1. Lighter Weight AND Greater Displacement
In this industry, the experts are always rolling out something just a little better. You can really see the effects of that trend in the ammunition category, as what was once considered excellent is now considered a bare minimum. This Liberty Overwatch line is a good example of optimizing engineering—in this case, to answer a request from special forces operators. The line is designed to retain the brand’s signature light weight while also creating a larger cavity upon impact; this both makes it more effective at stopping a threat and less likely to over-penetrate. (libertyammo.com; $41.49 for box of 20)
2. Cleaner Cans
Cleaning my tools is my least-favorite part of being a gun owner, and when an item is particularly difficult to clean, it tends to sit unused. So, I was genuinely excited about this Ballistol Suppressor Cleaner when I saw it at this year’s SHOT Show. No matter the design of your suppressor (or “can” in gun-world jargon), this should work on it: Simply cork both ends (corks included), pour in the cleaner and let sit two to four hours. If that won’t work for yours, you can submerse the suppressor in the cleaner instead. Oh, and it’s odorless! (ballistol.com; $40)
3. Load Faster While Sparing Your Hands
I haven’t found that using the RAM-IT speed loaders for AR-10s and AR-15s make my loading process much faster, but I have found it to be considerably easier on my aging hands. The process is simple: load up an included stripper clip, slide that into the loader box, attach the loader to your magazine and ram the rounds in. You can also put the cartridges right into the loader, but I like the stripper-clip process better. (fastloaders.com; $43.49)
