LWRC Tricon MK6–The Refined Fighting Carbine

The shorter barrel allows for a compact package, but it isn’t short enough to need SBR paper work.

Before we get into the meat of this review, I’d like to throw this out. LWRC is currently having a promotion: buy an LWRC, get an Aimpoint T1 and a mount (reviewed here). If you’re not familiar with the Aimpoint red dot, it is tiny. The optics are rugged and an ideal option for tactical rifles. There’s more on the contest below, or you can follow the link:
Aimpoint T1 offer: https://www.lwrci.com/aimpointpromo
Tricon MK6: https://www.lwrci.com/tricon MK6
Buy one: http://www.gunsamerica.com/LWRC Tricon MK6
Alright. On with the review. And let me be completely transparent–I’ve been looking forward to this review for a long time now. For those of you reading this who may not know any gun writers personally, there is a growing too-cool-for-school attitude that is dominating the industry. I’ve seen writers who review capable, reliable guns come away with the “ho-hum, its okay” stance. To hell with the hipsters. If it works, I’ll tell you. And I’m not going to pretend I’m not awe struck by what LWRC puts together. Every year at the SHOT Show, I hit their booth and stand around for an hour or so handling rifles I know I’ll never actually own.
So when a Tricon MK6 arrived at my FFL with my name on it, I was kind of giddy. I’ve taken the rifle with me to the range for a couple of months. Every time I work out another gun, I put the MK6 up against it. My own AR, the typical Frankenstein’s Monster style AR built over several years, looks pretty crude in comparison.
And that’s where we’ll begin the deep thinking of this review. The Tricon MK6 is an expensive rifle. I’ve seen the gun for sale anywhere from $2,200+ to $2,500. While that isn’t out of line for a select group of high-end AR makers, it will seem high to anyone who is accustomed to entry level black rifles.

The Tricon logo is not terribly large, but it is present on the mag well.

Do you get what you pay for?

Some guns exist in a category all their own. If you want a GLOCK 43, for example, you buy a GLOCK 43. You could argue that it is a 9mm single stack, and that the 9mm single stack pistol is its own genre, but each gun made by each manufacturer is unique. The .45 ACP 1911 may be a better analogy, as there are (how many–hundreds?) of companies making the 1911, and all are working off of the same basic blueprint. Yet, despite the gun’s modular origins, you can’t always mix and match parts.
The AR-15 is different. It may be worth noting that the AR-15 moniker was once a proprietary trade name, and that many who work in the AR-15 idiom give these rifles their own nomenclature. But they’re still recognizable branches of the Stoner Family Tree. And almost all of them are still designed with modularity in mind–which makes it even harder to differentiate them from each other. If they all have to share parts, they have to be really similar.
So why the broad range in prices? At the end of 2014, I saw ARs on sale for less than $500, lots of them. Perfectly serviceable rifles with great components regularly sell for under $1,000. So what differentiates a $2,500 AR from the rest of the black rifle market? Why should you buy one LWRC instead of 5 others?
Value is a complicated nut to crack. There’s no question that LWRC’s guns exist on a plane above the run-of-the-mill black rifle. You can glance at the Tricon MK6 and see some of the differences. There are some aesthetic nuances that make the LWRC guns unique. There are some performance based modifications that fit into this equation, too, though the AR-15’s reputation for reliability leaves a narrow window for improvement. So what else?

Lets get into this build

LWRC worked with Jeff Gonzales, a former SEAL who leads the instruction at TRICON (Trident Concepts), to develop this rifle. There are several features on the gun that are slight modifications of the typical LWRC set up, and all come together in a unified package. If you want to learn more about what sort of training Gonzales offers, check out the Tricon school here: http://www.tridentconcepts.com/weapons-training/. This isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill intro carbine line-up. It is built on the M6 Individual Carbine platform, but has some custom features.

LWRC’s own promotional materials spell out some of what makes the Tricon unique.

The most visually distinct aspect of this rifle would have to be the fluted barrel. Barrel fluting reduces weight while leaving enough material for structural integrity. It also provides more surface area on the steel, which helps dissipate heat. In this case, the barrel has been cut to below the 16″ mark, and the flash hider has been permanently affixed to get it up to a legal length.

The rail can be configured as you’d like, but comes with a Tango Down fore grip.

The rest of the details all feel both coordinated and intentional. This is a defining feature of guns in the higher price range. Most low priced builds cobble together stand-in parts. Everyone knows that you’ll buy an entry-level AR and immediately begin swapping out parts. By the time you’re done, your AR will have as many original parts as Darth Vader. And the price tag for the after-mod version would be staggering if you had to pony up for everything all at once.
The Tricon MK6 is built with a lot of Magpul components. From the mags to the sights, almost everything that can be made by Magpul is. The sights are worth mentioning. These are the MBUS Pros, and made of steel. The slim profile looks sharp, and the steel construction makes them even more rugged than the original MBUS design.
Geissele’s two stage trigger is also a fantastic upgrade over what you’d find on a base model. There’s no comparison between it and a typical milspec trigger.
In the end, the components are rock solid. LWRC’s chosen configuration combines to make a very functional rifle that, all told, would cost less to buy in this configuration than if you went out and added all of these parts to a cheap AR lower. Reliability should be taken as a given, but the way it works–again subtle–is worthy of a closer look. Check out the controls. This is one area that a lot of folks begin modification. The LWRC guns come ready.

I’m a big fan of these controls. It is one of the first things I usually change on any AR that I use frequently–but these are all easy to index and reach. But the mag release is the best.

What do you give up?

Well, this one is harder to answer. The first sacrifice I see comes at the expense of the pinned flash hider. 14.7″ of barrel instead of 16″? I understand the impulse, but I think the reality of this decision is hard to justify. As the AR platform is built on modularity, I want to be able to choose the right muzzle device. I still can, but it is a pain in the ass. And using a suppressor is also much more complicated. Not impossible, by any means.
This is a gun you accept on its own terms. At least that’s how I see it. If you like the mix and match jigsaw puzzle sort of AR build, you’ll be frustrated the Tricon. From the short piston gas system to the way the rail fits on the forend, down to the slate grey finish, so much of the Tricon is meant to fit and function just exactly as it is. Don’t get me wrong–the way it is works exceptionally well.
Take the slate grey finish and the short barrel. While neither of these would be choices I’d make personally, I like them both. You can travel with this gun without any paperwork hassle. For urban settings, where there are vehicles and doorways, the short barrel would be useful. And the grey color is very adaptable for urban environments. It disappears in darkness, and looks a bit like wet asphalt. So it all comes down to interpretation, and intended use.

 Shooting

I guess this is where everything comes together for me. I’ve put thousands of rounds through ARs, and I’m accustomed to respectable accuracy. The Tricon performs a bit better than that. Groups at 100 (from the bench) were one ragged hole. The barrel didn’t seem to be as prone to heating as many. The short rail works for me, only because of the foregrip. The balance is excellent. The controls are perfect. I’ve shot the gun in sub freezing conditions, in snow and in rain, clean, dirty, and with every flavor of 5.56 and .223 I can get my paws on, and there has yet to be a hiccup. The piston keeps the guts of the upper from fouling as fast. And I feel like it dampens the recoil in a positive way, though I can;t support that scientifically. What I will say is that the rifle shoots flat. And fast.

100 yards, from the bench.

With a Burris 1-5, the real potential of the gun becomes evident.

Conclusion

The Tricon MK6 is a limited edition from LWRC. In many ways, they’ve taken what is, for many, a cost prohibitive level of perfection and made it even more exclusive by producing a small number of guns. I don’t see that as a bad thing.  These same features are available on the other guns in the LWRC line-up. And more. I’d like to have the option of an adjustable gas block, as I’m always entertaining the idea that I may want to run a 5.56 suppressed. And I’m not opposed to either longer barrels or shorter barrels.
But this is one hell of a package. The component parts come together exactly as they should. It clearly isn’t the rifle that I would have built if I had access to the workshop, but it is a beast. This is a rifle I didn’t know I needed until after I worked with it for a bit. The LWRC components stand a cut above those of the competition. The resulting rifle is as fine an example of the AR-15 as I’ve ever seen. And I’m not just blowing sunshine up LWRC’s gas tube. This gun is the shit. In fact, there is only one black rifle that I’ve shot that I liked more–and it, too, was from LWRC. It is the Xiphos SBR pictured way down below.

Accuracy with the irons is solid.

Even at 100 yards, I could group well (and really close to point of aim).

All AR-15s should shoot like this. This was the worst of our test groups, and it was shot with Tula.

100 yards, standing.

Again, I’ll stress first impressions. When I see fit and finish like this on a rifle, I have high expectations.

The gun is short enough for maneuverability, but long enough to feel like a carbine–a good option for those who don’t cotton to SBRs.

The MBUS Pro sights are steel, and very nice.

The sights.

The bolt carrier group

Built for the piston.

The BCM charging handle is huge, and easy to find.

BCM Gunfighter.

The front MBUS.

The hammer.

The forend is bolted on. Very well.

The safety is easy to read from both sides.

The transition from the upper to the receiver is well crafted and more streamlined than most.

Like most, it has a forward assist.

The Magpul stock.

Even the trigger guard is Magpul.

Again… Magpul.

The Burris on the MK6. It is a large 1-5, but incredibly effective.

The mag well is flared and easy to find.

The fluted barrel reduces weight.

The Xiphos SBR I like even better than the TRICON.

Same platform, different interpretation.

Come and take it.

Same controls. Maybe I need both of these.

And I’m a sucker for the super short stocks.

The piston system rides under the rail, and it works. Some see it as one-more-thing to break on an AR, but I’ve yet to find fault with it.

Cheap Guns for Home Defense

No matter what gun you choose, remember safe storage. Bedside options, like the ArmsReach, keep guns secure and close.

Editor’s Note: We’re starting a brand new series here on GunsAmerica, one that will delve deep into the best tools for home defense. But there’s a catch–we’re not looking at guns and gear that will break the bank. We’re looking at the bottom of the price spectrum. These articles will look at affordable ways to get the job done. And here’s the first installment from GunsAmerica writer D.S. Standard:
The Ruskies, Iranians, ISIS, Boko Harum and Al Shabob be damned. They pose limited harm here in the Heartland.But crystal-meth, crack cocaine, molly, mental illness, poverty, corruption, illegal immigration and plain old orneriness have resulted in frequent violent home invasions, assaults and burglaries. These nightmares headline the local news. Coincidentally, the Nation’s police forces appear overworked, overwhelmed, over-regulated, demoralized and  incapable of responding in time to prevent your family from being violently thrust into harm’s way. Unfortunately, it appears it is time, once again, for all decent Americans to plan for the active defense of our homes, and ourselves, against malice-filled evildoers. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Navy SEAL to defend your homestead from invasion, and you don’t need a fortune to get the rugged and reliable tools needed to do the job right. Here is a look at budget conscious, effective and dependable handguns–the logical place to start.

A reliable handgun with sufficient “fight-stopping” power

American law enforcement and the US military have embraced two basic handgun designs for the past 100 years, large-bore revolvers and semiautomatic pistols. Our defense and law enforcement forces have effectively used .38 Special, 9mm and .45 caliber projectiles in laying down the law to the rogues of the world. .357 Magnum and .40 S&W are two additional, well-proven and reliable, fight-stopping, law enforcement calibers. Many, many home and business owners have additionally brandished popular semi-automatic handguns from American firearms manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Springfield Armory, as well as from a variety of foreign gun-makers such as Sig Sauer, Glock, Taurus and Beretta and Browning. The iconic firms of Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Colt have been leading the revolver manufactures, though Taurus and others are taking over.
Large-bore revolvers, also vetted by decades of military and law enforcement hard use, have proven to be more idiot-proof (soldier-proof); but are usually limited to 5 or 6 rounds of lethal business. Semi-automatic pistols generally have higher ammunition capacities, 6-17 rounds of persuasion; but are a bit more complicated to operate and maintain than revolvers. With some training and care, both can be effective, reliable fight stoppers and great assets in your anti-invasion home defense plan.

Don’t let the variety of options get confusing. All of these have bullets that are roughly the same size, but the loads are very different.

Let’s consider the calibers

The .38 Smith & Wesson Special, typically known as the .38 Special, was invented by Smith & Wesson ballisticians in 1898 as a revolver round. Extensively proven, this hand gun was fielded by the US Military during WWI and generally employed by the large majority of American police departments from the Roaring Twenties up until its replacement by lightweight, high-capacity, Glock semi-autos firing the 9mm during the 1990’s. The typical 200 grain .38 of an inch diameter projectile traveled at almost 700 feet per second until it deposited just over 200 foot pounds of energy into its target. Several other sizes of projectiles for the .38spl were fielded by military and law enforcement over the decades of use culminating in the development of the .357 Magnum made famous by the fictional Harry Callahan(AKA Dirty Harry).
The .38Spl cartridge is a proven and reliable man stopper, when placed in an assailant’s center of mass although it has occasionally not performed quickly enough when the target is significantly amped up on drugs or adrenalin. In that case, the Mozambique (2 to the body, 1 to the head) and, or, head shots are recommended. For a home defense round, we rate the .38spl a solid B grade. The .357Magnum is an amped up, more powerful cousin of this round, an A.

Once you decide on a caliber, the options really open up. There are multiple options for bullet designs.

The 9mm cartridge also known as the 9mm Luger and 9x19mm parabellum (Latin for “prepare for war”) was invented in 1902 by Georg Luger for the Luger semi-automatic pistol and the new -fangled submachine gun. To this day it is a NATO military round and carried by many additional military and law enforcement agencies worldwide, including the majority of American police departments and by the US military, in their Beretta M9 pistol, since 1985! My first pistol, the Smith & Wesson Model 39 was chambered in 9mm. I bought it because the cops in my town used it.
9mm pistols typically fire a 124 grain bullet at about 1200 feet per second and dumps just shy of 400 foot pounds of energy into the target while the 115 grain projectile typically travel 1300fps and imparts just over 400 foot pounds of energy into the target. These fairly inexpensive rounds are usually carried in a magazine which provides between 12 and 17 rounds, giving the shooter two to three times the firepower of a six shooter! Many bad guys have been stopped by 9mm rounds although there is a near constant debate among the shooting community of its efficacy and knockdown power. Military expert and civilian shooting champion Ernest Langdon, a friend of mine, swears by it. We recommend, that if forced to employ it, that you place a good number of projectiles in your threats’ center mass, and head, in order to accelerate the stop. Additionally, we recommend you use the same hollow point duty ammo that the police in your community use. (If hollow points, or magazines w more than 10 rounds, are illegal in your jurisdiction, MOVE to a FREE STATE like New Hampshire or Wyoming) Grade B+ due to the capacity and low cost.

In every case, there are bullets meant for training and bullets meant for defense.

The .45ACP cartridge also known as the .45Auto was designed, in 1904, by legendary firearms genius John Moses Browning to provide additional knock down power to our troops after .38 caliber rounds failed to stop enemy troops with sufficient authority. John M. browning’s model1911, .45ACP semi-auto pistol fires the heavy 230 grain bullets at 830FPS and delivers just over 500 foot pounds of energy into the target. Lighter 185 grain .45ACP bullets travel over 1,000FPS to also deliver about the same energy. The US Army’s former General John T. Thompson considered these “real man stoppers.” The larger .45ACP projectile, being significantly larger than the 9mm and .38 projectiles, is known for creating large wound channels in the evil doers impacted by them.
Col. James Cooper, considered by many to be the “Father of Modern Pistol Craft”, swore by this round and is famous for saying “any handgun round is acceptable as long as its caliber starts with the number 4”. Many Special Operations military units, with the liberty to select their, mission-specific firearms, still use the .45ACP in their pistols in order to ensure rapid incapacitation of their targets, despite the fact that the larger cartridge size means fewer rounds in each magazine than a 9mm (7 or 8 vs 13 or 17). Finally, the US Army has been debating returning to the venerable .45ACP for the last decade. My kids can handle the cartridge in a 1911 style pistol, and it’s my go to sidearm WTSHTF. Grade A- due to lesser magazine capacity.
There are listings on GunsAmerica.com for less than $300 that are of suitable caliber for home defense.

Taurus guns offer solid performance at a rock bottom price.

$239- The Taurus Millennium G2 chambered in 9 mm weighs only 22 oz and has a 13 round capacity and 3” barrel. It fires in single or double action modes, has a loaded chamber indicator, an adjustable rear sight and a Picatinny Rail for a weapon light a light or laser. MSRP: $434.59 The more you practice with this 9mm, the more likely you are to hit the intruder’s center of mass. It has been proven that center of mass hits end fights and aggressive behavior from thugs.

Revolvers are making a big comeback.

$269- A used Taurus 82S .38 Special with a 4″ barrel is a classic and reliable handgun with very few parts to ever fail. This timeless six shooter design firing the proven .38spl cartridge has knocked the fight out of many a dirt-bag over the years, and it will certainly comfort you as your front door gets kicked in. Practice frequently so all your shots will hit the perpetrator’s breadbasket.

Big bore, small price tag.

$275- “The Taurus Model PT-845 in .45 ACP caliber features a 4″ barrel, polymer frame, 3-dot sights, ambi safety, accessory rail, DA/SA trigger system, interchangeable grip inserts, mag loader and two 12 round magazines.” Invaders normally find it difficult to continue when 2 or 3 rounds of 230 grain .45ACP projectiles have been introduced into their chest cavity. Sometimes the drug fueled thugs require an additional one or two to the brain pan.

On the higher end of the dollar scale, is the battle-proven Beretta M9 or Model 92. The 9mm Beretta sidearm has been carried by US Service-Men & Women longer than any other sidearm in US Military history. It replaced the Colt Model 1911 .45ACP pistol in 1985 and is carried by the lion’s share of the US Military today, 30 long years of service. The Beretta’s 15 round magazines contain more than twice the ammunition of the 7 round .45ACP it replaced. In deference to such service, I include it in the list and have found one, with an accessory rail and two mags, on GunsAmerica.com for $699. It’s not cheap; but it is not expensive, especially for the proven reliability of the gun.

There is another type of modern handgun and cartridge combo which one might, thoughtfully or purposefully, consider in a desperate home defense situation. I call these “Hi-Capacity Stinger Pistols” (HCSP) as opposed to “fight stoppers.” As thinking beings, we know life involves tradeoffs. In the case of this trype of pistol, we are trading the “knockdown” power or larger projectiles for the enhanced accuracy associated with minimal recoil and rapid
Two examples of these are the .22WMR cartridge fired from the Ketltec PMR 30 semi-automatic pistol and the 5.7×28 cartridge fired by the FNH 5-7 semi-automatic pistol.
The .22 Winchester Magnum cartridge is a significantly amped up .22 caliber projectile. The 30, 40 or 50 grain, hollow-point projectiles are fired at 2300, 2000 and 1800 feet per second from rifles, delivering 300 or more foot pounds of energy into the target. What’s neat is this same round, when fired from a pistol, travels at a considerable 1200-1500FPS out of a hand gun.
The 5.7x28mm cartridge, developed in 1990 together with a Personal Defense Weapon as a high velocity, small caliber, round potentially capable of replacing the venerable 9mm parabellum. Most projectiles are 23, 28 or 31 grains and they typically travel from about 2300 to 2850 feet per second from a 10 inch barrel.

The FNH Five-Seven pistol was developed in 1998, eight years after the FNH 5.7×28mm cartridge was released. The Five-Seven is a lightweight(less than 1 ½ pounds) polymer pistol with a 30 round magazine capacity, ambidextrous controls and low recoil. The 30 round capacity and the ability of the 5.7x28mm round to penetrate body armor, in certain situations, makes this set-up worth considering for a home defense situation. 30 rounds of high-velocity attitude adjustment, in a very lightweight and handy form factor would give me a certain amount of confidence. Another reason I plan to acquire and, severely, test one of these is that it is rapidly being adopted many military and law enforcement units across the world, including the United States Secret Service. Good enough to protect the President, probably good enough to protect your family. There are 11 various FNH 5-7 pistols currently on sale at GunsAmerica.com ranging from $800 to about $1400. $800 is not “low cost”. This is included because the Secret Service endorsement makes me think that the dependability and lethality may be worth a few days of Ramen Noodles and PB&J sandwiches. And, when it comes to defending hearth and home, sacrifices are allowed.

Not the best looking gun, but how much does that matter?

Listed on GunsAmerica.com for $540 the Keltec PMR 30 seems to offer significantly more bang for the buck. The PMR 30 is another pistol on my short list for immediate testing. It is a full-sized, polymer based pistol which holds thirty .22WMR cartridges and weighs less than a pound and a half; fully loaded. It comes pre-drilled to accept a micro-sized red-dot sight and has factory installed fiber optic sights as well. The PMR typically fires it’s .22WMR rounds at 1200 FPS. Again, 30 rounds of 50gr projectiles just might serve you righteously during the dire moments of a violent home invasion. 2 Keltec PMR’s, chambered in the hot .22WMR round, are currently listed. They are both new and include two 30 round magazines. I would certainly recommend installing a Docter Optic or Burris type micro red dot for low-light rapid target acquisition as I suspect most home invasions occur under the cover of darkness, and the dot should help with sight alignment under duress. I repeat, 30 .22 Winchester Magnum rounds. Wow!

The Kel-Tec looks even stranger, but it works great.

The final class of reasonably priced, portable, home-defense implements are the hybrid handgun/shotgun large bore revolvers which fire, either a 45.ACP or .45 Long Colt, and a .410 shot shell. This is a beautiful concept. The defensive home owner now has the option of loading his/her Taurus Judge or Smith & Wesson Governor with a smorgash board of 230 grain .45 ACP rounds and five #000 buckshot pellets encased in each .410 shell. I can envision home invaders, warmly welcomed by this combo meal of lead projectiles, not sticking around for coffee and dessert.

These revolvers offer the option of using a wide variety of ammunition.

There are currently more than a dozen Taurus Judges available on GunsAmerica.com. A used one is available for a very reasonable $250 and $450 seems to be the price for a brand new in the box Judge. With this steel masterpiece, you can now be Judge and Jury within the curtilage of your domain.

They’re bigger than most revolvers, but still concealable.

Ten Smith & Wesson Governors are currently available on GunsAmerica.com. They range in price from $699 to $995 which has them trending out of the “low-cost” segment. The special nature of these weapons, and their particular suitability for home defense, makes me forgive their pricing and include them in this list. I look forward to testing them and determining the reason for the significant difference in pricing between the two brands’ execution of the multiple projectile, big bore revolver.

The special nature of these weapons, and their particular suitability for home defense, makes me forgive their pricing and include them in this list. I look forward to testing them and determining the reason for the significant difference in pricing between the two brands’ execution of the multiple projectile, big bore revolver.

• Note: The Hornady Ammunition company has a unique new self-defense .410 cartridge being sold under their “Critical Defense” Sub-brand. It just sounds awesome and I will try it as soon as I can get my hands on some.
• From their website: “ This .410 shell …the Critical Defense® 410 features a unique Triple Defense™ projectile stack consisting of two 35 caliber round balls topped with one non-jacketed FTX® slug.
• Unique to the Critical Defense 410, the 41 caliber FTX® slug actually engages the gun’s rifling, and contacts the target nose-on, enabling the patented Hornady Flex Tip® technology to assist in expansion for greatly enhanced terminal performance. Each 35 caliber round ball is made of high antimony, cold swaged lead to resist deformation and provide excellent penetration. The 410 Critical Defense is loaded to 750 fps at the muzzle with 294 ft lbs of energy.” Your faithful writer is going to get his hands on some ASAP and fill you in on the hype.

In summation, if you should one day suffer the misfortune of a home invasion, most of the handguns mentioned above should, reliably, be able to help you make the evil doers realize the magnitude and consequence of the error of their ways. Whether the home invaders are repelled by a belly full of .22 Magnum rounds, a face full of .410 slugs, a couple of .38spls through the heart and lungs, an earful of 9mm hollow points, a magazine full of 5.7x28’s through the pelvis or a .45ACP hardball in the nose, if they survive the rapid reorientation of their innards and simultaneous redirection of their bodily fluids, they likely will never invade another home during the remainder of their lives. Unfortunately, guns are the answer to the home invasion. Fortunately, now you have some ideas on which ones you might like to add to your Steel Security Blanket.
Stay tuned every two weeks for another installment of Low Cost Home Invasion Defense Tools. We will discuss, shotguns, rifles, weapon-lights, lasers as well as training, tactics and tips for defending the hearth and home. If guns are the answer, GunsAmerica.com has what you need!
About the Author: D.S. Standard is a poly-lingual international adventurer, a certified NRA instructor, a certified 1 Mile Marksman, and an accomplished martial artist. He and his family hail from New Hampshire, where they try to live up to the State’s “Live Free or Die” credo and they hope that you will experience Liberty, rather than safety, in your lifetime.

DemolitionRanch Tests the Limits of the Can Cannon

https://youtu.be/_oDqeiIA2js

Testing the limits of what a can cannon can do… Don’t try this at home or even at a friend’s house.

Prepping 101: The Silent Kill – But NOT a Silencer!

I don’t suggest that anyone bring a crossbow to a gunfight, but as a survival tool for hunting, killing animals you may have trapped, and possibly taking out intruders under the cover of not a lot of noise, a crossbow is an effective tool.

Horton Crossbow Innovations
http://www.hortoncrossbows.com/shop/horton-legend-ultra-lite/ A friend the other day asked me if I knew anything about setting up a charitable trust to purchase a silencer. He specifically asked because he’d like one for survival, to be able to get in and get out quietly hunting game on public and private land. My answer is what the heck do you want one of those for when you can get a high end crossbow for about the same price? I find it strange that people will go to such lengths to own a contraption that takes 6 months to get, requires a $200 tax and puts you on a list of “special people” with the Federal government, yet balk at spending even close to that on a crossbow that will be far more consistent and useful over time. I think silencers are cool toys as much as the next guy, but if you are going to spend a thousand bucks on the ability to kill man or beast without a lot of commotion, a high end crossbow is extremely effective, and lasts as long as you have bolts. I decided to combine this idea with my review of the new Horton Legend UltraLITE, made by TenPoint, because though some people reading this are already out hunting deer with high end USA made crossbows, but a lot of you have never tried one I’m sure. You might say OUCH at $919, with a scope and three arrows, but this is no Wal-Mart brand from China.

My idea for this article came right about the time that I saw this Horton Legend UltraLITE come up as available for review. It is pretty high on the food chain in crossbow world, and I don’t think you could find an easier or well put together piece of machinery.

The problem that most people make with crossbows, no offense, is buying a cheap one. Then they go on discussion boards and tell people that crossbows aren’t reliable weapons for survival (outside of the apocalypse movies of course), because blah blah and blah blah broke and I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with it. Crossbow technology goes all the way back to the middle ages, and that technology remained mostly unchanged until maybe 15 years ago when there was a push to legalize crossbows for hunting game in the United States. The crossbow is a fairly simple device, and a powerful killer if made right.

Draw Weight Isn’t Everything

This Horton Legend UltraLITE has a 175lb. draw weight, but if you are slight of build don’t fret. Built into the crossbow is a string drawing system called the ACUdraw 50. It consists of two magnetic lawnmower pull handles connected to pulleys, with hooks to grab the string and pull it back into locked position. I found it easy to draw, and much superior to the “fishing reel handle” system I have on my older TenPoint crossbow. With this ACUdraw 50 system, there is nothing to remember, and nothing to lose, and I love it.

This crossbow is different from the other high end crossbows I’ve used because it has a nifty cocking system using two lawnmower pulls. It makes the 175 lb. draw weight effortless. And unlike the “fishing reel” crank systems, there is nothing to lose.

There are also both compound and recurve bow crossbows, sometimes even made by the same company, but the key is the drawing system, and of course, the actual velocity of the arrow. This Horton has a 330 feet per second arrow speed, with a standard lightweight carbon fiber arrow. They weigh about 3/4 of an ounce with the practice tips, and if you do the math (7,000 grains per pound/16 x .75), you get 328 grains. Ballistically that only equals 87 foot pounds of energy, similar to a 25 ACP, but anyone who has hunted with a crossbow will tell you that this number makes no sense. A 25 ACP would penetrate maybe an inch into a deer, but a crossbow bolt usually goes right through, even if it his a bone. This is because the foot pounds calculation is skewed toward velocity, so a slow, heavy, projectile looks weak, when it really pounds through many things that a light and fast bullet won’t.

The ACUdraw 50 system sits on both sides of the stock, and those handles have magnets to hold them down.

As you will see from the assembly pictures, these 100% USA made Horton crossbows are built extremely well and include a lot of experienced design elements that you won’t find in Chinese crossbows that look not that much different, but are in a completely different world. Horton/TenPoint crossbows are made for real hunters, and real hunters spend a lot of money, and even more valuable time, getting out to enjoy their hobby. There is no room for crossbow failure, and that is the assumption that goes into these high quality tools. This Legend Lightweight is only 6.8lbs for the device itself, and with the quiver mounted and full of arrows, plus the included scope it comes in just under 9lbs.

If I have one beef about this crossbow is that is that getting the handles to wind back in can be a little tricky, but the more you do it the more you get the feel for it.

I have had problems with testing my crossbows because they go right through every archery target I have put in front of them. This rips at the feathers, and when the arrow eventually thumps into something solid, the impact flares the front of the arrow and eventually the tip holder falls out. For this article I ordered a just found on Amazon which advertises 400 fps. For my initial shots it does stop the arrow and they are easy to remove, but I don’t think two or more shots in the same hole will probably end up going right through. For this article I decided to sacrifice a couple arrows and shoot directly into an oak tree with the practice tips, just to demonstrate the sheer killing power that a crossbow like this Horton puts into your hands. At 50 yards, the bow came zeroed to point of aim, and sunk those practice tips over an inch and a half into the tree. The second one left the head in the tree actually. I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of this thing with soft body armor against a hunting tip, because my guess is that it would go right through.

The trigger pull on the Legend is a release, not really a regular trigger, but I was able to measure it between 4 and 5 lbs.

The trigger pull on a crossbow is actually pretty crisp, and I bought a special unloading arrow with a big rubber tip so I could test this Horton with my trigger pull gauge. It came in at a pretty consistent just over 4 lbs, and there is no takeup or drag. When you cock the crossbow it puts the safety on for you, so you do have to remember to disengage the safety before firing. I will also warn you that if you purchase a crossbow target, test your accuracy on two different spots instead of the way you would on a firearm, always at the same point of aim. I have split arrows, Robin Hood style, with my TenPoint. Crossbows are deadly accurate and vary very little shot to shot within their range. I hope to return with this crossbow for a night vision hunting article, and I hope we get to test that range, because in my testing so far the range of a crossbow is far beyond the 30-50 yards most people claim.

The safety automatically flips on when you draw the string across the release. You have to remember to turn it off to fire. Note the sticker that says you have to use their bolts with the bumpy backs to them, but I tried others and they worked fine.

Assembling the Legend UltraLITE was pretty easy, but you do have to follow directions. There is a special guide piece that slides on the forearm to guide the cross strings of the compound bow and it has to be greased with a tube they give you. You also have to pull up on the string to seat the bow into the forearm, which when you look at it doesn’t make any sense, but nonetheless, you do. This particular crossbow is what I would consider a top tier in both price and performance. This is one of few crossbows that have an adjustable length of pull and adjustable cheek comb. Both are rock solid, and they come installed, as does the scope (zeroed on mine!), the cocking mechanism and the safety deck. You have to build the quiver, and I got the rubber tube thing backwards in my haste (don’t know what it’s for anyway).

I would never tell anyone to bring a crossbow to a gunfight, but a high end crossbow has a ton of killing power. This is sunk into an oak tree from 50 yards.

There are other Horton and TenPoint crossbows you can get online for much less than the pricetag on this one, but if you feel like it is a deal too good to be true make sure you check what it comes with. They do sell these bows with no cocking device. The Horton name was defunct for a while, so don’t take this review to apply to old Horton crossbows which I have never tried. This “Horton Crossbow Innovations” is a new company, launched in January of this year, and as yet they only have two models, this one and an even niftier one with the arms along the sides, and $300 more expensive. All Horton crossbows are made in Mogadore, OH. Please see the pics for assembly instructions and some basic testing. This crossbow came up for review from our friends at Media Direct just as I was thinking about a Prepping 101 article using my TenPoint, so I jumped on it, mostly because it has the ACUdraw 50 instead of the fishing reel crank, which I am always terrified of losing. At some point I’d like to do a head to head comparison between these two bows and the Chinese copies in the $300-$400 range from the big box stores and online. If you can swing it, and/or you want to try a whole new dimension to your deer or hog hunting, these Horton crossbows aren’t cheap, but in my limited experience, you won’t find better.

The tip had sunk in more than an inch and a half. Do you know a regular compound bow that would penetrate like that?	The scope on the Legend came zeroed to point of aim, even though you have to assemble the bow. It adjusts like any rifle scope but has graduated lines inside for distance to match the crossbow.
This is how the contents of the box arrive. There are only two main steps besides the quiver.	This guide clips to the string and has slots for the higher and lower string. The crossbow comes with this lubricant for it, and it slides in easy.
To seat the bow into the forearm, you push down while pulling up on the string.	Then there is one set screw, and two others for the foot stirrup used for cocking. That’s it!
The crossbow comes with the Allen wrenches you need for assembly, but the quiver does not.	The quiver clips on and off much like the head on a consumer camera tripod, and it seems very solid.
This Bone Collector target linked in the article was able to stop the bolts short of the feathers, but I don’t know if it will do it twice in the same hole. Note that this was offhand, 20 yards away, and two of the arrows are touching. Use different points of aim when you test your crossbow or you will split arrows.	Though I doubt these will ever be collectible, the low number serial numbers show you how few of these are made. They are for elite hunters and survivalists.