®

Dope Bag is compiled by Staff and ContributingEditors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N.Canfield, Russ Carpenter, O. Reid Coffield, William C.Davis, Jr., Pete Dickey, Charles Fagg, Robert W.Hunnicutt, Mark A. Keefe, IV, Angus Laidlaw, Scott E.Mayer, Charles E. Petty, Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., JimSupica, Charles R. Suydam, A.W.F. Taylerson andStanton L. Wormley, Jr.

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 and safe-ty precautions before attempting any similar activity.

WHILE some gunmakers areknown for innovation,others do quite well

by simply revamping estab-lished designs. K.S.N. Industriesof Israel, perhaps best knownfor its Browning Hi Powerand Colt M1911 clones, hasrecently extended its line withthe Golan, a close copy of theYugoslavian Zastava CZ99 (February1991, p. 50), itself a modified ver-sion of the SIG-Sauer P226.

Though the Golan lacks theCZ99’s loaded chamber indicatorand has a shorter slide and bar-rel, different grips, and otherminor cosmetic variationsfrom the CZ99, it is virtuallyidentical in internal design,and some parts are inter-changeable between the two.This is to be expected, asK.S.N. became licensed to pro-duce the CZ99 after it was discontinued byZastava a few years ago.

The Golan is a double-action, high-capacity semi-auto featuring a forged slide,forged aluminum frame, ambidextrous

decocker and magazine catch.Golans sold outside the U.S.

come with a double-columnmagazine holding 15 rounds of9x19 mm ammunition or 11rounds of .40 S&W. Magazines

for America-bound Golans are limited to 10rounds via a plastic block that occupies thelower 1" of the magazine body.

Barrel locking and unlocking are pureSIG-Sauer. Angled cam surfaces on both

the barrel and a steel frame insert raisethe barrel when the slide and barrel gointo battery, locking a shoulder on thesquared-off chamber against the front ofthe ejection port. These cams also unlockthe barrel from the slide upon firing.

The Golan’s trigger function also hasSIG-Sauer bloodlines. In the double-action mode, pulling the trigger draws

the trigger lever for-ward. A finger on thelever engages a notch onthe hammer, rotating thatpart rearward againstspring tension and thenreleasing it when the lever is cammeddownward out of engagement with the

notch. Upon firing the slide recoils rear-ward and cocks the hammer, which isretained by the sear.

In the single-action mode, the triggerlever activates the stamped-steel firing

GOLAN DOUBLE-ACTION PISTOL

46 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996

MANUFACTURER: K.S.N. Industries,Dept. AR, Kfar Sabba, Israel

IMPORTER: J.O. Arms, Inc., Dept. AR,5709 Hartsdale, Houston, TX 77036

MECHANISM TYPE: recoil-operated,semi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: 9x19 mm (tested), .40 S&WOVERALL LENGTH: 71⁄16"BARREL LENGTH: 3.9”WEIGHT: 29 ozs.WIDTH: 19⁄16"HEIGHT: 55⁄8"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10 TRIGGER: 121⁄2 lbs. double-action pull;

51⁄4 lbs. single-action pullSIGHTS: three-dot tritium luminous, drift-

adjustable for windageACCESSORIES: black plastic case,

combination cleaning rod/screwdriver,chamber brush and extra magazine

PRICE: $649.50 (9x19 mm), $684.50(.40 S&W)

GOLAN 9 mm PISTOL

The Israeli-madeGolan employs the

same basic design asthe Yugoslavian

CZ99, and offersmany of that gun’s

features, such asambidextrous decock-

ing levers, an ambidextrous magazine catch and factory-installed

night sights, but in a shorter package.

To disassemble the unloaded pistol,lock the slide rearward by pushing upon either of the decocking levers(l.).Rotate the barrel link 90o clockwise.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996 47

lever, which trips the sear and allows thehammer to fall. The disconnect function ismediated by an upward-projecting tab onthe trigger lever which, during slide recoil,is cammed downward out of a semicircularcutout under the right-hand slide rail, dis-engaging the trigger lever from the firinglever. Return of the slide to battery againaligns the cutout with the tab; releasing thetrigger allows the trigger lever to reconnectwith the firing lever.

The Golan’s firing pin block consists ofa spring-loaded plunger that prevents fullfiring pin movement unless depressed by aprojection on the firing lever, which in turn

is activated only when the trigger ispulled.

Like many current double-actionautos, the Golan eschews a safety leverin favor of a decocking system.Depressing either of the ambidextrousdecocking levers trips the sear and dropsthe hammer, which fallsshort of hitting the firing pin.Since the decocking levers

do not engage the firing lever,the firing pin stays blocked. Around in the chamber can besubsequently fired by a double-

action trigger pull.While the SIG-Sauer

extractor is a heavy spring-loaded claw, both the Golanand CZ99 use a spring-steelpiece retained by a crosspinthat also retains the firingpin. A stamped-steel ejectoris pinned to the inside leftwall of the frame.

Magazine retention is bya pivoting spring-loadedplate in the mag well justbehind the trigger. The upper

lip of the plate engages a cutoutin the magazine body; the lowerpart rests between the beveledfaces of the ambidextrous mag-azine catch. Depressing thecatch from either side rotatesthe lip out of engagement withthe magazine cutout.Disassembly follows basic SIGprocedure. Ensure that the pis-tol is unloaded. Draw the slidefully to the rear and activate theslide stop by lifting up on eitherof the decocking levers. Rotatethe barrel link 90o clockwise.Release the slide stop bydepressing either decockinglever and draw the slide, barrel and recoilspring assembly forward off the frame. Therecoil spring, its guide and the barrel maythen be removed from the slide. No furtherdisassembly is required for normal mainte-nance. Reassembly is in the reverse order.

As on the CZ99, the three-dot, self-luminous fixed sights are visible from boththe rear and overhead, allowing rough sightalignment even in a hip-shooting stance.We found the luminous sights too faint forany but the darkest conditions.

The Golan was fired for accuracy withthe results in the accompanying table, andfunction-fired with Black Hills, Federal,Hornady, PMC, Remington and Speerammunition. During some 200 test-firerounds, there were a few occasions whenthe pistol was fired from a loose hold andthe slide failed to return completely intobattery. Also, the slide infrequently lockedopen on the ninth shot of a 10-round mag-azine, and the lips to one of the two sup-plied magazines became spread and failed

to retain loaded rounds. Our Golan felt andhandled very much like both the SIG SauerP226 and the CZ99 we’ve reviewed in thepast—somewhat top-heavy, but very con-trollable. The grip was comfortable and hadlittle of the boxy feel common to high-capacity pistols. Though utilitarian in

appearance, with its matte-black slide, textured black-anodized frame, and blackcheckered grips, the Golan iswell-made and robust, withseveral desirable features.

Judged useful was thebilaterality of the Golan’sdecocking levers and maga-zine catch, as was the combi-nation of both decocking andslide-lock features in one setof controls. On the negativeside, it had a long, somewhatheavy double-action trigger

pull that became noticeably heavier duringthe latter portion of its travel.

Though neither the Zastava CZ99 northe K.S.N. Golan will ever win a handgunbeauty contest, the new Israeli-madeimport offers the virtues of the SIG-Sauerdesign in a smaller package—and at con-siderably less cost.

9x19 mm Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Black Hills 1086 Avg. 2.78 3.19 2.88124-gr. JHP 37 Sd

Rem. R9MM8 970 Avg. 1.90 3.00 2.57147-gr. JHP 20 Sd

Speer 53615 1127 Avg. 2.16 3.76 3.15115-gr. TMJ 14 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 2.87

Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 25 yds., fired fromRansom Rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation),JHP (jacketed hollow-point), Rem. (Remington), TMJ(Total Metal Jacket)

ACCURACY RESULTSDisassembly of the Golan continues withthe release of the slide by depressing thedecocking lever and pulling it, along withthe barrel and recoil springs, forward offthe frame.The barrel, recoil spring and itsguide can then be removed from the slide.

A tab on the trigger lever engages a recessin the underslide of the slide (arrows) todisconnect it from the firing lever duringslide cycling.Trigger must be released fortrigger lever to re-engage. Note firing pinblock plunger in the underside of the slide.

Golans sold in the U.S. have10-round box magazine thatemploys a solid plasticblock that constitutes thelower 1" of the unit’s body.

The night sights are visible from both thenormal rear position and from overhead.

GAS-RETARDED blow-back operation hasbeen used at least

since the German VG1-5rifle that appeared at theend of World War II, butnever has been able tomake much headwayagainst gas operation inrifles and shotguns or recoiloperation in pistols.

The one notable exceptionhas been the Heckler & KochP7, and that gun has becomeso expensive it isn’t seenmuch these days. TheSteyr GB was an evenless-successful gas-retarded pistol design.

The type offers onebig advantage; it allowsthe designer to use afixed barrel, much simplifyingthe fitting required in manufacture. A plas-tic-framed gun becomes even simpler with

this system, since the need for a steel cam-ming insert is eliminated.

Still, it took a while for a manufacturerto put a plastic frame together with a retard-ed blowback system. The combination hasarrived, however, in the Heritage Stealth, acompact 9 mm from Heritage Mfg. Co., afirm heretofore better known for inexpen-sive .22 single-action revolvers.

The Stealth is unusually compact for a10-round 9 mm, though its height isincreased by a rather large finger rest on themagazine base. The magazine box itself issteel, provided by Italian maker MEC-Gar,but otherwise the frame is all injection-molded plastic, with the exception of therequired metal serial number plate in frontof the trigger guard. The guard is rathersmall and its front is recurved in a style thatseems a bit passe these days.

The barrel is made in two parts—the

barrel proper and what the makerstyles the barrel support. The latter

part performs two functions. It extendsdown into the frame to locate thebarrel as well as the magazinesafety.

Second, it is bored at the frontto form the cylinder of the gasretarding system. There is a holein the barrel itself just in front ofthe chamber that opens into thecylinder. On firing, gas bleeds out

the hole into thecylinder. A seven-ringed piston pinned atthe front of the slide isretarded in its rear-ward movement by theexpanding gas.

This slows down theslide enough to keep it almost closed dur-ing the instant of peak pressure. Gas pres-sure quickly drops, allowing the slide torecoil fully, ejecting the spent case. The

cylinder can be cleaned fromthe front of the frame using a.30 cal. brush.

The trigger system is vague-ly Glock-like, though withoutthe Austrian gun’s pivotingtrigger safety lever. As the slidecloses, the tail of the firing pinhousing engages the rear of thetrigger bar, preloading the fir-

HERITAGE STEALTH PISTOL

48 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996

Heritage, best known for its inexpensive.22 revolvers, is now offering the 9 mmStealth, a pistol that combines a polymerframe with gas-retarded blowback opera-tion, seldom seen in guns of this type.

The rear of the Stealth’s firing pin pro-tudes through the striker plug at the rearof the slide and gives visual and tactileevidence of whether or not it is cocked.

Recoil was sharp with the lightweightStealth, but hardly painful. The plasticframe proved to be a good insulator aswe didn’t notice heat on the trigger finger.

9 mm Parabellum Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Hornady No. 9020 1321 Avg. 1.52 3.17 2.6690-gr. JHP 11 Sd

Uzi No. 9-18B 1203 Avg. 1.77 2.73 2.3190-gr. JHP 48 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 2.48

Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 25 yds., fired fromsandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), JHP(jacketed hollow-point)

ACCURACY RESULTS

ing pin spring. The rear of the firing pin pro-trudes through the striker plug at the rear ofthe slide to provide visual and tactile evi-dence the pistol is cocked.

When the trigger is pulled, the triggerbar pushes the firing pin assembly rear-ward, then drops to release it for firing. Acam surface in the bottom of the slide holdsthe bar until the slide has almost returnedto battery before letting it up into the pathof the firing pin housing.

This system does not allow repeatedsnapping on a dud round; a misfire must becleared by retracting and releasing the slidebefore firing can resume.

In place of the Glock-style safety is amagazine safety whose lever tilts to blocktrigger movement as the magazine isremoved and a trigger-blocking bilateral

manual safety. Magazine safeties aredisdained by experts who point outthat they prevent firing during areload, but are beloved of house-holders who like the idea of storinggun and magazine separately.

The magazine is forcibly ejectedfrom the frame when its steel catch isdepressed. The magazine box hascatch slots on either side, suggestingto us that some provision might bemade for reversing the catch, but theinstructions don’t mention the subject andwe could identify no easy method for mak-ing the switch.

The slide is stainless steel that contrasts

with the matte black plasticframe. The sights are the three-dot style, though with verticallines rather than dots. The rearsight is drift-adjustable forwindage.

Disassembly is a bit unusu-al. We found the easiest waywas to ensure the magazinewas empty, then retract theslide to lock it back (there isno external slide stop). Thenremove the magazine andfirmly depress the two slidedisconnect buttons at the rearof the frame.

Allow the slide to moveforward about 3/8" while holding the but-tons in and then lift up on the slide rear,Walther-style. The slide then is free to move

forward and off the frame. Toremove the firing pin assembly,use a coin to rotate the striker plug90o. The plug, pin, housing andspring then can be removed fromthe slide.

When reassembling, startwith the piston dangling a bit tohelp mate it with the cylinder in

the barrel support. Continue todepress the slide disconnect but-tons as the slide is returned toposition.

The Stealth was fired for accu-racy with results shown in theaccompanying table, and func-tion-fired with Black Hills,Hornady, MagTech and Win-chester ammunition. The onlyfailure we experienced was astuck slide stop that prevented theslide from moving forward on thetop round of a fresh magazine.This was pressed down manually

through the ejection port, allowing the slideto move forward. The problem didn’t recurduring the remainder of our firing.

We found that the Stealth, while quitesatisfactorily accurate with 90-gr. bullets,didn’t take well at all to heavier projectiles,with accuracy deteriorating as bullet weightwent up. This is one for the light slugs.

Recoil is sharper than that of other com-pact 9 mms like the Glock 26, but is hard-ly painful. The plastic frame is apparentlya good insulator, because we didn’t noticethe heat on the trigger finger that is part ofthe HK P7 experience.

Sometimes the perceived imperativefor bilateral safety levers has unfortunateresults, and the Stealth is a case in point.We found the safety lever position underthe trigger finger distracting, and won-dered whether a pistol of this type reallyneeds a trigger-blocking safety. We sus-pect it was added as an afterthought forpolitical/legal reasons.

Some very large-handed users mayfind that there is little clearance for theirfingers between the trigger blade and theinside front of the trigger guard. A big-ger guard would have been more practi-cal for such shooters, though the currentone is well-proportioned.We liked the Heritage Stealth better than

we anticipated, given its low price, andthink it offers good value for the economy-minded defensive user.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996 49

MANUFACTURER: Heritage Mfg., Inc.,Dept. AR, 4600 N.W. 135th St., Opa-Locka, FL 33054

MECHANISM TYPE: gas-retarded blow-back-operated semi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: 9 mm ParabellumOVERALL LENGTH: 61⁄4"BARREL LENGTH: 37⁄8"WEIGHT: 21 ozs.WIDTH: 13⁄16"HEIGHT: 513⁄16"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10TRIGGER: 7 lbs. pullRIFLING: six-groove, 1:10" RH twistSIGHTS: three-dot with rear drift-

adjustable for windage PRICE: $299

HERITAGE STEALTH

The Stealth’s slide features an integral flatrib that assists in quick sight alignment.Rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage.

The trigger system is vaguely Glock-like,without the pivoting safety. The Stealth hasbilateral manual safeties just behind thetrigger and a magazine disconnect safety.

Disassembly of the unloaded Stealthbegins by retracting the slide and lockingit back. Then depress the two slide dis-connect buttons (top l.). Allow the slide tomove forward, lift up on its rear Walther-style and then allow it to move forward.

50 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996

SPECIALTY firms like Ultra Light Armshave carved a niche in the huntingmarket for lightweight rifles that

deliver exceptional accuracy, but don’tbecome burdensome while carrying themafield. While many larger makers offerlighter weight rifles, seldom do productionguns drop below the 7 lb. mark. ThoughSavage’s new entrant in this class, theModel 110FM Sierra, won’t be winningany beauty prizes, it is a light and econom-ical rifle that weighs in at a mere 61⁄2 lbs.

The Sierra’s matte black graphite/fiber-glass filled stock is hollowed below the bar-rel and even the trigger guard and magazinefollower are of plastic to keep the weightdown. The grip and fore-end have molded-in checkering in a borderless 18 lines-per-inch pattern. A rubber recoil pad and quick-detachable sling swivel studs are supplied.The grip cap is of black plastic and has asilver-tone Savage medallion.

All exterior metal parts are blue and thebolt on our sample wore the Savage name,logo and model on its body in gold. Nosights are supplied, but the 110FM is drilledand tapped for scope mounts. The 110FM’sslim 20" blued tube has a six-groove1:10"RH twist and tapers from 1.03" just aheadof the locknut to .55" at the muzzle.

The heart of the Sierra is Savage’s 110system that employs a locknut fixing therecoil lug between itself and the receiver.The barrel is finish-chambered beforeassembly and turned into the receiver

against anassembly headspace gaugebefore being fixed by the locknut.

The 110’s 20-piece bolt, including sep-arate handle and bolt head, is also designedfor ease of manufacture. The bolt has a baf-fle behind its bolt head that plugs theentrance to the breech as the bolt is closed,directing gases from a possible failed case

out relief holes on either side of the receiv-er ring. It is also the location of aHusqvarna-style guide rib that engages akeyway in the receiver’s right side.

The tang-mounted safety is behind thecocking piece and, in its rearmost position,locks the trigger and bolt. A red dot on therear is revealed when the button is pressed

forward to the “off’ position.The Model 110FM, fitted

with a 6X Burris Signature onWeaver mounts, was fired foraccuracy, with results shown inthe accompanying table, andfunction-fired with Federal,Samson and Winchesterammunition. There were nofailures of any kind.

The lightweight Model110FM Sierra will appeal tothose who have to carry theirrifle afield for long distances.The low price and acceptableaccuracy will make them wantto take a closer look.

SAVAGE 110FM SIERRA RIFLE

The light, handy and economical Sierra weighs in at just 61⁄2 lbs., and isbased on Savage’s successful Model 110 action. A number of weight-sav-ing measures have been employed to keep the little rifle’s weight that low.

The Model 110 action is the heart of theSierra. It employs a locknut that securesthe recoil lug between it and the receiver.

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

Federal 168-gr. 2568 Avg. 1.14 2.34 1.95HPBT Match 10 Sd

Samson 2639 Avg. 2.22 2.97 2.40180-gr. SPBT 10 Sd

Win. No. S308 2863 Avg. 1.75 3.80 2.72150-gr. STBT 13 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 2.36

Five Consecutive 5-Shot Groups at 100 Yds. Fired FromSandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), HPBT(hollow-point boattail), SPBT (soft-point boattail), STBT(Silver-Tip boattail)

ACCURACY RESULTS

MANUFACTURER: Savage Arms, Dept.AR, Springdale Rd., Westfield, MA01085

MECHANISM TYPE: bolt-action rifle CALIBER: .243 Win., .270 Win., .308

Win. (tested), .30-’06.OVERALL LENGTH: 411⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 20"WEIGHT: 6 lbs., 8 ozs.RIFLING: 6-groove: 1:10" RH twist TRIGGER: single-stage, 51⁄4 lbs. pullSIGHTS: noneSTOCK: black synthetic: length of pull,

131⁄4"; drop at heel, 21⁄4"; drop at comb, 15⁄8"PRICE: $409

SAVAGE 110FM RIFLE

The synthetic stock has no magazine floor-plate and has been hollowed out in non-critical areas to lessen the rifle’s weight.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996 51

REMINGTON’S 1993 entry into the over-under shotgun market, the Peerless,has enjoyed considerable acceptance

from hunters. Now Remington has broughtout a new version designed to appeal tosporting clays enthusiasts.

The 396 Sporting has much in commonwith its Peerless predecessor. In fact, theSporting’s action design is identical to thatof the Peerless (September 1994, p. 52) withbarrels silver soldered into a monobloc hav-ing slightly angled projecting lugs that areengaged by a Perazzi-style locking bolt.Also retained are the Peerless’safety, whichis user-switchable from factory-set auto-matic operation to either manual or locked-

out status, as well as the earlier gun’s auto-matic ejectors, which can easily be con-verted to extractor operation. The tang-mounted safety piece, when in the rearward,“safe” position, is moved laterally to selectthe first-firing barrel.

Also carried over are the Peerless’ dis-tinctive styling features, including the gold-plated trigger, downswept trigger guard andfalse sideplates.

Cosmetic changes are evident on the396, however. For example, the blued finishof the Peerless’ receiver has been replacedwith a polished gray nitrided coloring, giv-ing the Sporting a two-tone effect.

Furthermore, while the Peerless exhibitssome rather sparse impressed engraving onthe false sideplates, the 396 has a more intri-cate pattern that embellishes not only thesideplates but much of the sides of the actionbody and the trunnion heads. Additionalflourishes are added on the top of the receiv-er just forward of the top lever, the under-side of the action body and the trigger guard.

The Model 396 Sporting also exhibitssome minor stock variations from its pre-decessor. The 396 offers more highly fig-ured wood and a slightly different checker-ing pattern on fore-end and wrist, as well asa bilateral palm swell. The Sporting’s butt-

stock also features a solid rubberbuttpad rather than the Peerless’vent-ed unit, and displays a pronouncednarrow lip that follows the sideplateprofile. Additionally, the new gun’sfore-end is wider, with a modifiedgripping contour.

The 396 offers functional distinc-tions as well, the most salient ofwhich is the gun’s barrel portingscheme. Ten .135"-diameter roundports, arranged in two staggered rowsof five, are located on both sides ofthe upper and lower barrels just lat-eral to the ribs. The ports start about

3" back of the muzzle, preventing interfer-ence with the choke tubes, which protrudeslightly over 2" into the barrels. The

Sporting’s interchangeable RemChokes—provided in skeet,improved skeet, improvedcylinder and modified constric-tions—are specially designedfor sporting clays use. Instead offitting flush with the muzzle, ason the Peerless, a knurled sec-tion protrudes some .435"beyond the barrel to allow easymanipulation with the fingers.

REMINGTON 396 SPORTING

MANUFACTURER: Remington ArmsCo., Dept. AR, Box 700, Madison, NC27025

MECHANISM TYPE: over-under shotgunGAUGE: 12, 3" chambersOVERALL LENGTH: 451⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 28" (tested), 30"WEIGHT: 8 lbs 1 oz.TRIGGER: single selective, 5 lbs. pull

both barrelsSIGHTS: white bead front, ivory-colored

midbeadSTOCK: American walnut, 143⁄16" pull;

drop at heel, 2"; drop at comb, 11⁄2" ACCESSORIES: hex key, stock key,

choke tubes, spannerPRICE: $2,659

REMINGTON 396

Like the Peerless, the Sporting 396 hasautomatic ejectors easily converted bythe user to extractor-only operation.

The barrels are silver soldered into amonobloc that has slightly angled lugsthat are engaged by a Perazzi-style bolt.

Removable false sideplates are includedon Remington’s Sporting 396 and they fea-ture fairly intricate pattern embellishment.

The 396 Sporting is a follow-up to themaker’s Peerless, and it is designed specif-ically with sporting clays shooters in mind.

52 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996

The ends of the tubes are also slotted forcompany’s choke tube spanner.

The Sporting’s 28"- and 30"-barrels alsodiffer from those of the Peerless in offeringlengthened forcing cones and a 10mm-wide parallel serrated ribwith a .128" white plastic frontbead and .080" ivory-coloredmiddle bead, replacing thePeerless’ 8 mm rib. The 396’s ribis not free floating.

In spite of these concessions tosporting clays enthusiasts, a num-ber of features expected by suchshooters are notable in theirabsence. While many scattergunmanufacturers are offering recoil-reducing back-bored barrels as amatter of course on both field andcompetition guns, Remington has opted forbore dimensions that are, if anything, rathertight. The upper and lower barrels on oursample gun measured .726" and .727",respectively—smaller than the 12-ga. stan-dard .729". Moreover, the gun’s light bar-rel contour precludes back-boring, and awarning to this effect appears on the rightside of the monobloc.

Also missing is the hard-top buttpad thatis virtually de rigueur on sporting claysguns, and which keeps the sticky rubber ofthe pad from catching on the shooting vestwhile mounting the gun. Of perhaps lesserimportance is the fact that the Sporting’sbarrels have solid side ribs, in contrast tothe open barrels common to many sportingclays stackbarrels.

The 28"-barreled 396 Sporting wereceived exhibited considerable figure onboth buttstock and fore-end, both of whichfeatured competently executed 22 lines-per-inch checkering in a borderless pointpattern. Barrel lockup was tight and pre-cise, and the fore-end lever allowed easilyremoval of the fore-end from the barrels.

The 396 was patterned with aWinchester Super-Lite target load at 25yds., and function-fired with Federal,Remington and Winchester target shells.There were no malfunctions of any kind.

The patterns thrown by the bottom bar-rel seemed to us to be a bit thin, and a fewminutes with some calipers revealed why.The inside diameter of the bottom barrel

choke tube, marked“Improved Skeet,”measured .728" at itsnarrowest point—actually .001" widerthan the bore itself,making the bottombarrel a cylinder bore.

Tested by severalshooters on sportingclays, the 396 wasthought to balancewell, though its 8 lb.,1 oz. heft gave slight-ly more sluggish han-dling than lighter gunsof the type. However,this weight also made the 396 one of thesofter-recoiling 12-ga. guns we’ve shotrecently.

Trigger quality was one of the gun’sstrong points, with both pulls measuring acrisp and consistent 5 lbs.

The Sporting’s stock design came in forsome comments, both positive and nega-tive. Though Remington’s publisheddimensions are 11⁄2" drop at the comb and21⁄4" drop at the heel, our sample measured11⁄2" and 2", respectively. While this rela-tively straight comb seemed to transmit lessrecoil to the face, several shooters thoughtit more appropriate to a trap gun than forsporting clays. Its fuller, “wider radius”

comb also generated mixed reviews; lean-faced shooters found it comfortable, butthose with fleshier features didn’t.

Although Remington deserves kudosfor adding to the short list of American-made sporting clays guns, it is questionablewhether the Sporting’s particular function-al and esthetic touches justify a $2,659price tag—more than double the price ofthe Peerless. Amenities such as back-boredbarrels and a non-stick buttpad may have toappear on the Sporting’s list of standard fea-tures for the gun to win full acceptance fromthe clays fraternity—and to be competitivewith other shotguns in its price range.

The Sporting 396’s thick recoil pad, in addi-tion to its 8-lb., 1-oz. heft, made the shot-gun soft-recoiling and a pleasure to shoot.

The tang-mounted barrel selector isbehind the top-lever. The gun’s triggers,both a crisp 5 lbs.,were a pleasant surprise.

In some areas,the wood did notfollow the contour of the metal as one would normally expect of agun in this price class.

AVERAGE OF 10 PATTERNSAT 25 YDS.

29 27 28 29

53 54 42 41

54 52 41 44

28 28 32 29

Improved Cylinder Improved Skeet=Point of Hold

Winchester AA 23⁄4-11⁄8-8Pellet count—490

Total Hits 325 (66%) Total Hits 286 (58%)21.2" Inner Circle 213 (43%) 21.2" Inner Circle 168 (34%)30" Outer Ring 112 (23%) 30" Outer Ring 118 (24%)

REMINGTON 396 SPORTING

While some thought the Sporting 396’sstock made it feel more like a trap gun, oth-ers found it comfortable and welldesigned. The protruding choke tubes (r.)allow for quick changes between stations.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • August 1996 53

COMPETITIVE riflemen and varmintshooters of a certain age sometimeswax nostalgic over original Weaver

T-series target scopes, which were prizedfor their accurate adjustments and mechan-ical durability. The Ts and other Weaveroptics disappeared from the market, exceptas used items, after a cascade of corporateconvulsions closed the company. NowWeaver is up and running againas a division of Blount, Inc., andnew, updated versions of the T-scopes have been introduced in10X, 24X and 36X models.Unlike the original U.S.-madeTs, they are manufactured inJapan to Weaver specifications.

A key feature of all the newWeaver T-series is the “Micro-Trac” elevation and windageadjustment system, in which fourextra-hard carbide ball bearingsform opposed contact points forpositioning the inverter tube

within the outer scope tube. The object isto provide precise, predictable, repeatableelevation and windage adjustments. Othershared features include adjustable objec-tive lenses for sharp focus and freedomfrom parallax (the near focus limit varieswith the specific model); multi-layer lenscoating to minimize flare and internalreflections; shockproof, waterproof, fog-proof design; aircraft-grade aluminum-alloy construction; and large, heavily-clicked target-style knobs for elevation andwindage. The 36X and 24X scopes have 1/8minute clicks while 16X and 10X modelshave 1/4 minute clicks. They are suppliedwith cylindrical as well as oversized flaredadjustment drums to suit user preference,front and rear screw-in lens covers and a 4"long threaded lens shade for the objective.

A lock ring secures the eyepiece focus.All four Weaver Ts have 1" diameter

main tubes, 40 mm objective lenses, 2"diameter objective bells, 1.5" ocular bells,overall length of 15.25" and weight of about17 ozs. Available reticle styles include finecrosshairs and dots from 1/8 to 11⁄4 minute.All the T-models have a satin black finishand gold-tone numerals and witness marks.

We field-tested a T-36 with 1/8 minutedot reticle on a Remington Model 700Varmint rifle chambered for .223 Rem.After zeroing at 100 yds., we fired a five-shot group, added 20 clicks of elevation and20 of left windage, then fired another five-shot group. We fired three more five-shotgroups after scope adjustments of 40 clicksdown, 40 clicks right and 40 clicks up, withthe last group marking the upper right cor-ner of a square defined by a five-shot groupat each corner plus another in the center. Asixth group was fired after a final scopeadjustment of 20 clicks down and 20 clicksleft to restore the original zero setting. Thefinal group superimposed indistinguish-ably over the first group, indicating reliablereturn to zero. Corner groups were sepa-rated vertically and horizontally by nearly6" rather than the expected 5", revealingclick values slightly greater than 1/8minute. Given the symmetry of the groups’square, we deemed the discrepancyinsignificant in the real world. On thestrength of this showing, we believe the newT-36 exhibits the adjustment integrity of itspredecessors. Maximum adjustment rangeis about ±20 minutes of angle.

One aspect of the T-36 adjustmentmechanism that did not meet with univer-sal acclaim was the calibration of the ele-vation and windage drums. Instead ofcounting up continuously throughout a fullturn, each drum presents a 1/2 turn count-up on either side of “0”. This means, forexample, that a “2” aligned with the centralindex could represent two minutes up or

down or right or left on the adjustment drum.Optically, our sample T-36 offered a

bright, clean image across the entire field.The reticle appeared sharp and well-defined. Distance markings on the objec-tive’s focusing scale were accurate—set-ting a known target distance invariablyresulted in a sharp view and freedom fromparallax. Even in backlighted, glare-prone

conditions, the scope maintained good con-trast and was free of annoying internalreflections. Color rendition was essential-ly neutral, with no noticeable color cast.The optical system appeared free of distor-tion. Field of view at 100 yds. is 3 ft. Eyerelief is 3", give or take a fraction.

Ten-minute immersion in a tub of 110oFwater indicated that the T-36 was perfectlysealed. No nitrogen bubbles emerged, andthere was no fogging or other sign of mois-ture infiltration. Overall, the scopeimpressed us as well made and nicely fin-ished. The objective focusing collar movedsmoothly but it required a deliberate effort,making accidental displacement unlikely.Adjustment clicks weren’t wimpy, either,and could be heard as well as felt.

The scope’s satin black finish wasattractive and durable. After several monthsof use the instrument still had a fresh, newlook. It’s worth noting that a Weaver T-10obtained at the same time still looks newand performs splendidly after nearly a yearriding atop a Thompson/Center Contenderpistol that earns its keep in frequent hunterspistol silhouette competition.

On balance, the Weaver T-36 (and its T-10 sibling) performed impressively andappear easily to meet the exacting demandsof competitive shooters in a variety of dis-ciplines. Varminters, too, will find much tolike in this new line from Weaver.

Available from: Blount Inc., SportingEquipment Division, Outers/WeaverOperation, Dept. AR, P.O. Box 39,Onalaska, WI 54650. Price $843.46.

WEAVER T-36 TARGET SCOPE

Weaver’s T-36 target scope weighs about 17 ozs. and is 15.25" long with-out its screw-in lens shade (adding 4" as shown). Micro-Trac elevationand windage adjustments provide precise control of center of impact.

The target-style drums are adjustable in1/8 minute intervals. The scales are num-bered identically on either side of “zero.”