asai one pro 45 pistol - nra museum 98.pdfaccuracy and service life ... asai one pro 45 pistol ......

AN impeccable setof credentialsbacks the new

One Pro 45 pistol.Designed by Martin Tuma for AdvancedSmall Arms Industries (ASAI) in Solothurn,Switzerland, it is manufactured by Oerlikonin Zurich, Switzerland and imported byMagnum Research of Minneapolis,Minnesota. Tuma was responsible for theSwiss-made Sphinx AT 88 and AT 2000 CZ-75-based pistols, and that lineage is appar-ent in many respects. In the One Pro 45, wehave legendary Swiss precision and atten-tion to detail fused to yankee sales and mar-keting prowess.

Aimed initially at meeting thedemanding requirements of SpecialOperations Command units, the OnePro 45 pistol will no doubt find favorwith civilian fans of “big-bore” double-action semi-automatic pistols. The One Pro45 combines provenshort-recoil operation,all-steel construction andlarge caliber with a mod-ern single-action/doubleaction trigger, a frame-mounted decocking leverand a patented, automaticfiring pin safety.Accuracy and service lifeare enhanced by the full-length rails—interior onthe frame and exterior onthe slide—and the slideand frame of chromium-n i c ke l - m o l y b d e n u msteel. A double-action-only trigger is optional, asis a lightweight modelwith an alloy frame.

The barrel rises tolock against the rear of theejection port and unlocksby dropping downward.There is no pivoting bar-rel link. Locking and

unlocking are controlled by cam surfacesmachined into the lower part of the barrelacting on the slide stop pin. The hole for thebarrel in the front of the slide is drilled at adownward angle which assures a tight lock-up to the barrel even after many rounds.There is no barrel bushing and a full-length,steel guide rod is used along with a multi-

strand, braided recoil spring. A slot cutinto the right face of the breech incor-

porates a robust extractor, and thisslot holds the rim of the cartridge asit is released by the magazine.

A white-dot sight system is stan-dard. The front blade has one white dot

while there are white dots on either sideof the rear notch. The rear is drift-adjustable for windage. Both sightsare mounted in large, wide dovetailscut into the top of the slide. There isa wide but shallow rib on top of theslide.

Small checkered areas are castinto the front strap and backstrap,

like on the Sphinx guns, to assistgripping. They worked well without chaf-ing. The smooth trigger is mounted inside a

®

The American Rifleman has used the phrase “DopeBag” at least since 1921, when Col.Townsend Whelenfirst titled his column with it. Even then, it had been inuse for years, referring to a sack used by target shoot-ers to hold ammunition and accessories on the firingline.“Sight dope”also was a traditional marksman’s termfor sight adjustment information, while judging windspeed and direction was called “doping the wind.”

CAUTION: Technical data and information con-tained herein are intended to provide information basedon the limited experience of individuals under specificconditions and circumstances. They do not detail thecomprehensive training procedures, techniques andsafety precautions absolutely necessary to properlycarry on similar activity. Read the notice and disclaimeron the contents page. Always consult comprehensivereference manuals and bulletins for details of propertraining requirements, procedures, techniques andsafety precautions before attempting any similar activity.

46 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • June 1998

ASAI ONE PRO 45 PISTOL

.45 ACP Vel. @ 15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Federal GM45B 765 Avg. 1.59 2.29 1.94185-gr. FMJ SWC 11 Sd

Winchester X45ASHP2 905 Avg. 2.08 2.91 2.56185-gr. SHP 18 Sd

Hornady 9112 845 Avg. 1.52 2.78 2.06200-gr. JHP XTP 9 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 2.18

.400 Cor-Bon Cartridge

Cor-Bon 1385 Avg. 1.84 4.24 2.84135-gr. JHP 18 Sd




Five consecutive five-shot groups from 25 yds., fired from sand-bags. Abbreviations: JHP (jacketed hollow point), FMJ (full metaljacket), SWC (semi-wadcutter), SHP (Silvertip hollow point),XTP (extreme terminal performance)

ACCURACY RESULTS

The Swiss-Made One Pro 45 pistolcombines short-recoil operation withall-steel construction. By simplyswitching barrels, the One Pro 45 mayfire either .45 ACP or .400 Cor-Bon.

The slide is of all-steel construction and thepistol has full-length rails on both slide andframe to enhance service life and accuracy.

guard that is generous enough for a glovedfinger and is not recurved or checkered.

The magazine release button is on theframe to the rear of the trigger guard, andpressing it inward instantly dropped even anempty magazine clear. The foot of the mag-azine well is beveled for easier reloading.

ASAI claims that the One Pro 45 willfind favor among shooters with small hands.Despite the double-column magazine, wefound the girth of the grip frame remainedcomfortable for the small handed. Shootingcomfort is enhanced by a slight recurve atthe bottom of the grip frame and recurvedmagazine floorplate extensions. Stocks aretwo-piece molded, black polymer with alightly marbled outer surface.

The pistol has a decocking feature, andpressing the the decocking lever downwardlowers the hammer while preventing con-tact with the firing pin. A large, intermedi-ate sear notch engages the hammer, keepingit well off the firing pin while an automatic

firing pin safety prevents move-ment of the firing pin unless thetrigger is pulled.

The One Pro 45 was fired foraccuracy, with the results foundin the accompanying table, andfunction fired with Cor-Bon,Federal, Hornady andWinchester ammunition. Therewere no failures of any kind.

Out of the box, the One Pro45 offered one of the best trig-ger pulls in memory for a fac-tory pistol. Single-action pullswere light and crisp with verylittle slack or creep. Double-action pulls were of moderateweight with linear loading and a pre-dictable, crisp let-off. No doubt accuracywas enhanced by the excellent qualities ofthe trigger.

As befits a serious, self-defense pistol,the finish of the One Pro 45 is all business.Steel parts are finished with a low-polish

blue that imparts a semi-matte, nonreflect-ing finish. Unlike other guns, there are noin-the-white polished parts on the One Pro45. Even the barrel, trigger, and hammerare blued.

Picking up the One Pro 45 leaves a com-fortable impression. Yes, the gun is heavy,but the stocks feel good, the gun balanceswell and the levers are within easy reach.All levers are available mounted on the rightside of the frame for left-handed shooters atno additional cost. Operation proved simi-lar to other modern, double-action pistolsand disassembly was particularly easy andrequired no tools.

Shooting the One Pro 45 proved anenjoyable experience. This pistol is com-fortable to shoot with notably low perceivedrecoil even with +P loads because of itsheavy weight, heavy slide and comfortablegrip. By using a heavy slide, the rating ofthe recoil spring can be reduced, making iteasier to operate the slide when charging orclearing the gun. Some shooters felt the One

Pro 45 was modestly top heavy. As a sug-gestion, they recommended undercuttingthe rear of the trigger guard about 2 mmwhere it joins the frame to lower the pistol

in the hand slightly. As with any new gun, a few minor

details need attention. For example,there remain many sharp edges on thenose of the slide, front sight blade andmagazine release button, and bothgrip panels had a sharp upper rearedge that needs reduction. Alsonotable was some outward puckeringof the grip panels below the retainingscrew. Also, how about checkeringthe outer surface of the magazinerelease button? Magnum Research isaware of these minor details and isworking to have them corrected.

In addition to the basic pistol,Magnum Research will market accessorybarrel kits in both .45 ACP and .400 Cor-Bon. These kits all feature longer barrels andnew guide rods with some containing port-ed muzzle devices. All may be mounted ordismounted quickly and easily withouttools. An accessory barrel was tested in .400Cor-Bon caliber, and the unit was installedin minutes.

Perceived recoil was mild even withheavy .400 Cor-Bon loads thanks to theported muzzle device, gun weight and gripdesign. Accessory muzzle units with longerbarrels add about 2 ozs. to total gun weightalthough this has been minimized by usingaluminum to construct the muzzle devices.The problem is they add weight preciselywhere it is not wanted—high and to thefront. Some will prefer this, but, while themuzzle devices work well, they are bulky.

An excellent measure of any test gun isthe number of shooters who ask the pricethen respond by wanting to know wherethey can get one. This is a tried-and-truemeasure of perceived value. Everyone whotested the One Pro 45 wanted one—imme-diately. With a suggested retail price of just$649, it is easy to see the real value inASAI’s One Pro 45.

MANUFACTURER: Advanced SmallArms Industries AG/Ltd., WengihofP.O. Box 260, CH-4503 Solothurn,Switzerland

IMPORTER: Magnum Research, Inc.(Dept. AR), 7110 University Ave. NE,Minneapolis, MN 55432

MECHANISM TYPE: double-action,short recoil-operated, semi-automaticpistol

CALIBER: .45 ACP, .400 Cor-BonBARREL LENGTH: 33⁄4",41⁄2"RIFLING: six-groove, RH twistWEIGHT: 42 ozs.WIDTH: 1.22"HEIGHT: 57⁄8"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10TRIGGER: single-action, 21⁄4 lb. pull; dou-

ble-action 6 lb. pullSIGHTS: blade front with white dot,

notch rear drift adjustable for windagewith two white dots

STOCKS: marbled black polymerACCESSORIES: extra magazine, seven-

piece cleaning kit, fitted plastic case,other barrels optional at extra cost

PRICE: $649, extra barrels $209 plainand $249 compensated

ONE PRO 45

One of the One Pro’s handy features is theseven double-wide ribs with molded dim-ples and eight angled grooves that pro-vide an effective grip surface on the slide.

The One Pro 45 pistol field strips quicklyand easily along CZ-75 principles. Theparts are blue steel with a semi-matte finish.

The accessory barrel kits contain a thread-ed barrel, longer guide rod and someinclude a ported muzzle unit. Calibersoffered are .45 ACP and .400 Cor-Bon. Allcan quickly be mounted without using tools.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • June 1998 47

MARLIN’S Model 1895G “GuideGun” is a new version of a provendesign. Originally introduced in

1895, the Marlin Model 1895 was one ofthe many large-bore, lever-action, repeat-ing rifles phased out by 1915 in favor ofsmall-bore, bolt-action repeaters forsmokeless cartridges.

Early in the 1970s, Marlin introduced theNew Model 1895 in the original’s most pop-ular caliber, .45-70 Gov’t (Oct. 1972, p. 40).The first of these guns had straight stocks;square finger levers; curved, hard-rubberrecoil pads; and half magazines. The receiv-er was drilled and tapped for a receiver sightor scope mount and sandblasted to preventglare. The eight-groove 22" barrel gave thegun an overall length of 401⁄2" and totalweight of 7 lbs. In 1980, a new model, the1895S with a pistol grip, was added. As wasstill popular at the time, white line spacersaccented both the black pistol grip cap andhard rubber buttplate. The square lever was

abandoned in favor of a round type, the frontsight was given a hood and quick-detach-able sling swivels added. In 1984, all Marlincenter-fire, lever-action rifles received acrossbolt, hammer-block safety and theModel 1895S became the 1895SS.

What makes the Model 1895G “GuideGun” is the handy, ported 181⁄2" barrel. Fourpairs of holes arranged on either side of thefront sight vent gas upwards. The upwardgas movement reduces muzzle jump andperceived recoil. A pair of holes on each sideof the barrel below the front sight vent to theside, further reducing felt recoil. Fast recov-ery makes follow-up shots easy. Marlinwisely uses six-groove, 1:20" twist, Ballard-type, cut rifling in this gun rather than itswell-known MicroGroove. Many shootersuse cast or swaged lead bullets in the .45-70Gov’t cartridge and history has shown thatMarlin’s MicroGroove rifling causes accu-racy problems with these bullets.

The sample we received for testing hasa very plain, straight-grain, American wal-nut stock. The wrist and fore-end have cutcheckering with 18 lines per inch. Anuncheckered, centrally located diamondfamiliar to many Marlin guns accents thepattern. A generous, ventilated rubber recoilpad is standard equipment. The stock toe hasMarlin’s “Bull’s eye” inletted just forwardof the sling swivel stud. A blued-steel cap

with integral sling swivel stud complimentsthe fore-end. A tubular, steel, three-quarter-length, four-shot-capacity magazine isbelow the barrel.

Fans of the New Model 1895 and Model336 will recognize the receiver that has around bolt and side ejection. The Model1895G reverts to the square finger lever ofthe first New Model 1895s and has a smoothblued trigger. Like most modern, exposed-

hammer, lever-action rifles, the M1895Ghas a hammer-blocking, cross-bolt safetybutton with red annular ring to indicate the“fire” position.

Sights consist of a brass bead on postfront with removable hood and a folding,semi-buckhorn rear. A drift punch is need-ed to make windage corrections to the rearsight and elevation can be adjusted with thestepped ramp. Marlin drills and taps the1895G’s receiver for scope mounting andincludes an ambidextrous hammer exten-sion for easier cocking while scoped.

We equipped the Marlin Model 1895GGuide Gun with a Redfield 3-9X Five Starscope in Weaver rings on a Weaver No. 63Bone-piece base. Accuracy testing was at 100yds. from sandbags with the results shown

MANUFACTURER: Marlin Firearms Co.(Dept. AR), 100 Kenna Drive, P.O. Box248, North Haven, CT 06473-0905

MECHANISM TYPE: lever-action rifleCALIBER: .45-70 Gov’tOVERALL LENGTH: 37"BARREL LENGTH: 181⁄2"WEIGHT: 7 lbs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: fourRIFLING: Ballard-type, six-groove, 1:20"

RH twistTRIGGER: single stage, 31⁄2 lbs. pullSIGHTS: semi-buckhorn rear, drift

adjustable for windage, stepped eleva-tor adjustable for elevation; hoodedgold bead on post front

STOCK: American walnut: length ofpull, 131⁄2"; drop at heel, 21⁄2"; drop atcomb, 11⁄2"

ACCESSORIES: ambidextrous hammerextension, quick-detach sling swivelstuds

PRICE: $562

MARLIN M1895G

MARLIN M1895G “GUIDE GUN”

The Marlin Model 1895G Guide Gun is a new version of a provendesign. What makes this the “Guide Gun” is the handy 181⁄2" barrelthat is ported for fast follow-up shots.

A generous, ventilated rubber recoil padsoftens the blow from even heavy loads,and, when teamed with barrel porting,helps make the Guide Gun fun to shoot.

Cartridges are loaded into the Guide Gun’stubular, three-quarter-length magazine viaa loading gate on the receiver’s right side.


in the accompanying table. Function firingwas with Federal, Remington andWinchester ammunition. The only failurewe experienced was when we gave theMarlin Model 1895G a vigorous shortstroke. This caused the fired cartridge caseto eject normally, but seized the next car-tridge against the top of the lifter while halfway out of the magazine. The operating

lever jammed in the middleposition, and disassembly ofthe action to remove thelever was required to free thecartridge. Operating thelever of the M1895G GuideGun fully and smoothly pre-vents such jams.

Accuracy of the Model1895G is better than weexpected from a .45-70Gov’t lever-action carbine.Trigger pull is crisp andmoderate which befits a gunlike this. Recoil, while quitenoticeable, is rather mildconsidering the weight of

the gun and the caliber. The gun also hasgood balance and is easy to carry.

While this gun seems directed at a nichemarket, it actually has broad appeal. Clearly,professional guides will prefer a gun likethis in thick cover when following upclients’ big or dangerous game. Bush pilotscan carry one in the cockpit in case they endup spending the night with potentially

unfriendly animals. Other potential usersinclude pipeline workers, foresters, lum-berjacks and even those who keep a rifle intheir fishing boat.

The Marlin Model 1895G Guide Gunisn’t just for these niche markets. For thoseof us who like to hunt big game in thick cover,such a compact repeater chambered for thegrand old .45-70 Gov’t would be ideal.

Four pairs of holes arranged on either sideof the front sight vent gas upward upon fir-ing. Pairs of holes on the sides of the gun’sbarrel below the front sight vent off stillmore gas to further reduce the gun’s recoil.

.45-70 Govt. Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Rem. R4570L 1657 Avg. 1.67 2.48 2.05300-gr. JHP 59 Sd

Rem. R4570G 1176 Avg. 2.50 2.83 2.64405-gr. JSP 67 Sd

Win. X4570H 1702 Avg. 2.27 2.91 2.59300-gr. JHP 42 Sd


Five consecutive five-shot groups from 100 yds., fired fromsandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), JHP (jack-eted hollow-point), JSP (jacketed soft-point), Rem.(Remington), Win. (Winchester)

ACCURACY RESULTS

IN 1903, Browning introduced the firstsuccessful semi-automatic shotgun, therecoil-operated Auto-5. More than 3 mil-

lion Auto-5s were produced until Browningdiscontinued it earlier this year. As we enterthe next century, Browning again leads theway with the gas-operated Browning GoldHunter 31⁄2" 12-ga.—the first semi-automat-ic 12-ga. that handles shells from 23⁄4" to 31⁄2"

without adjustment. It is assembled inPortugal from parts made in Belgium.

Because of the heavier shot charge, most12-ga. 31⁄2" shotguns see use on waterfowlwith steel shot. Turkey hunters also takeadvantage of the heavier shot charges, andmanufacturers accommodate them with 31⁄2"lead shot shells. But Browning’s GoldHunter 12-ga. 31⁄2" is not just for die-hard

waterfowl or turkey hunters.Browning designed this shotgun as aversatile and practical gun for huntingeverything from dove to Tundra swan,or even deer with slugs or buckshot.Browning even suggests “... it won’tbe long before this gun shows up onsporting clays ranges.”

While designing a 12-ga. 31⁄2" semi-auto may seem a simple matter of

enlarging the ejection port, beefing up therecoil spring and lengthening the chamber toaccommodate a 1/2" longer shell, that is only

BROWNING GOLD 31⁄2"

Browning leads the shotgun industry into the 21st Century with the gas-operatedGold Hunter 12-ga. 31⁄2". This gun is the first semi-automatic 12-ga. that handlesshells from 23⁄4" to 31⁄2" without need for adjustment.

MANUFACTURER: Fabrique NationaleHerstal SA, Parc Industriel des HautsSarts, 3e Ave., 4040 Herstal, Belgium

IMPORTER: Browning Arms Co. (Dept.AR), One Browning Place, Morgan,UT 84050

MECHANISM TYPE: short-stroke, gas-operated, semi-automatic shotgun

GAUGE: 12, 31⁄2"OVERALL LENGTH: 49"BARREL LENGTH: 26", 28" (tested), 30"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 14 ozs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: four 23⁄4" shells,

three 3" or 31⁄2" shellsTRIGGER: single stage, 5 lbs. pullSTOCK: Walnut: length of pull, 141⁄4";

drop at heel, 2"; drop at comb, 13⁄4"ACCESSORIES: full, modified and

improved cylinder Invector Plus choketubes, tube wrench, magazine plug

PRICE: $899.95

BROWNING GOLD 31⁄2"

A self-regulating, short-stroke gas pistonis used in the Gold 31⁄2". Excess gas notrequired to operate the action is ventedthrough 16 holes around the tandem piston.


the beginning. Shells of different lengths pro-duce different gas volumes, and the gas sys-tem must accommodate the variety.

Like the rest of the Browning Gold line,the 31⁄2" has a self-regulating, short-strokegas system. Gas bleeds through two ports inthe barrel into the gas cylinder where thepressure forces the gas piston and operatingrod rearward about 1/2". The operating rodtransfers this rearward momentum to thebolt that moves fully back, extracting theempty shell, ejecting it and recocking thehammer. As the bolt assembly moves for-ward under spring pressure, it picks up anew shell and chambers it.

To handle the varieties of gas volumefrom different length shells, Browninguses a piston within a piston that functionsmuch like a pressure-relief valve. Any gasvolume greater than the amount necessaryto cycle the action forces a valve open,which vents excess gas through holesaround the piston’s circumference. The gasthen exits the gun through relieved areasbetween the barrel and front half of thefore-end. This system is similar to that ofthe earlier Gold Hunter, though the num-ber of vent holes in the piston is increasedfrom eight to 16. There are no rubber O-rings associated with this gas system.

Reliable ejection presents another chal-lenge for the Gold Hunter 31⁄2". While asemi-automatic can be made that reliablyejects 31⁄2" shells, an ejector that far backfrom the chamber can leave a 23⁄4" shellunsupported causing the gun to jam.Browning solves this problem with a tan-dem ejector system consisting of a forwardtrapezoidal ejector notch in the barrelextension, combined with a cylindrical studrear ejector.

When a 23⁄4" shell is fired, the extractorpushes it against the ejector-side of the bar-rel extension. The shell slides down into thetrapezoidal notch throwing the shell clear ofthe action. Longer shells, while still pushedto the side by the extractor, remain sup-ported by the chamber. The longer shelldoesn’t slide down into the ejector notch butcontinues back until it hits the cylindricalejector. While this is how the system worksin theory, Browning designers state that

regardless of shelllength, most shellseject from the rearcylindrical stud. Theexceptions are lighttarget and promotion-al loads that are morelikely to eject from thenotch.

The receiver of theGold 31⁄2" is built upfrom the 3" 12-ga.Gold, rather than builtdown from the 31⁄2" 10-ga. receiver. The resultis a trim gun ratherthan a bulky “club”that would be tooheavy to carry afieldfor very long. Earlytest receivers report-edly developed stressfractures, but a newbuffer to arrest therearward movement ofthe bolt solves thisproblem.

The sample we received for testing hasa reddish-brown walnut stock with highgloss finish. Its cut checkering is a borderedpoint pattern of 22 lines-per-inch on thewrist and 20 lines-per-inch on the fore-end.There are a few flat points and overruns, butthe checkering is generally well-executed.A 1" thick, ventilated, rubber recoil padcompletes the buttstock. The aluminumreceiver has a matte-black finish and woodto metal fit is excellent.

Magazine capacity of the Gold Hunter31⁄2" is four 23⁄4" shells, or three 3" or 31⁄2"shells. Browning ships a plug with the gunthat reduces magazine capacity to complywith federal waterfowl regulations.

Shooters will find the magazine cut-offand speed-loading features of the Auto-5on the Gold 31⁄2" helpful. The cut-off is asmall lever on the left of the receiver thatallows shooters to isolate the shells in themagazine. This lets a shooter remove theshell from the chamber and replace it withanother. This feature is most useful whenduck and goose seasons overlap and you

have to quickly exchange aduck load for a goose load.

Speed loading is a use-ful feature that automatical-ly loads the first round fromthe magazine into thechamber. The bolt must beopen for this to work, but iteliminates the need to pressthe bolt release button whenyou load.

The safety is a large, tri-angular cross-bolt behind the trigger. It isreversible, and has a red annular ring to indi-cate the “fire” position. Not only does thissafety block the rearward movement of the

trigger, but it also has anextension that secures thehammer.

The Browning GoldHunter 31⁄2" was pattern test-ed at 40 yds. with theModified Invector Plus choketube and Remington 31⁄2"Nitro Steel, 19⁄16-oz., Mag.drams equivalent (DE), zinc-galvanized, steel BBs. Theresults are shown in theaccompanying table.

Function firing was with avariety of foreign and domes-tic 23⁄4" to 31⁄2" target and fieldloads with shot charges rang-ing from 1 oz. to 19⁄16 oz. andpowder charges from 23⁄4 dramequivalent to Magnum.

The Browning GoldHunter 31⁄2" digested everyshell we fed it—with onlyone difficulty—the 23⁄4 dramequivalent 1-oz. target loads.A “loose” hold on the part ofthe shooter usually resulted

in a cycling failure. We can compare thistype of failure to limp-wristing a semi-automatic pistol. Thus the 23⁄4 dram equiv-alent, 1-oz. loads appear to be the lower

threshold of the Browning Gold Hunter31⁄2" shotgun’s functioning limits.

Recoil, while admittedly stout with the31⁄2" shells, is not unmanageable thanks tothe rather straight stock that focuses recoilinto the shoulder instead of into the cheek.With light loads, we were able to direct ourshots while firing the gun as fast as we couldpull the trigger.

This gun swings steadily, but is a littleon the slow side because of its mass. It bal-ances well though, and comes up evenly.Serious hunters who are casual clay targetshooters would do well with the BrowningGold Hunter 31⁄2" if they want only one gun.Serious target shooters should look else-where. One thing is certain, though,Browning has set the stage for 21stCentury semi-automatic shotguns for allto follow.

AVERAGE OF 10 PATTERNS AT 40 YDS.

12 6

17 13

15 9

11 6

Modified Choke

= Point of HoldRemington 31⁄2"

Nitro Steel Mag-19⁄16-BBPellet count—107

Total Hits 89 (83%)21.2" Inner Circle 54 (50%)30" Outer Ring 35 (33%)

BROWNINGGOLD 31⁄2"

Two ejectors are used on the Gold 31⁄2".Thefront trapezoidal notch (arrow) is for 23⁄4"and 3" shells, while the cylindrical stud isfor 31⁄2" shells. In actual shooting, most,regardless of length, eject from the stud.

The magazine cut-off allows shooters toisolate the shotshells in the magazine.Thislets a shooter remove the shell from thechamber and replace it with another one.


SWITCH-BARREL rifles have long beenpopular in Europe, where they affordversatility to shooters living in coun-

tries that limit the number of guns a shoot-er may own. Such guns also have a follow-ing here in America. Varmint shooters andbenchresters have long used custom rifleswith “low torque” barrels that can bechanged without the use of heavy-duty bar-rel vises or action wrenches.The inspirationfor Harris Gunworks’ interchangeable-bar-rel system was a request from a German fed-eral agency for a rifle that could be brokendown into short components so that coun-tersniper teams could move about more dis-creetly. The company’s design solved thatproblem neatly, and has been evaluated byvarious law enforcement and governmentalagencies here and abroad. It was also appar-ent that such a rifle would also have enor-mous appeal to sportsmen.

Harris Gunworks offers the switch-bar-

rel option on all its rifle models. We receiveda Harris switch-barrel rifle based on thefirm’s Talon action. The Talon was intro-duced in 1993 in an effort to provide a cus-tom action with the features shootersdesired most on a dangerous-game rifle.

The receiver bears a strong resemblance

to the Remington 700 pattern, but withoutthat model’s flattened receiver bridge; aRemington-style recoil lug is clampedbetween the barrel and receiver. The 1.355"-diameter receiver can be had in 416 stain-less or 4340 chrome-molybdenum steel.The action employs a two-lug bolt madewith a large, nonrotating Mauser-type clawextractor giving controlled feeding andextraction, a brazed-on bolt handle with aslight rearward dogleg, a steel bolt shroudand a three-position safety reminiscent ofthat of the Model 70. Swung all the way tothe rear, the safety locks both bolt and strik-er; in the middle, the striker is still captured,but the bolt may be cycled; and in the for-wardmost position, the rifle may be fired.

A spring-loaded bolt stop lever is locat-ed in the left wall of the receiver. Ejectionis by way of a pivoting steel finger mount-ed in the left lug raceway. When the bolt isretracted, a slot cut in the bolt head belowthe left locking lug allows the ejector toengage the cartridge head. Ejection strengthis thus controlled by the enthusiasm withwhich the shooter works the bolt.

The standard Harris trigger mechanismis a close copy of that of the currentRemington design, and in fact the two areinterchangeable. The standard Harris trig-ger can be had in weights down to about 21⁄2

lbs., ordered from the factory; there is noprovision for user adjustment of pullweight—lighter target-type units may be had.

Two hex-head set screws in the receiverring are the only outward hints of the inter-changeable barrel system originated in1995. Barrel removal is accomplished quite

simply. With the rifle unloadedand the bolt retracted, the two setscrews are loosened (they neednot be completely removed), thebarrel is rotated counter-clock-wise one-quarter turn, disengag-ing the interrupted threads ofbarrel and receiver, and the bar-rel is pulled forward. Completeremoval of the barrel may beprevented if the set screws arenot sufficiently loosened. A new

barrel is installed by inserting its threadedshank fully into the receiver ring and turn-ing one-quarter turn clockwise to engage thethreads, until the witness marks on barreland receiver are aligned. Only hand pres-sure is normally required to turn the barrelon and tighten it. The hex-head screws inthe receiver ring are then re-tightened, andthe rifle is ready to be fired.

Experimentation showed that it was pos-sible to engage the threads and align the wit-ness marks with the barrel not fully insert-ed; however, we judged that the probabilityof a shooter actually firing the rifle in thiscondition was extremely small. With thebarrel only partially inserted and the witnessmarks aligned, a gap would easily beobserved between the barrel shoulder andreceiver face, the barrel would be wobbly inthe receiver, and the hex screws in thereceiver could not enter their recesses in the


HARRIS TALON SWITCH-BARREL

The Harris Talon Sporter rifle with the company’s switch-barrel feature affords shooters a multi-caliber optionin a more compact package for storage or transport.

Apparent in this view of the chamber endof the Talon’s .300 Win. Mag. barrel are theconed breech, extractor cut, interruptedthreads and locking screw recess (arrow).

MANUFACTURER: Harris Gunworks(Dept. AR), 3840 N. 28th Ave.,Phoenix, AZ 85017

MECHANISM TYPE: Bolt-action center-fire rifle

CALIBERS: Any standard and most wild-cat cartridges, from .22-250 Win. to .416Rem. Mag: .300 Win. Mag. (tested),.375 H&H Mag. (tested).

OVERALL LENGTH: 441⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 24"WEIGHT: 73⁄4 lbs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: four (three in

mag.cals.)RIFLING: eight-groove, RH twistTRIGGER: single-stage, 3 lbs. pullSTOCK: Gray synthetic (or walnut):

length of pull, 131⁄2"; drop at comb,11⁄4"; drop at heel; 11⁄2"

SIGHTS: none supplied; receiver drilledand tapped fro scope bases

ACCESSORIES: scope bases and 1"steel rings, quick detachable slingswivels

PRICE: $3,696 as tested: $2,900 (Talonrifle base price); $300 (interruptedthread option); $496 (extra barrel).

HARRIS TALON

The Talon features a large, non-rotating claw extractor for con-trolled feed, a Model 70-style,three-position safety and aRemington 700-style recoil lug.

barrel shank, and would thus protrude. Itwould be virtually impossible for a shooterto inadvertently install the barrel incorrect-ly and fire a shot.

Harris Gunworks also offers an alterna-tive switch-barrel system that utilizes low-torque barrels instead of an interrupted-thread method; the latter method is prefer-able for changing barrels in the field, how-ever. The company can convert any qualitybolt-action rifle to either system. The inter-rupted-thread pattern is formed from a fully-threaded receiver and barrel using EDMmachining to remove the appropriate por-tions of the threads.

Our Talon Sporter arrived with 24"sporter-weight .300 Win. Mag. and .375H&H barrels. Its gray, textured stock wasthe standard fiberglass/epoxy sporter modelwith a pronounced pistol grip, molded-incheckering at the fore-end and wrist, a raisedcheekpiece, and a slight decline from combto heel; there was no visible cast-off. Thebutt terminated in a 1"-thick, solid-rubberrecoil pad, and Uncle Mike’s quick-detach-able sling swivels were attached at the fore-end and toe. Different stock profiles, andwood stocks in various grades and types ofwalnut are also available.

Bedding on our Talon Sporter was byway of integral aluminum pillars and epoxybedding compound. As on all Harris rifles,the barrel was free-floated. Different riflingpatterns are used for various HarrisGunworks barrels, all of which are made in-house and can be had in virtually any stan-dard and most wildcat chamberings.

Both the receiver and barrel on our testgun were of stainless steel, given a matte,dark-gray finish by a chrome disulfideprocess. Other metal finish options offeredby Harris include hot blueing and parkeriz-ing on chrome-moly components, and, onany steel, gray, silver or black Teflon.

Harris offers various feeding options aswell. The standard Talon action comes witha steel triggerguard and hinged floorplate.Our test rifle, however, was fitted with theoptional Remington alloy floorplate anddetachable staggered-column, flush-fittingbox magazine. Simultaneously depressingspring-loaded catches on both sides of themagazine base disengages tabs from recess-es in the bottom metal, releasing the maga-zine. The receiver was drilled and tapped forscope mounting, and Harris supplies theappropriate bases.

The Harris Talon was fired for accuracy,with the results shown in the accompanyingtable, and function-fired in both caliberswith Federal, Hornady, PMC, Remingtonand Winchester ammunition. There were nomisfires, but we did experience a few mal-functions of other types, described below.Recoil in our 71⁄2-lbs. Talon Sporter wasnoticeable with both cartridges, though byno means intolerable.

Fitted with a Redfield 6-18X scope, therifle had little trouble in achieving sub-m.o.a. groups with certain .300 Win. Mag.and .375 H&H loads. Accurate shooting wasaided by the rifle’s trigger, which broke at

21⁄2 lbs. with a crispnesswe’ve seen on few rifles inrecent memory. We also test-ed whether the barrel attach-ment system would holdzero. After test-firing, eachbarrel was removed, rein-stalled and fired again.Minimal (much less than 1")vertical or horizontal changein group location was notedwith either barrel when it wasremoved and reattached.

We did have a few com-plaints about the Talon. Themost significant was theinconsistent action of therifle’s pivoting ejector,which failed to kick the brasscase out of the receiver sev-eral times. The case wouldthen have to be picked outwith the fingers. It appearedthat the ejector sometimes

failed to rise through its slot on the bolt headand engage the case.

The rear-swept bolt knob sharply rappedthe knuckle of the trigger finger when fir-ing from the bench. This proved not to be aproblem when firing offhand.

There was also some stiffness in bothbolt lift and turndown, and a definite hitchwas noted during chambering of the Federaland PMC .300 Win. Mag. ammunition.Speer Nitrex tended to feed fairly smooth-ly. Bolt travel was otherwise smooth andbind-free. We also noted difficulty in mov-ing the safety piece to the rearward “safe”position, and could not feel the detent forthe middle safety position.

On the plus side, the Talon Sporter is anaccurate, attractive arm featuring a barrelattachment system that allows the retentionof zero even when barrels are removed and

reinstalled. The Talon Sporter switch-barrelis more than just a novelty. One Talonequipped with .300 Win. Mag., .375 H&Hand .458 Win. Mag. barrels could be usedto take any African game, from dik-dik toelephant—a task normally requiring threedifferent rifles. Varmint hunters, too, willwelcome the switch barrel feature; it affordsboth quick caliber changes as well as thecapability to replace a hot barrel.

Additionally, the rifle’s takedown fea-ture may also benefit sportsmen traveling byairplane, as its disassembled size allows itto be transported in normal-sized luggage,making it less of a target for thieves thanguns shipped in gun cases.

Although a bit pricy at more than $3,500,the Talon Sporter switch-barrel will be ofgreat interest to those who value easy bar-rel interchangeability and the precision andfeatures of the Talon action.


The Talon’s bolt head features a broadextractor claw, generous lugs with angledfaces to match the coned breech,and a slot(arrow) for the action’s mechanical ejector.

While the standard Harris Talon floorplateis steel, our sample rifle featured theoptional flush-fitting Remington three-round box magazine with an alloy floorplate.

Two hex-head set screws in the receiverring are the only outward hints of the Harris’interchangeable barrel system.Removal ofthe barrel is accomplished quite simply.

.300 Win. Mag. Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Fed. No. P300WT3 3022 Avg. 0.77 1.07 0.91180-gr. TB BC 34 Sd

PMC No. ELD300XA 3058 Avg. 0.89 1.32 1.14150-gr. X-Bullet 45 Sd

Speer No. 24509 3057 Avg. 1.11 1.54 1.38180-gr. GS 25 Sd


.375 H&H Mag.

Hdy. No. 8508 2799 Avg. 1.21 1.96 1.57270-gr. SP 34 SdInterlock

Win. No. X375H2 2407 Avg. 0.81 1.17 0.98300-gr. ST 24 Sd


Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), Fed. (Federal), GS(Grand Slam), Hdy. (Hornady), SP (soft point), ST (Silvertip),TB BC (Trophy Bonded Bear Claw), Win. (Winchester)

ACCURACY RESULTS

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