GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Rifles

Uziel Gal was a German-born Israeli who served half of a six-year sentence after having been arrested for carrying a gun illegally in the British Mandate of Palestine. He was released in 1946, two years before Israel declared her independence. A gifted designer, Gal began work on a new submachine gun and completed his first prototype in 1950. Christened the Uzi after its designer, this rugged combat

Size matters, but when it comes to combat-ready firearms, smaller is often better. Compact weapons allow for easy maneuvering in tight spaces, which is an especially useful attribute in a home-defense firearm. Now, thanks to a favorable ruling from the ATF, Springfield has introduced two pistol-length versions of their popular Saint AR-15: the .556 and, more recently, a 300 Blackout model.

The origin story is foundational dogma for gun nerds like us. George Sullivan incorporated the ArmaLite Corporation in 1954 as a tiny little subsidiary of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. Operating out of a modest machine shop in Hollywood, California, Sullivan envisioned ArmaLite as a think tank to explore cutting-edge concepts in small arms. Their first serious effort was a small takedown survival rifle intended for use by downed military aircrew.

The .30 M-1 Carbine was used by the U.S. Military in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The carbine was supplied to allied forces and hung around long after Vietnam. I encountered the M-1 carbine in service with the Bolivian UMOPAR counter-drug police in the 1990s. These fun guns remain popular and effective for civilians today.

Last year, I got my first experience with the Browning X-Bolt, using a Hell’s Canyon model in 6.5 Creedmore. I came away very impressed, my respect for the Browning name rekindled. They got a lot right with this model, from the trigger to the muzzle brake. So when the chance popped up to take a look at the X-bolt Pro in 300 Winchester Magnum, I hopped on it.

If the AR-15 is America’s most popular rifle, the Ruger 10/22 might be its most beloved. Thousands, probably millions, of youngsters have cut their teeth on the little rimfire, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Whether you’re building a precision rifle or a budget squirrel hunter, Brownell’s new BRN-22 is a great place to start your 10/22 build.

The Germans saw their industry transformed from a collective of cottage artisans of sorts into a manufacturing juggernaut that prevailed in the face of material shortages of many manifest flavors as well as round-the-clock bombing. Early guns were meticulously crafted and expensive. Later weapons, though functional, were designed from the outset to be readily manufacturable. Those in between exhibited characteristics of each. The three best examples are the Steyr MP34, the Beretta 38A, and the MP40.

The Momentum is a nice rifle, but not for the reasons Franchi thinks it is.

The Italian company has been manufacturing high-quality bird guns for 150 years, and in April of 2018 they announced their first foray into the bolt-action rifle market. Franchi hopes to translate its heritage of craftsmanship and innovation to a new kind of firearm, and for the most part, they succeeded.

Modularity is the new gospel in modern firepower, and the FN SCAR just drips with it. The upper receiver starts out as an extruded bit of aluminum, while the polymer lower contains the fire control system and secures the magazine. There are two major subtypes. The SCAR-Light (SCAR-L) runs 5.56x45mm. The SCAR-Heavy (SCAR-H) chambers 7.62x51mm.