Mike Gibson Manufacturing
We’d submit there are few things in practice-type shooting as satisfying as the “ping” of a steel target. Handgunners and rifle wonks alike, we think, would argue it’s the only thing that comes close to powdering a clay pigeon with a shotgun. Sublime.
Steel has many purely practical advantages, too. The easy number one is durability: It doesn’t take long to need new paper (over, and over, and over again), and the cost adds up faster than you think (trust us, we’ve taken a sharp pencil to this equation). Second is stability under less-than-ideal conditions (wind, precipitation, etc.). Third is range time efficiency: Even a very modest selection of sizes and shapes will give you a huge variety of practice modes with nary a run downrange to interrupt. Then there’s dual mode hit confirmation. Though certainly is not required, a squirt of paint now and again keeps the target faces fresh—and easily variable by color— in addition to that oh-so-satisfying ding. Especially for new shooters, it’s hard to beat: lots of shooting, very little target “dressing.”
No mystery then, why we ask our friends at MGM to keep us in their loop, which lately resulted in the arrival of their 1/2 IPSC silhouette plates. It doesn’t take much imagination to see what we like here: The reduced size simulates many aspects of shots at greater distances (the “math” says 4x, we think it “feels” more like 3x), letting you increase the challenge if you have plenty of room, or simulate plenty of distance in closer confines.
Fabbed from hardened 3/8” AR500, these are tough, superbly challenging pistol or rifle targets. The provided stand and hanger are joined by a 2x4, which you can cut to fit the situation or regulation (for Steel Challenge, say), as well as to keep any misses well down in your backstop. For pistol, they’ll enforce real discipline on trigger actuation: 15 yards is the recommended minimum engagement distance, and if you limit yourself to “A”/”C” hits and speed, real “A”/”C”s will shortly be second nature on a full-sized target.
But rifle is where we especially enjoy these. When the 400- and 600-yard ranges are well used, it’s amazing how often we get the 200-yard range to ourselves. We’ve done this with our rounds and other MGM steel before; now, out will come the “halfers.” If COM hits start to seem easy, a dab of paint will force better focus. Or a slash of hard cover. Or a second one as a no-hit hostage. Our favorite is to spread two or three, and force a progressively greater body shift and wider swing over the bipod. Do this with a pal and a “par” time on your timer, and the hootin’ and hollerin’ aren’t long in coming.
Two cautions with steel, as much fun and as incredibly rugged as they seem: Know your ammo (certain things like XM193 should never be shot at them), and always, always, always wear eye protection.
IPSC targets are also available in reactive 2/3 and static full sizes. Also take a peak at MGM’s excellent steel target FAQ here.
Visit MGM at mgmtargets.com.
Robar Companies
In our own defense, we formalize a First Gear rule: We only stop talking about a given outfit when they stop sending us good stuff to tell you about. Until then, repetitions are fair game.
So here we are with Robar. Again.
If America’s 1st Freedom is the official journal of choice with your NRA membership (remember you get to pick, and change if you like), you may have a hint as to why: Our December review of their PolymAR-15 Ti (reprised in digital here) pretty well lit us up. It’s a 4.6-pound, well sub-MOA, M4-type Stoner variant that we didn’t want to send back. If they weren’t such decent folks, perhaps we could have nurtured a hint of real irritation as we bid it adieu. There was no actual crying, but …
Any such juvenility would have to end now, however: If the expedient of simply ordering a Titanium (or the very slightly heavier, steel-based C, L, P, R or SC versions) was for some unfathomable reason not appealing, you can now get the polymer core of Robar’s lightweight wonder and DIY.
That surprised us a little, frankly, but General Manager Freddie Blish (USMC, Ret.) was quick to set us straight: “Robar is happy to sell the PolymAR-15 upper & lower as a set with the X7 Assembly Tool for those customers that enjoy building their carbines or just want to use components other than the ones used by Robar to build their PolymAR-15 carbines.” Hmmmmmm; we think we detect a sly Marine at work. We already suspect these guys know something we don’t—hardly a first—but guess there’s only one way to find out for sure. At any rate, our order is in.
If the idea of a polymer heart to America’s favorite rifle daunts and tantalizes you, take a look at another no-glitches Robar touch—a thorough video on installing a barrel and comp/brake to your polymer upper using their provided custom tool (preserve that warranty!).
We’ll have a report before long.
Visit the Robar Companies at robarguns.com. Upper/lower kits (including the X& assembly tool) start at $279.95
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