Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews

LaserAmmo SureStrike 9mm Cartridge

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I have never been a particularly good shot. By that, I mean that I know my flaws. I know that I tend to get pumped up and lose fundamentals. I enjoy shooting; it gives me an adrenaline rush. But, in the end, fundamentals are everything when it comes to accuracy.

My research online indicates that the top pistol-shooting competitors out there supplement their range time with dry-fire practice. Sensible enough, but I like immediate feedback. Practicing badly doesn’t get me any better! Laser training cartridges have become more popular for this purpose. After reading some mixed reviews of the longevity of the LaserLyte 9mm training cartridge, I opted for the well-reviewed – and Israeli-made – Laser Ammo SureStrike 9mm Cartridge.

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Reviews

BUL Cherokee Gen1

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I’ve previously reviewed the BUL Cherokee Compact “2nd gen” handgun. Spoiler alert: I liked it a lot.

But before the 2nd gen gun, there was the original “Gen1” BUL Cherokee. The 2nd gen gun has very distinctive looks – an elongated dust cover, finger swells and a rail. The first gen gun, however, looks very much like a Tanfoglio Force 99 copy.

But that’s OK, because I’ve never owned a Tanfoglio Force 99 before, so it’s all new to me. I recently bought a Cherokee Gen1; read on for my thoughts.

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Reviews

FAB Defense T-FL Folding VFG Review

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I have a love-hate relationship with vertical foregrips (VFGs). On one hand, they are a life-saver when you don’t have much handguard to hold. On the other hand…pretty much everything else. They add weight, they promote a grip not conducive to accuracy, they make it hard to shoot from the bench, and they are another point of potential failure. LuckyGunner has an old-but-still-excellent article about the correct usage of VFGs, and I encourage everyone to give it a skim. I run VFGs on a couple of my rifles, but am rather picky about what they go on.

That said, I had been wanting to experiment with a folding VFG on my 22lr AR-15 SBR to see if it made it easier to shoot from the bench. Since this is an Israeli weapons blog, I decided to give the FAB Defense T-FL a try… more after the break.

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Reviews

The BUL M-5 Ultra-X

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One of my “grail guns” has always been the BUL M-5 Ultra-X, dating from my first year of getting into firearms. I’ve always loved its combination of compactness and firepower. For a long time, I had been holding out hope of getting one in 9mm, but it became clear through my research that if any Ultra-Xs in 9mm were ever imported, it was probably vanishingly few. I settled on a Charles Daly .45ACP model that a reader offered at a good price.

My thoughts? Read on!

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Reviews

IMI 115gr 9×19 FMJ and EX-STAR Ammo Review

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You may not be aware of this, but ammo has gotten pretty cheap these days – almost the cheapest I’ve seen it since 2008. You can get quality brass-cased 9mm ammo for 20c a round, and steel-cased 5.56×45 is not far behind. As long as you’re not into .22lr, this is a good time to be shooting.

Wideners has been selling IMI 115gr 9mm FMJ ammo for under 20c a round (edit: sold out now), and IMI 115gr 9mm EX-STAR JHP for 22c a round. While I’m not a purist about shooting Israeli ammo through my Israeli guns, I’m always down for some good ammo. I ordered a couple cases. Here’s what I found…

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Research, Reviews

Upgrading the BUL M-5

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I recently reviewed a gen 1 BUL M5 in 9mm, and suffice it to say, I think it’s one of the best double-stack 1911 options on the market if you can find magazines for it (which I did, finally).

But, mine was a stock gun, and I’ve never really owned a proper race gun. So, I decided that I could take a chance on a handgun I paid $400 for (not to mention it being a bit of a mutt with a Springfield-marked frame), and decided to do some modifications to it to bring it up to competition standards. It was an adventure, and I have some tips to share.

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Reviews

The BUL Storm

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Historically, BUL Transmark’s third pistol line was the BUL Storm. Arguably, it’s the least known line of their pistols in the US, excepting perhaps the new SAS line (which hasn’t gotten very much play in the US yet). The Storm is a straight-out Tanfoglio TZ-75 clone, which is a slightly modified clone of the CZ-75.

Clever readers will note that this is pretty much the same situation as the Jericho, which is a clone of the Tanfoglio as well. What do I think of the Storm versus the Jericho? Read on.

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Reviews

The BUL Cherokee

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While BUL Transmark is best known for their exceptional 1911 handgun lines, they’ve had extensive experience dabbling in Tanfoglio derivatives, too. The BUL Impact leveraged the magazines of their M-5 double-stack 1911 line; the BUL Storm was a well-made Tanfoglio copy that had some success in IPSC.

The BUL Cherokee was introduced in 2000 to replace the BUL Impact and provide a full-frame polymer pistol to the commercial market. It was updated a few years later with a newer frame (recognizable by its finger swells). Read on for my thoughts.

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