 4 lb. 14 oz. (Both)
Action: Over/under
Website: Franchi.com

2012 Gun Test: How We Test Rifles

Alex Robinson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:32:40 -0400

The rifle test begins long before the guns are ever taken to the range. If we were to just scope the guns, sight them in, and start shooting, we would be doing a grave disservice to the rifles and to the test.

The first step is to pull the guns apart and give them a thorough inspection. This includes a detailed look at the internal construction of the stock and action and a peek down the barrel, chamber, and other recesses with a bore scope. This accomplishes a couple of important tasks. First, it allows us to gauge the quality of the construction of the rifles and make notes on any innovative features (or corner cutting) that might not be readily apparent.

Second, it allows us to make sure the rifles are properly assembled to help them achieve peak performance. This means that the action and stock are snugged correctly and that all the screws and fasteners are tightened to spec.

This last bit is especially critical. A surprising number of new guns—based on my experience, I’d say around 20 percent—are not assembled correctly by the factory. So if you’re buying any new or used rifle, it pays to strip it down and put it back together the right way, or you’re risking sub-par performance.

Shooting the rifles is, of course, the heart of the evaluation. Our goal is for each rifle to achieve a perfect score, and to that end we take great pains to get them to shoot their very best. We run numerous brands of ammo and bullet styles through each gun, gathering multiple five-shot groups with each load. Even the Briarbank 200-yard bench-rest targets we use are specially designed for this work, letting us measure groups with precision.

We make sure the rifles don’t get too hot, and we clean them every 20 to 30 rounds. Once we’re done with the accuracy testing, we run the guns through a series of practical drills—shooting from unsupported positions, running them dry, and seeing how easy they are to reload or whether they’ll  single-feed rounds well.

As much as we like to see the rifles shoot small groups (which they did very well this year), we care more about their field performance.

When we’re not shooting, we spend time inspecting the rifles, taking note of the ergonomics, the quality of the triggers, and the overall in-hand feel of the firearms.

All these factors contribute to the scores we assign for the performance, design, and value of the guns. Once we have all the data, we crunch the scores and see which guns have earned our coveted Editor’s Choice and Great Buy awards for the year.

Thompson/Center Dimension: Switch Barrel Rifle Offers a Variety of Calibers

OL Editor — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:35:57 -0400

The bold design of the Dimension aims to give hunters a fresh option for an easy-to-use multi-caliber rifle. The switch-barrel mechanism is ambitious (see Innovations, p. 42) but awkward to use. Gear-heads will take to this rifle, but the ungainly lines of the stock (which we found to be very comfortable) won’t appeal to everyone. Among the rifle’s virtues are its smooth operating action, smart ergonomics, and very good accuracy.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $679
Design: B-
Performance: B
Accuracy: B+
Price/Value: B
Cartridge: .308 Win./.223 Rem.
Trigger Pull: 4 lb. 10 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: 1.249 in./.830 in.
Ammo: Fed. 168-Gr. Sierra Matchking
Website: Tcarms.com

Windham Weaponry Varmint Exterminator: Extremely Accurate Predator Rifle

OL Editor — Thu, 31 May 2012 10:52:55 -0400

Windham Weaponry is a new gunmaker operating in the old Bushmaster factory in Maine (which was shut down by parent company Freedom Group) and being run by the old Bushmaster crew. They are building a full line of ARs, including this varmint model. We gave the rifle high marks across the board. It had no trouble shooting sub-MOA groups, but we wished it came with a less creepy trigger and had a larger charging handle.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $1,295
Design: B
Performance: B+
Accuracy: A-
Price/Value: B
Cartridge: 5.56/.223 Rem.
Trigger Pull: 5 lb. 12 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: .965 in./.606 in.
Ammo: Nos. 55-Gr. Varmageddon
Website: Windhamweaponry.com

Akkar 600 Superior Semi-Auto: Sweet Shooting 28-Gauge Upland Shotgun

OL Editor — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:13:53 -0400

It didn’t take long for this little 28-gauge from the Turkish firm Akkar to charm the entire test team. It’s as nimble and handy a bird gun as you could want and comes at such a great price ($523), we couldn’t help but anoint it this year’s Great Buy in the shotgun category. A 28-gauge doesn’t have much recoil to begin with, but when you shoot it through a gas-operated semi, what little it does have disappears completely.

When a 28 also balances nicely between the hands and has enough heft to swing well, what you end up with is something like the Akkar 600. The lines and finish on the gun aren’t fancy, but you can tell it was designed by someone who knows how to make a simple and stylish shotgun that will appeal to bird hunters. The metal is done in a satin finish, and the rib is tipped by a simple brass bead.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $523
Design: B+
Performance: A
Price/Value: A
Gauge: 28
Trigger Pull: 5 lb. 14 oz.
Action: Semi-auto
Website: Akkar.com

Franchi Affinity: A Nimble 3-Inch Semi-Automatic 12 Gauge Shotgun

OL Editor — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:51:26 -0400

The Franchi Affinity brings to mind the patriotic song written after the attack on Pearl Harbor: “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.” The Affinity has the magically elusive feel gunmakers always hope for when introducing a new shotgun. Its balance and handling are so lively that it springs to your shoulder with the speed and determination of a ruffed grouse exploding from cover.

We give credit to Franchi for chambering this gun in a 3-inch receiver (hallelujah!), bucking the pointless trend of 3 ½-inch 12-gauges, which usually feel clubby and dead in hand. The trim stock also helps in this regard, as does the quick cycling of the recoil-operated action, which is similar to the inertia-driven system employed by sister company Benelli.Even though the Affinity is slathered in camo, don’t be fooled into thinking it is fit only for the duck blind. The entire test team considered it ideal for upland hunting as well.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $949
Design: A-
Performance: A
Price/Value: A-
Gauge: 12
Trigger Pull: 5 lb. 8 oz.
Action: Semi-auto
Website: Franchi.com

Nosler M48 Professional: Accurate, Well-Built Rifle for Big Game

OL Editor — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:23:19 -0400

The Professional is a new rifle built on the Nosler’s M48 action. It comes with a clever detachable magazine that is released by a tab similar to the one commonly seen with floor-plate magazines. The accuracy and craftsmanship of the Professional is exactly what one would expect from Nosler, which is to say excellent. This is a serious hunting tool and is a very good value even considering its hefty price.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ½
Price: $2,595
Design: A-
Performance: A
Accuracy: A
Price/Value: B-
Cartridge: .30/06
Trigger Pull: 2 lb. 14 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: 1.090 in./.624 in.
Ammo: Black Hills 155-Gr. A-Max
Website: Nosler.com

Weatherby Vanguard Series 2: Big-Game Rifle With Upgraded Trigger

OL Editor — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:48:05 -0400

The original Vanguard by Weatherby was a fine rifle by nearly every measure, but the trigger wasn’t very good and the bedding between the action and stock could be spotty. Well, with the latest Vanguard, the Series 2, Weatherby has worked out those kinks and added a couple of other upgrades. The result is impressive. The new trigger is as crisp as a ripe apple, the stock comes with rubber inserts to improve handling, and the action is smooth and easy to run.

The Series 2 has a new three-position safety with a center setting that allows the rifle to be unloaded while on safe. Our test team of die-hard big-game hunters swooned over the rifle’s handling and accuracy. This is a rifle that doesn’t compromise anywhere in its construction. Among a field of impressive rifles, the Weatherby distinguished itself and earned our 2012 Editor’s Choice award.

Test Results
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $599
Design: A-
Performance: A
Accuracy: A-
Price/Value: A
Cartridge: .308 Win.
Trigger Pull: 2 lb. 13 oz.
Average Group/Smallest Group: 1.131 in./.859 in.
Ammo: Nos. 165-Gr. Accubond
Website: Weatherby.com

Optics Review: OL Ranks the Best New Spotting Scopes of 2012

OL Editor — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:17:51 -0400

Our team of experts spent a week at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, where they put the screws to the newest spotting scopes. Here are the results of the 2012 spotting scope test.

Optics Review: OL Ranks the Best New Mid-Size Binoculars for 2012

OL Editor — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:49:58 -0400

Outdoor Life runs the toughest optics test in the industry and the results are in for 2012 mid-size binoculars. See which new binos stood fared the best in our test.

Rifle Scope Review: OL Ranks the Best New Scopes for 2012

Alex Robinson — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:54:23 -0400

Without the right scope, even the best rifle is little more than a metal tube. This winter we tested the newest rifle scopes on the market and these are the results. See which scope took home top honors.

Hog Guns: 15 Great Pig Hunting Rifles and Handguns

Alex Robinson — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:27:34 -0400

Gun Shots blogger Brian McCombie runs down 15 great guns for hog hunting. From classic lever actions, to magnum handguns to custom ARs, this gallery has it all.

New Trail Gun: Ruger SP101 .22

Alex Robinson — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:21:40 -0400

America’s outdoorsmen and women have a traditional fondness for compact, accurate rimfire handguns. Called trail guns, or kit guns, they’re easy to carry, inexpensive to feed, and fun to shoot. They also exemplify the term “multi-tasker.” Whether you’re harvesting small game for the camp larder, dispatching venomous snakes, removing pests, or just engaging in a casual plinking session, they do it all with ease. They remain a staple in the handgun marketplace, and in late 2011, Ruger added another trail gun to the mix.

The Ruger SP101 .22LR is built on Ruger’s compact, stainless-steel, double-action SP101 revolver frame. The barrel is 4.2 inches long (making it legal for sale in Canada) and features a green fiber-optic front sight that is fully encased to protect the fiber-optic rod from cleaning solvents. The rear sight is plain black and fully adjustable for windage and elevation.

The SP101 was originally built as a five-shot .357 Mag., but Ruger managed to fit eight recessed .22LR chambers into this cylinder.

The metal finish is a soft satin stainless, complemented by Ruger’s black rubber composite grips featuring tastefully checkered wood panel inserts. A half-length underlug on the semi-bull barrel encloses the ejector rod, which is long enough to dump eight empty cases with one smooth stroke. It’s an elegant look.

The single-action trigger pull on my test gun measured 4.2 pounds and was as crisp as the proverbial glass rod. The double-action trigger pull exceeded the 12-pound limit on my digital trigger-pull gauge, but I didn’t feel it was significantly heavier than that. The overall length is 9.12 inches and the empty weight is 30 ounces. That’s compact enough for convenient carry, but with the heft and barrel length for accurate shooting. And the Ruger will shoot.

Excellent Field Performance
I put more than 500 rounds through the SP101 .22LR on my backyard range. I used several loads: Winchester’s T-22 Lead Target Load and CCI’s Green Tag, Stinger, Mini-Mag Silhouette, and Mini-Mag HP.

Though the double-action pull was heavy, it was smooth and staged beautifully. By bringing the trigger back to its distinct cylinder lock-up, the last segment of the pull was short and crisp. It was very easy to consistently “ring” my 8x10-inch hanging steel plate while shooting double-action at 30 yards. The lead splashes on the plate also indicated the rounds were grouping well.

I found out just how well when I set up a solid sandbag rest at 25 yards and fired full eight-round cylinder groups in the single-action mode. The best eight-round groups (Mini-Mag HP and Stinger) stayed around 2.5 inches. The other loads were 2.7 to 2.9 inches. With each load tested, the best four rounds of any group never exceeded 1.5 inches. Even the worst groups are “minute of cottontail” in anybody’s book, and no empty beverage can, pinecone, or other plinking target of opportunity would be safe. ($698)