In 2007, Aimpoint set the bar high for the micro red dot sight (MRD), which was then new to the market. Until then, military grade red dot sights were fairly large, consisting of a wide 30mm tube with a battery compartment slung off the side. While very effective in combat and in the civilian hunting and shooting sports, they added bulk and weight to the firearm. This proved cumbersome, especially for competition shooters mounting red dots to their pistols. When Aimpoint launched its Micro Red Dot series, it took all the reliability, durability and long battery life of its proven larger red dots and crammed it into a small, light-weight package.

Originally Aimpoint had three micro models, the T-1, H-1 and R-1. All three shared the same physical dimensions, weight and operating controls, but they were intended for different applications. The T-1 was designed primarily for a military and law enforcement application, while the H-1 and R-1 were intended for the American hunter and competition shooter respectively. As the R-1 has been discontinued and the primary difference from the H-1 is the color (silver instead of black), this article will only address the T-1 and the H-1. The different specifications between the T-1 and the H-1 are their availability of night vision settings, operating temperature ranges, water resistance and color. The military and Law Enforcement T-1 has four night vision settings and is rated for operation in -50 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also submersible to 80 feet. These extra features come at a premium, and the T-1 commands a higher price point than the H-1. The H-1 looks like the more expensive T-1, but it lacks the night vision settings, has an operating temperature range of -20 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and is only submersible to 15 feet. The H-1 also has more distinct manufacture and product markings than the T-1.

The popularity of the A&E reality show Duck Dynasty has done wonders to increase the public’s awareness of duck hunting. Mossberg, making the most of this opportunity, announced this past summer that it had teamed up with the Duck Commander guys to create a new line of products. These interpretations of venerable Mossberg guns are starting to trickle out of the factory. We talked to Mossberg reps at SHOT Show this year and they agreed to send us a Duck Commander 930, which we had in the field before the end of duck season (just a week later). What better way to check out a gun that is designed to knock waterfowl out of the sky than to take it to the blind?

It is easy to get lost in our world of technology and abundance. Every time I turn on the water tap in my home, water comes out. Every time I go to the grocery store, the shelves are full of food. The store clerk accepts either a plastic card from me in exchange for my food, or provide some combination of paper (actually cloth) currency. The lights in my home turn on when I flip the switch, and I can turn on the TV or use my computer to find out what is going on in the world anytime I want. And though I carry a gun every day (living in Miami I would be a fool not to), I don’t expect to ever have to use it to protect my family and belongings. I also have fuel to cook my food and if I get hurt I can go to the hospital and get fixed up right quick. All of this I fully expect to go on indefinitely, and probably to get even easier as time moves endlessly forward. I have been conditioned to believe that I will never have to live life without these “entitlements” (for lack of a better word), and if I question this assumption, I’m a paranoid nut.

It is time to dismantle “Mayors Against Illegal Guns,” or MAIG. The organization started as a great idea. Who doesn’t want to fight the transfer of illegal guns? The problem is, this organization was corrupt from the start. Started by **former** mayors Micheal Bloomberg and Boston’s Thomas Menino, it has now come out that the intent of of the group was always to confiscate all firearms from legal and law abiding gun owners. This week marked the departure from the group of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Mayor John C. Tkazyik. He claims to be an NRA member and that he has always supported lawful firearms ownership. Apparently he was lured into MAIG with false promises of support for programs that get actual results in fighting local crime and homicides, then eventually figured out that MAIG was just a bunch of gun grabbers with an Orwelian reverse-think name.

In this short-action version of the AR, Armalite shortened the receiver and has changed the forestock to get a shorter bolt action. The rifle has a 24-inch barrel and uses AR 10B magazines.

Leupold has long been associated with quality scopes at reasonable price points. In the words of their founder, Fred Leupold, “the customer is entitled to a square deal.” That remains a guiding principal as Leupold continues to develop and improve their line of scopes. They had an improved Delta Point 2 reflex sight for handguns and shotguns at their show booth, but their biggest news this year was the brand new VX-6 7-42x56mm rifle scope. It is so new, in fact, that the design hasn’t been completely finalized. Here’s what we know: it’s the highest variable power scope they’ve ever made, it has their Extended Twilight lens system for increased light transmission, the MSRP will be in the $2,200 range, and they expect to start shipping scopes in 4-6 weeks.

Tapco makes low-priced aftermarket parts for a lot of different guns. They define the value-oriented end of the customization market. And the R&D teams can turn around products fast. The latest offering, and one that will fly off the shelves, is a tactical stock set for Ruger’s 10/22 Takedown, one of the most versatile configurations of the venerable rimfire ever made.

3D printing is definitely the wave of the future in manufacturing. However, for the most part, what we’ve seen is novelty items or non-serviceable experiments exploring the limits of the process. As far as I know, TacStar, one of the Lyman family of brands specializing in tactical accessories, is the first company in our industry to bring a 3D printed item to market. The newest product is an AR-15 Adjustable Match Rifle Stock. This is not a toy. It’s a well engineered stock that allows you to customize the length of pull and comb height to ensure that your AR fits you perfectly. A properly fitting gun, of course, allows you to shoot your best.

Chiappa Firearms https://www.chiappafirearms.com/ Chiappa Firearms, best known for their quasi steampunk looking Rhino revolvers, had a shotgun/rifle combo at SHOT this year that the survivalists out among us will surely take note of. The X-Caliber is a folding stock, over-under, shotgun rifle. The basic form of the long gun is a 12 gauge shotgun barrel [...]