Overview

In S.W.A.T.'s January 2010 issue, it's a new year with a fresh outlook ... but the same reliability you value from S.W.A.T.

  • Our premier do-it-yourselfer Tony Albaceli brings the how-to on building your own AR.
  • Think you know what to expect from a Leroy Thompson weapon evaluation? His review of the Colt/Umarex M4 .22 may surprise you.
  • The Steyr AUG is now made in the USA and S.W.A.T. has the details.
  • On the tactics front, find out how to make the most of your targets.
  • Claire Wolfe tackles Obama's Russian revolution, the latest assault on our Constitutional rights.
  • The host of S.W.A.T. TV, Rob Pincus, gives an in-depth look at the series that brings "Weapons, Tactics and Training for the Real World" to your small screen.
  • Bonus! By reader request, we've compiled a complete index of S.W.A.T.'s 2009 articles.



Columns
The Briefing Room
The Trouble with Czars
by Denny Hansen

Street Smarts
Ready For My Close-Up
by Brent T. Wheat

Against All Odds
USMC Survival Kit
by Jeff Randall

Frontline Debriefs
Family Awareness
by Brett McQueen and Scott Reitz

Enemy at the Gate
Obama's Russian Revolution
by Claire Wolfe

Training & Tactics
Interminable Ballistics
by Louis Awerbuck


Departments
Mail Room:
Letters from our Readers
Staff

Lawful Carry:
Garrett Industries Freedom Line
Flint Hansen

Long Guns:
.308 AR Scopes
Leroy Thompson

Offbeat:
Lancer L5 Translucent Magazines
Denny Hansen

The Cutting Edge:
Triple Eight Professional CopTool
Eugene Nielsen

Gear Locker:
New Products and Accessories
Staff

  
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Features

SHOOT 'n' SAVE
Bronc Bustin' COLT/Umarex M4 .22
As the cost of ammunition has gone up, the appeal of shooting the .22 Long Rifle cartridge has increased. But cost isn't the only factor that has made .22-caliber copies of service pistols or rifles appealing. Many law enforcement agencies do much of their training on indoor pistol ranges, which makes carbine training difficult. As the M4 carbine has become more popular for law enforcement, the usefulness of .22 Long Rifle versions has become more apparent. A fairly common solution for armorers or other shooters who use an AR-15 a lot has been to acquire a conversion unit which may be used with the standard service weapon. Another option has recently become available as well, in copies of the M4 carbine dedicated for the .22 Long Rifle. One of these that has garnered quite a bit of interest is the Colt/Umarex M4. Thompson gives the Colt/Umarex a thorough testing and presents all its pros and cons.
by Leroy Thompson

ABSOLUT AR
Build Your Own
I love building ARs. Probably like many of you, I like working with my hands, putting things together, and making repairs. Even painting a rifle gives me a little added satisfaction over one that is strictly off-the-shelf. There is an undeniable form of self-expression associated with building an AR. You understand what I mean if you've ever gone to a competition and taken a gander at the ARs present. No two are alike! I recently completed what is probably the most expensive AR I will ever put together. This is something I've been working on for nearly three years. I purchased components when I could afford them and when they were available. My objective was to build a compact AR that was accurate like a bolt gun for precision rifle competitions and small game, but could still be run fast in tight quarters at carbine competitions. By sharing this experience with you, I hope to inspire some to go out and build their own ideal AR, whatever it may be. I promise you there's nothing especially complicated about this build. Take what you like from these pages and put your own personal spin on it.
by Tony Albaceli

KREBS CUSTOM INC.
Saiga 12 Shotgun
The Russian Saiga shotgun has taken the U.S market by storm as of late, due to its magazine-fed capability, AK-47 conversion looks, and reliability. After-market conversion parts abound and blanket the Internet. Clyde Woods, Sales and Marketing Director for importer Russian American Armory Company, stated sales are at an all-time high: "The 12-gauge Saiga is so popular we just cannot get enough of them into the country." Most of this new-found popularity is due to conversion specialists such as Krebs Custom Inc. (KCI). Owner Marc Krebs began making a name for himself producing quality 1911 custom pistols, but his first love was for military small arms, specifically the AK-47 design. Marc's desire for a real Russian AK led him to producing rifles identical to current Russian models, legal to own in the United States through KCI. Marc's Saiga 12 gauge conversion sparked my interest for both law enforcement and civilian use.
by Steve Malloy

THE REAL THING
Stery AUG Now Made in America
Fans of the Steyr AUG have reason to be excited. AUGs were previously available in the United States only in pre-ban form, which for the most part were manufactured prior to the Import Ban of 1989. That ban was permanent. Even though the so-called Assault Weapons Ban expired in 2004, no new Steyr AUGs could be imported from Austria for civilian sales. Now Steyr is manufacturing the AUG in the U.S. Shortly after the Assault Weapons Ban expired, Steyr began quietly searching for the appropriate U.S. company to partner with to produce AUGs for American sales. After carefully scrutinizing several potential partners, Steyr selected Sabre Defence. Thus began years of development. Sabre Defence is known for their line of ARs as well as for producing barrels for everything from miniguns to .50-caliber machineguns. This makes them a natural fit, since one of the components that they would be producing for the AUG was the barrel and all the subassemblies that go into it, like the gas piston, muzzle break, and regulator.
by Ed Lawrence

KNOW YOUR TARGET
Tips, Truisms, and Myths
Targets are one of the least understood and misapplied tools in the trainer's toolbox. Used correctly, targets can assist the shooter in reaching a specific training objective more quickly and efficiently. Targets can range from random household or office excess such as paper plates or index cards through traditional NRA competition targets and into exotic electric- or pneumatic-powered reactive steel. Unfortunately, despite an incredible variety of available target material, most programs do not tap the potential of this training tool. The author's tips and truisms are meant to assist in getting more from your targets to improve your training, while debunking a few counter-productive myths that might be holding shooters back.
by Ethan Johns

CHARGED UP
Bravo Company Gunfighter's Charging Handle
Paul Buffoni of Bravo Company MFG started looking into designing a new charging handle awhile back and, though his ideas were dead on, some issues were difficult to resolve. That ended when Paul hooked up with Eric Kincel of Vltor. This joining of minds and ideas resulted in a new design for a charging handle and latch that puts the load onto the CH and not the pin. Vltor holds the patent and Bravo Company MFG, Inc. manufactures the BCMGunfighter&tm;. The BCMGunfighter is available in two models: P/N GFH Mod3 and P/N GFH Mod 4. The Mod 3 latch is similar in size to the ubiquitous Badger Tac Latch and the Mod 4 is analogous in size to the PRI latch.
by Patrick A. Rogers

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Kimber JPX Jet Protector
Recently, a new tool to help protect officers and maintain security has been adopted by various law enforcement agencues. It is the Kimber JPX Jet Protector. The JPX is shaped like a double-barreled pistol, is made from polymer, and is available in orange or black. Orange is useful so officers in the facilities or in the field can readily tell the difference between the two and not mistake the JPX for a firearm. Operation is double-action only. The JPX Jet Protector has two rounds available to the operator, which means quicker follow-up time for an additional shot if multiple suspects are involved, unlike the Taser, which fires only one shot at a time. The JPX Jet Protector is 100% ambidextrous. The frame is lightweight and very durable.
by Flint Hansen

SHOW TIME!
S.W.A.T. Magazine TV: Tune In Now
On Wednesday December 30, we launched S.W.A.T. Magazine TV, exclusively on the Outdoor Channel. Experience the same professionalism, integrity and thorough insight you've gotten for over 25 years from the magazine, coming to you in an action-packed television show. S.W.A.T. Magazine TV features the techniques, training and gear used by armed professionals in law enforcement, military and private security, as well as those interested in home or personal defense. Our guests include S.W.A.T. staff writers, instructors, industry representatives and people just like you, who want to develop their firearms knowledge and skills. On S.W.A.T. Magazine TV, we show you the TTPs we've described in the pages of the magazine. Unsure about exactly how to conduct a certain drill or procedure? Tune in to S.W.A.T. TV and see them demonstrated.
by Rob Pincus

S.W.A.T. EDITORIAL INDEX
January – December 2009
Looking for an article but can't remember its exact title or when it ran in S.W.A.T.? You can find every article from 2009 indexed here, categorized by topic, issue date and title.
by Staff