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It's built like a tank, maximizes accuracy, is modular, uniquely mitigates recoil, and if looks could kill there'd be no need for a barreled action in it. It is the Cadex Defense Strike Dual chassis. Yes, I know, it sounds like propaganda. But seriously, when we set out to transform Grandpa's Gun into a tactical long range precision rifle capable shooting wild hogs and other game at 1000+ yards, we asked "What does it take to do it right, to take this project as far as we can go with it?"

We chose parts that we think you'd want to use, and went from there. Starting with Part 1 of this Grandpa’s Gun Reborn project, you've already read about our selection of a Timney Trigger and Nighforce Scope. Now it's time explore the Strike Dual Chassis from Cadex Defense.

What a difference! If you've been following our Tactical Long Range Precision build - Grandpa's Gun Reborn - you know we've selected the Nightforce 3.5-15×50 NXS with MOAR reticle and Zero Stop as the optic of choice. Why? Well, it was originally designed for military small arms, just the kind of thing Special Hog Weapons and Tactics™ types generally prefer to hunt with. We needed an optic that was equal to the rest of the build in quality and support. We connected with Nightforce at SHOT Show 2013, and they were just as excited as you and I about the opportunity and they fit the criteria. 

You'll find some great info here on reticles and range finding. I'll simplify the issue of reticle focal planes. You'll get answers to a couple of build quality questions, and see the results of a couple of hog hunts. All that and some serious pictures too. So, that's a high bar for one article, read on to see if I really hit it.

An involuntary grin hits me as we're filming the documentary for this Grandpa's Gun Reborn project. No doubt the idea was cool, and the top tier companies that have signed on to be a part of turning a bland bare bones bolt action into a seriously top tier precision rifle is evidence of that. But good intentions are only so much fun.

I'd not spent much time with the Grandpa's gun, an ultra basic Remington 700. There was nothing about it that stood out to me, functionally or aesthetically. I could hit the gong at 200 yards, but there was nothing about the gun that inspired me to buy ammo for it. There was nothing particularly wrong with it either.  Then I remembered that Timney made triggers for these guns.

An awesome trigger pull always puts smiles on shooter's face and makes you want to shoot again, then again. That's what the whole Grandpa's Gun Reborn project is all about, and the trigger was the logical place to get started. There's a lot more to this story than the two pins you need to pull the swap triggers. This is the beginning of something great! You won't want to miss a word of this installment.

I’d been waiting for this opportunity.

I’d already reviewed the Daniel Defense M4V7 chambered in 6.8 SPCII  with an Aimpoint Micro T-1 mounted on top a couple of months ago. What I hadn’t done was go chase wild hogs with this combo, and I was more than a little eager to make that happen.

Opportunity presented itself at one of my favorite places to hunt, the Spike Box Ranch just outside Benjamin, Texas. It borders the land I first hog hunted on, the place where seeds of Special Hog Weapons and Tactics™ were discovered. I had less than twenty-four hours on the ranch, and less than that to hunt. I'd never come up empty handed here, and was hoping to log another successful hunt. This time, I brought a bigger gun...

Loaded question: What if the law of the land prevented you from shooting, training, hunting or even owning an AR-15, an AK-47, or the highly anticipated Israeli Tavor? What if semi-automatic guns and full capacity magazines got banned? Or maybe these great parts of the gun culture were simply regulated just out of reach. It's too real of a possibility for some, too remote for others. 

Well as it turns out, Grandpa's gun might just have a ton more potential than first meets the eye. It could be a serious shooter. What if could be reborn as an amazing precision tactical rifle that caused involuntary drool every time you pulled it out and could take out clay pigeons (or hogs) at 1,000 yards? 

Well, it's happening and it starts with this story, right here at Special Hog Weapons and Tactics. Top tier companies are joining together here to show you just what's possible. You'll want to follow this storyline in the months to come, but we start here. Don't miss a word. Keep reading, and you'll want to pass this one along to some forums, some Facebook friends, and even some people you talk to in person!

What is quality? You read a gun review, and it seems like more often than not you get something like this: “With a name like X, you know you’re getting quality.” With the number of solid AR-15 manufacturers in the market today, there’s probably some truth to that. Some aspects of a gun are more important to user A than to user B, so a bit of subjectivity might be allowed here. 

This will be our first look at the Daniel Defense M4V7, a unique configuration in the less common 6.8 SPCII chamber. We’ll take a look at the most obviously unique part of the build, the Modular Float Rail (MFR) compared to other rails, the 6.8 round this rifles shoots, and some finer points of importance in the quality department.

It's a wrap - 2012 has just flown by, and SHWAT.com is now a year old!  In that year you've seen SHWAT launch from obscurity and - many thanks to you - grow dramatically.  We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have.  We've been privileged to bring you stories from top names in the industry like Bill Wilson, Founder of the legendary Wilson Combat, Fred Mastison, tactical trainer and founder of Force Options USA, NRA Field Editor Brian McCombie and others. We've reviewed guns and gear, shared stories of hunting, given practical advice and tips on tactical hog hunting, done night vision videos, run silencers and so much more.  

To wrap up the year, we've picked a handful of stories we think you'll be excited to read and put them together here.  Check them out, you'll be glad you did!

Remember when you were a kid at Christmas, shaking presents under the tree to see if you could figure out what was in them inside? Did you ever know with certainty what was in one of those packages?  You probably had seen its contents before in a store or catalog, or maybe at friend’s house.  You had plans for this this thing, whatever it was.  And now you knew it was yours, it was just a matter of time.  If that’s you, then you know the anticipation that we’ve had here at Special Hog Weapons and Tactics™ waiting for the production launch of the Laser Devices Inc. SPIR.  We first learned of this unique infrared (IR) illuminator back in January 2012 at SHOT Show, billed as the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. 

While there are countless applications for the SPIR, Laser Devices squarely aimed it at the tactical hog hunting community. And we have the first production unit in our hands. Read on for more and a demo video we've made for you.

Respect. 

At so many levels, respect is what we all want.  Somehow that gets extended to our choices in vehicles, dogs and guns.  Every now and then we discover something that simply requires respect.  Perhaps in the vehicle world that’s a Cadillac CTS-V beefed up by Lingenfelter.  Maybe a Rottweiler or Mastiff in the canine realm.  In the gun world, it’s the .50 BMG. Even in that lofty league, one stands out, unique in an exclusive world of heavy hitters – the .50 BMG XKaliber by King’s Arsenal.  It really is one of kind.  Slipping in behind the scope of this mega rifle really makes you think shooting a giant wild boar at 750 yards would be something to write home about.  More on that later.

SHWAT™ brings you an exclusive introduction to this big bore gun, complete with pictures and video.

Imagine you were invited on a SHWAT™ tactical hog hunt with the founders.  Our guide is Bill Wilson at his Circle WC Ranch, and since he’s supplying the guns they are going to be equipped with suppressors.  Yes, this is going to be a good time!

Before the evening hunt, Bill takes us over to his range where we’re going to work on precision shots on hog targets.  We head out that night, and you take your first hog using the suppressed rifle.  Your conclusion after shooting nothing but that suppressed rifle that day?  “Gotta have a silencer!”  Or maybe two or three! But how?  You’ve heard you have to deal with the ATF, that you’ll have to get permission from various levels of government, and there’s a rumor you heard a few years ago that suppressors on guns might be illegal for mere civilians…

You might just need a gun trust.