Beretta 1301 Shotgun Tips and Tricks

This article is a summary of some of the tips and tricks that I have learned in using the Beretta 1301. The 1301 is my home defense shotgun and the weapon I would choose in a short range fight. My 1301 is fast, reliable, extremely accurate, and with Federal LE133 buckshot it has an effective buckshot range of 30 yards with all pellets striking within an eight-inch circle.

The Pins

One of the most important tips I have learned concerning using a Beretta 1301 is courtesy of George A Curry, II who I met at a SymTac Advanced Shotgun course. George and I discussed a malfunction that he had with his Beretta 1301 during a different class. The Magazine Cutoff Spring Pin on his Beretta 1301 shotgun began to work its way out of the receiver. This tiny but crucial roll pin is horizontally oriented and serves to hold the Cartridge Latch/Magazine Cutoff Pin in place, 90° vertically above it. The Cartridge Latch/Magazine Cutoff Pin secures the cartridge latch and the magazine cut-off in place in the shotgun receiver. When the Magazine Cutoff Spring Pin slipped out far enough, the Cartridge Latch/Magazine Cutoff Pin came out. This allowed the Cartridge Latch Assembly to move inward and jam against the Shell Carrier (preventing it from moving upward) thereby rendering the shotgun inoperable. George suspected that the Magazine Cutoff Spring Pin diameter was undersized causing it to slip out.

I personally have not had this happen with my 1301 shotguns; however, now I always check this pin to ensure it is not protruding from the receiver. The pins are cheap and Midwest Gunworks sells them (part numbers C97038 and C92168 respectively). The shipping costs more than the pins.

A Light and Laser

I have been teaching low light classes and running low light competitive matches (as the Match Director) since 2014 and have learned a few things. Having a light and laser on your home defense shotgun is very helpful. The light helps you identify targets (you can point the muzzle down and still get enough light for identification without violating firearms rule #3). The laser allows you to engage targets with your head held a bit higher on the stock rather than looking at a dot or fixed sights on the gun. You look at the target and the laser on the target. This improves your visual awareness concerning what the target is doing as well as what is around and behind the target. If you look closely at the target in the picture below, you can see the green laser dot on the target at thirty yards--even with the light on. The sun had just gone down when this picture was taken.

Zeroing a laser is not as straight forward as zeroing a scope or red dot. Rather than elevation and windage, lasers (at least in my experience) tend to move on an “X” and “Y” axis. This is somewhat counter intuitive for most of us and is exacerbated if the laser sight is mounted on the side or under the shotgun’s forearm—sometimes a bit of tinkering is involved. Zero with slugs and then check the zero with your buckshot.

My first light/laser combo was the Olight Baldr Pro R rechargeable light with a green laser. I needed a light for my home defense shotgun to replace a SureFire® light that was on the gun that had a fragile plastic latch that frequently failed due to (I suspect) the light’s inability to handle the shotgun’s recoil. Although SureFire® replaced the plastic latch, they only sent one at a time so no spares on hand. The light was down until it arrived.

The Baldr Pro R had a remote switch and worked great until it didn’t. The light failed and would not take a charge after several sessions with the shotgun. I then tried the Fenix GL23R which worked just fine; however, it does not have a remote switch. Activating/deactivating this light with my thumb while engaging targets during training or a competition proved very problematic. I finally settled on a SureFire® X400UH with a green laser. A much more expensive option; however, my experience with SureFire® products is that they generally are very rugged and reliable.

Cable Management

Cable management with the Baldr Pro R was easy since it was a flat cable and, due to the design, the switch did not come off the light during firing. When I installed the SureFire® X400UH, cable management became more of an issue due to its design. The remote cable was too long for my application, so I purchased a pressure switch cable management kit for the M-LOK/Picatinny Rail on Amazon.* I installed it and was satisfied with the result until I went to the range. The small M-LOK cable guide shifted under recoil and literally pulled the remote switch connector from the X400UH. Not good. I adjusted the cable routing and moved the cable guide fully forward in the M-LOK slot so when the shotgun recoils, the M-LOK cannot move.

 

The 1301 Gas Valve

The 1301’s gas system diverts some of the propellant gases to cycle the action and the ingenious design bleeds excess gas out of the gas cylinder which compresses the gas valve spring, thereby dissipating excess energy. The Beretta gas system spreads part of the recoil impulse over a longer period instead of delivering it all at once. Compared with pump or semi-automatic inertia-operated shotguns, many shooters perceive the Beretta as having a smoother recoil pulse. Beretta's gas system cycles very quickly and reliably and functions across a wide range of ammunition. The only load that I have personally encountered that does not function in the 1301 is the Winchester AA Low Recoil/Low Noise target round at 980 feet per second with a 0.917 ounce shot payload—this is an extremely light load.

The 1301 Gas System

Beretta’s position on the 1301’s gas cylinder is that it is self-cleaning—mine are not. I noticed that some of the exhaust holes in my 1301’s gas cylinder were blocked (see red arrows below) and set out to clean them. Scraping the holes with a dental pick did remove some of the lead buildup, but by no means all of it.

I did some research and discovered a video on the practical-shotgun.com website demonstrating how to strip and clean the gas valve assembly. I tried to replicate the device the practical-shotgun video demonstrated. My device compressed the spring; however, I realized that recompressing the spring was going to be very challenging if not impossible with the tools I have so I did not remove the spring. The practical-shotgun video shows disassembly, but it does not show how to put it back together. It turns out that the gas valve spring is extremely heavy and very difficult to recompress as you reassemble the gas valve system.

I had my device modified (see picture above) and with some extreme care I was able to disassemble, clean, and reassemble the gas valve. Feel free to comment if you have thoughts about cleaning the gas valve assembly.  

 

Safety note: As stated above, this spring is extremely heavy. My first disassembly attempt resulting in the spring departing the gas valve assembly in an uncontrolled manner. I strongly suggest you do not try this. If you do, you do so at your own risk. Do not allow ANY part of your body to be in front of the spring during disassembly or reassembly. Always wear eye protection. If this spring hits you in the eye it WILL result in serious injury.

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* Cable management: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FVFSPYZL?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

Wednesday Wisdom: 19 August 2026

Accounted for: U.S. Army Corporal Orestus M. Stewart

U.S. Army Corporal Orestus M. Stewart of Magnolia Springs, Texas, was killed in action during the Korean War but his remains were not recoverable. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency fulfilled our nation's promise and identified Corporal Stewart on November 26, 2025.  CPL Stewart returned home and was buried on May 24, 2026, in his hometown.

 

In the summer of 1950, Stewart was a member of Medical Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reportedly killed in action on Aug. 11 in the vicinity of Kyong-ju, Republic of Korea (South Korea) when his unit was ordered to seize control of Yonil Airfield in the eastern sector of the Pusan Perimeter. His remains were not recovered following the battle and on January 16, 1956, Stewart was declared nonrecoverable. 

Separately, in April 1954 U.S. Army personnel and South Korean citizens recovered a set of remains, later designated X-5495 Tanggok, from a shallow grave near Pugni-dong, South Korea. The Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, compared X-5495 to all unresolved U.S. casualties from the general area of recovery; however, the remains could not be associated with Stewart at the time. They were transported to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl in Honolulu, where they were interred as an Unknown.

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The Lifetime Likelihood of Needing a Gun for Self-Defense

A few months ago, a burglar confronted John Correia of Active Self Protection in his home. The man fled, no shot was fired, and Correia walked away thinking about a question many armed citizens eventually ask. Realistically, what are the odds I will ever need my gun? In a video on his channel, he ran the numbers from two major firearms surveys and arrived at a startlingly large lifetime probability. This article borrows his framework and pushes further into the underlying data.

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Review: Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard

Lipsey’s has teamed up with Smith & Wesson to revive a pair of short-lived, but highly sought after, Night Guard revolvers. The L-frame options include the Model 386, a seven-shot .357 Mag. and the Model 396, which is a five-shot .44 Special. These re-introduced double-action revolvers incorporate up-to-date enhancements while sticking closely to the classic lightweight design. The revolver reviewed here is the Lipsey’s exclusive Model 386 Night Guard in .357 Magnum (comment: S&W has exhibited a serious quality problem recently in my experience. Perhaps they do better with the Lipsey’s exclusives.)

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To Shop or Not to Shop—That is the Question: Ignoring the No Guns Sign is the Weakest Option

You know the sticker. Small pistol in a red circle, diagonal slash through it, mounted at eye level on a door you were about to walk through. Ask around in most concealed carry circles about what to do next and you will get one of three answers. The sign isn't law, so ignore it (of course that depends on your state of residence). What they don't know can't hurt them. Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. All three are answers to the wrong question.

The argument we keep having is whether to carry past the sign or disarm and shop anyway. There's a third option nobody spends much time on: don't give them your business at all. This isn't a compliance lecture. The question is why that store is getting your money in the first place.

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It is Better that Ten Guilty Persons Escape, than One Innocent Suffer

Flock cameras are much upon the public mind lately, and with good reason. For those who have been living under a rock, “Flock cameras” are the Automatic License Plate Readers marketed and owned by the private corporation Flock Safety. They are solar cell powered and use Artificial Intelligence to capture vehicle data, license plates, and unique vehicle details like make, model, color, and bumper stickers — together with location and time — and store all these details for (allegedly) 30 days.

Since Flock Safety is not a governmental entity, they claim this practice does not violate the Constitution. The issue that arises is that any law enforcement officer working for an agency that contracts with Flock Safety has unfettered access to any of the camera data collected anywhere. A deputy sheriff in Bugscuffle County, Texas is able to look for a license plate registered to Los Angeles, California; or New York City, New York; or Toadstomp, Montana — with no Constitutional protections for the owners of that plate whatsoever.

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Flock Camera Captures Woman Driving With Her Phone on Her Lap (Face Down), Georgia Mailed Her a $1251.00 “Public Safety” Ticket

A woman drives with both hands on the wheel. Her phone sits face-down on her lap. No officer pulls her over. No lights flash. Weeks later, a $1,251.00 ticket arrives in the mail. The evidence: a single frame from a Flock Safety surveillance app. The charge: phone use while driving.

Flock Safety markets its devices as automated license plate readers — tools for catching stolen cars, flagging warrants, and aiding serious investigations. The company has publicly stated its ALPR system "is not used to enforce traffic violations," according to documentation the Electronic Frontier Foundation highlighted. What police departments are actually doing with the cameras is a different story entirely.

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The Model 1892 May Be One of the Most Underappreciated Hunting Rifles in America

When John Moses Browning designed the Model 1892 for Winchester, he wasn’t trying to create a novelty rifle or a theatrical prop. He was improving upon the aging toggle-link system of the earlier lever guns with a stronger, smoother, and more compact action designed around the popular revolver cartridges of the day.

The result was one of Browning’s most graceful designs. Strong enough to inspire confidence, trim enough to carry effortlessly, and fast enough to cycle almost as quickly as thought itself, the Model 1892 became exactly the sort of rifle a working outdoorsman needed.

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The Evolution of the Martial Arts Part I: From Predator and Prey to the Warrior

The term martial art is commonly used as though it describes a single category of human activity. Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, military Combatives, civilian self-defense, judo, mixed martial arts, and even competitive shooting are consequently discussed as different expressions of essentially the same endeavor: learning how to fight. They certainly share techniques, training methods, and historical influences, but treating them as equivalent obscures a more important distinction. They do not exist to solve the same problem.

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General Naglee's Colt 1860 Army Revolvers

Around November 1861, Samuel Colt presented several cased sets containing his latest revolver models to a group of leading figures within the Union Army and federal government. These presentations are generally believed to have been part of Colt's efforts to ensure lucrative government arms contracts for his company, but they also demonstrated good faith and support for the Union after recent reports of Colt selling arms to the Confederacy, rumors that he remained a southern sympathizer, and arms deals that appeared to take advantage of American taxpayers.

Naglee’s Colt Model 1860 Army revolvers feature German silver blade front sights, the one-line "-ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA-" barrel addresses, small "COLTS/PATENT" markings on the left side of the frames which are cut for using a shoulder stock and have the slightly protruding "fourth-screws", "44 CAL" on the left side of the trigger guards, the classic Naval Battle of Campeche roll-scene on the distinctive rebated cylinders, "Genl Henry M. Naglee" neatly inscribed down the back straps, and all matching serial numbers including the wedges ("6" struck over "0" on the B wedge) along with the factory dot marking designating special finishing. The grips are deluxe walnut with a high gloss varnish finish.

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SureFire SOCOM556-MINI4 Review

Suppressors have come a long way. Technology, materials, and manufacturing capabilities have all advanced, but some of the biggest changes have come from understanding the needs of the end-users for modern cans. Between the lessons learned from global conflicts and the testing abilities we now have, suppressors have slowly been tuned over time to be some of the most technically advanced pieces of gear you’ll pick out. SureFire has been one of the leading suppressor brands you could get your hands on and that legacy continues today.

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Auto-Ordnance Introduces Classic Thompson Short-Barreled Rifle

Auto-Ordnance is proud to introduce the model T1SB50DH Short Barreled Rifle (SBR), crafted entirely in the United States. Combining historical Prohibition-era styling with modern precision engineering, this new Thompson variant delivers the authentic look and feel of the legendary "Tommy Gun" in a compact semi-automatic platform.

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Incident Analysis: Shooting to Stop with a Pistol

Meriden, Connecticut: On 19 July 2026, Meriden police officers were dispatched to a residence in response to an active domestic violence incident where Robert Lee Jenkins III was beating his father, Robert Jenkins, Jr. with a baseball bat. Meriden Police Officer Anthony Offiaeli arrived and ordered Jenkins III to drop the bat four times as he approached Jenkins III who again started to strike his father on the head with the bat. Officer Offiaeli fired his pistol eighteen times at Jenkins III and according to police reporting struck Jenkins III with “several” rounds.

John Farnam is quoted as saying: “What does someone do when you shoot them with a pistol? What they were doing before you shot them.” That is exactly what happened during this incident. It is unclear which, where, or how many shots struck Robert Jenkins III. What is clear is that after the officer started firing at Jenkins III, he struck his father six additional times with the bat.

What is likely from analyzing the body worn camera video is that Officer Offiaeli did not strike Jenkins III in the central nervous system (CNS). Bullet strikes to the CNS tend to drop the subject like a puppet with its strings cut. Shots that do not strike the CNS must rely on a critical level of blood loss to cause unconsciousness. Often someone who has received a fatal wound (or wounds) that reduce blood circulation will still be capable of purposeful activity for many seconds because the brain can remain sufficiently oxygenated.

In other words, even though Officer Offiaeli inflicted a fatal wound(s), Jenking III continued purposeful and deadly activity for approximately eight seconds. This is not unusual—the Miami Grow House Incident is another example.

So how do we achieve rapid incapacitation with a pistol? In 2024 I attended Dr James William’s Shooting With X-ray Vision (SXRV) instructor’s course at Meade Hall Range in Oklahoma. People have made fun of the name, but the concept of understanding the location of vital zones in the human body where a bullet strike will likely lead to rapid incapacitation is critically important. This is where the commonly taught “center of mass” fails. How do we determine the location of the center of mass on a human? From the top of the head to the feet? From the shoulders to the waist? Some other measurement?

I have been using 2D anatomical targets for several years in my classes and matches. Typically, I cover the targets with t-shirts so the shooter must decide where to shoot without having an obvious reference aiming point. These work well for targets squarely facing or at a slight angle to the shooter; however, they do not work well for targets at more severe angles. 

The 3D targets we used in Doc Williams' Tactical Anatomy class were the Action Target 3D targets. These targets are expensive and not ideal because they offer no means to easily score multiple hits beyond putting an intact t-shirt on the target.

John Hearn of Two Pillars Training has marketed some 3D torso shell targets that provide a 3D perspective and they are also available from Action Target and may be a good alternative. They allow for a "scoring" insert, but do not accommodate 90 degree side nor 180 degree rear shots.

I am a firm believer in Dr William’s Shooting with XRay Vision concept and plan to teach it as a stand-alone class and incorporate SXRV principles in my other classes where possible. Dr Williams has been teaching the instructor class once a year at the Meade Hall Range in Mcloud, Oklahoma and he may not do too many more. The 2027 schedule has not been announced. If he does offer it next year anyone interested in the topic should take it while they can.

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Wednesday Wisdom: 12 August 2026

Medal of Honor: John Edward Kilmer

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against North Korean forces. With his company engaged in defending a vitally important hill position well forward of the main line of resistance during an assault by large concentrations of hostile troops, Hospital Corpsman Kilmer repeatedly braved intense enemy mortar, artillery, and sniper fire to move from one position to another, administering aid to the wounded and expediting their evacuation. Painfully wounded himself when struck by mortar fragments while moving to the aid of a casualty, he persisted in his efforts and inched his way to the side of the stricken Marine through a hail of enemy shells falling around him.

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The Stevens 520 Shotgun: An Underrated Gem

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the idea of a pump-action weapon wasn’t protected by a patent. Winchester went to court to prove that against claims made by the rights owner of the Spencer shotgun. However, lots of different aspects of shotguns were patented. This meant you had to be creative, and the Stevens Model 520 was nothing if not creative.

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What 5.56 Ammo Does the FBI Use? 

In June 2026, The Kinetic Group (TKG) — parent company of both Federal Premium and Remington Ammunition — was awarded one of the largest law enforcement ammunition contracts in the company’s history valued at $77.4 million. The FBI selected TKG as the sole supplier across all four requested rifle ammunition categories, with delivery expected to begin in 2026.

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The FBI Says this is the Best AR-15 Barrel Length

While we’re on the 5.56, veteran FBI ballistician Robert explains why muzzle energy alone tells you very little, why the FBI prefers expanding projectiles over traditional fragmenting ammunition, and how every bullet has an optimal performance window. Depending on the ammunition and intended distance, a longer barrel can even drive a projectile too fast and produce worse terminal performance at close range. We also get direct answers on the practical differences between 7.5-, 11.5-, 14.5-, 16-, 18-, and 20-inch AR-15 barrels. For law enforcement and home defense, Robert identifies an 11.5-inch barrel with a 1:7 twist and a properly selected 64- to 75-grain bonded projectile as the practical sweet spot. This is not internet theory. It is a detailed discussion of actual projectile testing, terminal-ballistics standards, and the variables that determine whether a 5.56 round performs as designed. (opens to a video)

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Backcountry Silence: Divide Gun’s MTN Lite Ti Titanium Suppressor

Part of the beauty of this new era of expanding silencer ownership is the fact that many companies have been able to specialize their designs to do one thing very well. On that note, Divide Gun Company has launched a new titanium suppressor built for hunters and long-range shooters who want to cut weight without giving up sound suppression.

The Salmon, Idaho-based manufacturer introduced the MTN Lite Ti suppressor in July 2026. It’s machined from 6Al-4V titanium in small batches at Divide’s Idaho facility. The company uses a tubeless, welded design to reduce weight while keeping the structure rated for centerfire rifle use.

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How To Avoid ATF’s Homemade Silencer Entanglements

The easiest way to avoid AFT entanglements in making a silencer at home is to not do it.  If you must, a former ATF official reached out recently with a strong warning: The ATF is asking for information that could very easily be used against anyone who tries to make a homemade silencer lawfully. If you answer certain questions on a digital Form 1, you may regret it--your honesty could lead to your imprisonment.

The former ATF official said on the electronic ATF Form 1, which you need to complete to make a homemade silencer, there is an electronic documentation box, which states: “Please submit the following descriptive information: Pictures of the parts that you will use to make the silencer (the pictures should be clear and allow the identification of the parts photographed). Failure to upload additional documentation could lead to the Form 1 being Disapproved.” This, the former ATF official said, is a classic example of the ATF’s NFA Division, “not having a clue about what the law says, which they’re supposed to enforce.” The federal definition of a silencer at 18 USC 921(a)(24) not only includes completed silencers, but also includes “any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.” Therefore, any photos of silencer parts that someone submits to ATF can be legally seen as pictures of silencers--for which the applicant does not yet have authorization to possess.

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Beretta M9 vs. Girsan Regard: Two Takes on an Icon

 

A comparison between the Beretta M9 and the Girsan Regard. You can spot a Beretta M9 from across the room. That open-top slide, the long nose, the classic “service pistol” shape-it’s a look. The open-top slide can help with feeding and clearing, and it’s a big reason the M9 doesn’t look like every other modern pistol. The Girsan Regard is basically saying, “Cool--let’s do that, but cheaper… and with a few extras.” 

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Terminator Anyone? OpenAI Finds Evidence Other AI Agents Escaped Containment as It Widens Hacking Probe

OpenAI has discovered other instances in which autonomous agents have escaped containment. The new breakouts were uncovered during the company's publicly announced investigation into how one of its agents escaped what was meant to be a ‌contained testing environment in July 2026. Anthropic, an OpenAI rival company disclosed that its models were also responsible for a series of break-ins that led to breaches at three other ‌companies dating back to April 2026. In August 2026, Facebook owner Meta announced that one of its AI models was able to connect to the internet and hack into another organization's systems during testing.

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Miyamoto Musashi 宮本 武蔵

The Go Rin no Sho is an important and useful work for the martial artist or anyone engaged in conflict, but value it for what it is and recognize what it is not. It is not a moral or ethical guide. That's the caveat--there are useful things in the book, things of value and ways to think, feel, and see.

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NITECORE NPL25 GL Weapon Light and Green Laser

 

Some of us have the need to hang a full-size weapon light (think SureFire X300, Streamlight TLR-1 or similar) on a compact or a duty-size pistol. Most of us, however, don’t. In my opinion, a laser is a better choice and a light/laser combo is the best choice. 

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How Car Doors, Glass, and Barriers Affect Ammunition

 

  

Cars show up in defensive scenarios more than most people think about. You might be in one, next to one, or using one as cover. And the way ammunition behaves after passing through automotive materials is nothing like how it behaves in open air or bare gel. Steel panels, tempered glass, laminated windshields, and interior components all change bullet trajectory, expansion, and penetration in ways that matter if you carry a firearm.

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Miranda – The Case that Changed Policing

“You have the right to remain silent,” a phrase recited across the United States by police officers when making an arrest. June 13, 2026, marked the 60th anniversary of the historic ruling that fundamentally changed policing practices nationwide by establishing what we now refer to as Miranda Rights. The Phoenix Police Department conducted the original investigation that led to this pivotal case.

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If you enjoy reading these articles, please follow/subscribe. The link is on the upper right side of the page. All that will happen is that you will receive an e-mail when I post an article. Your information will never be distributed.If you enjoy reading these articles, please follow/subscribe. The link is on the upper right side of the page. All that will happen is that you will receive an e-mail when I post an article. Your information will never be distributed. 

 

Update: The Olight Baldr Pro R with a Green Laser Failed

My Olight Baldr Pro R rechargeable light with a green laser failed after approximately 1,000 rounds of of buckshot and slugs with the light attached to my home defense shotgun.  When it worked, it worked great as you can see in this review. I believe the charging port on the light had an internal component break which caused the failure. It will no longer take a charge. 

As of August 2026, you can still purchase them for +/- $135.00 from several retailer outlets. The Olight Baldr Pro R rechargeable might be a viable choice for someone who does shoot as much as I do or someone who does not want to spend the money for a Surefire® or other brand. From my research, it appears that Olight has discontinued the remote pressure switch.

Original Review:

This is a quick review of the Olight Baldr Pro R rechargeable light with a green laser. The Baldr Pro R has a flashlight with a 1,350-lumen output and five milliwatt (5mW) class llla green laser located within the flashlight’s reflector. I wanted a light for my home defense shotgun to replace a Surefire® light with a fragile plastic latch that frequently failed. I believe the light failed due to the light’s inability to handle the shotgun’s recoil.

A compact light with a laser seemed to be just the trick and the Olight Baldr Pro R fit my requirements. The Baldr Pro has a selector which gives you the ability to switch between white light only, green laser only, or both white light and green laser. The Baldr Pro is rechargeable and has an internal battery charged via a magnetic charging port. This port also accepts a remote pressure switch which attaches to the magnetic port (the picture below is the light installed on my Beretta 1301).

Recharging the light is simple. Simply take it off the Picatinny rail (it also works with Glock rails) and plug the (included) USB recharging cord into a charging device (not included). You could also charge the light while mounted on the gun although this might not be as convenient. The small LEDs turn green when the battery is fully charged. I always replace the light in the same position on the rail and have had no problems with the laser’s zero wandering.

I zeroed the laser at twenty five yards with the Federal LE-132 low recoil slug—putting four of five shots in a five-inch circle (picture below left). This zero gave me the same point of impact for Federal LE-133 8-pellet buckshot at twenty yards  (picture below right - five shots of Federal LE-133). 

I still had some slugs (I hate partial boxes) so I finished the session shooting four Federal slugs at a 10x12 inch plate 65 yards away.  Four hits for four shots (see picture below and video here).

If you like these articles you can follow by clicking the link in the upper right corner.

Note: I purchased this light and received no remuneration from Olight.
 

Update: Federal Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements for Suppressors, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Short-Barreled Shotguns

In another major victory for law-abiding gun owners, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas today held that the National Firearms Act’s registration and approval requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns exceed Congress’s constitutional authority after Congress eliminated the NFA’s transfer and making taxes on those arms.

The court concluded that Congress enacted the NFA as an exercise of its taxing power and that the statute’s extensive regulatory requirements—including registration, applications, ATF approval, fingerprinting, and related criminal penalties—were constitutionally permissible only because they aided the collection of the NFA’s taxes. The court held that once Congress eliminated the transfer and making taxes for suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs last year, the constitutional foundation for those regulatory provisions disappeared.

The court rejected the government’s argument that the remaining regulations could instead be justified under the Commerce Clause or the Necessary and Proper Clause, explaining that Congress enacted the challenged provisions solely pursuant to its taxing authority. The court therefore held the challenged provisions unconstitutional on Article I enumerated-powers grounds and declined to reach the plaintiffs’ Second Amendment claims.

The Court stayed the effect of the Final Judgment for seven days to allow the government an opportunity to seek relief from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals if it so desires so nothing changes for consumers as of this writing. Please continue following the current ATF process and all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The NRA’s case, Jensen v. ATF, was brought alongside the American Suppressor Association, Second Amendment Foundation, and Firearms Policy Coalition, with the plaintiffs Texas State Rifle Association, FPC Action Foundation, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Hot Shots Custom LLC, and individuals John Jensen, Jeremy Neusch, and David Smith. The Jensen case was ultimately consolidated with Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF.

For an in-depth review of exactly how this affects various parties, see: Understanding the August 5th ruling in the Silencer Shop Foundation v. BATFE case