GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Rifles

When Beretta launched the ARX100, we put up a spontaneous review. We had only had the gun for a few hours before press time. So we’re going back and taking another look at the rifle. This time Tom McHale has had more time to really push the gun. How well does Beretta’s new rifle stand up to close scrutiny? Read on…

Some see the M1 Carbine as a antique, a collectable that’s nostalgic at best. They’ve never seen Fulton Armory’s carbines. The Fulton M3 Scout Carbine builds on the M1’s classic design. But don’t mistake this for some historic homage, or a safe queen–Fulton’s M3 is an ideal choice for home defense. And it shoots one clean r.

If you trace the evolution of the modern sniper rifle, it invariably leads you back to the Model 1903 Springfield. It served US forces in World War I, then soldiered on into World War II, through the Korean Conflict, and even appeared here and there in Vietnam. Several versions of the 1903 Springfield were used as sniper rifles, the most common of which was the 1903A4. It first appeared in 1943 and carried a Weaver 330 scope, mounted on a drilled and tapped Redfield base that was created specifically for the gun. The Weaver 330 later turned into the M73, and then the M73B1, and with its 2.2x not waterproof sniper scope, the 1903A4 is today the most classic of all US sniper rifles, but they are expensive, in the thousands of dollars for even a beat up one.

Over the past several years there has been an explosion in shooting competitions based on “as issued” military bolt rifles, or “service rifles.” Thousands of old ’03 Springfields and other bolt action battle rifles have left the confines of the gun safe after decades of non-use and have again become “working rifles.” The problem is, a lot of the shooters involved in these new service rifle competitions are great shooters, but have aging eyesight. Over a certain age, you really need optics to shoot well, but the 1903 Springfield isn’t the easiest gun on which to mount a scope. The receivers are extremely hard on most of them and difficult to drill and tap, and drilling and tapping them is a big decision as well. It is very rare if not impossible to find an ’03 that is all original, but they all have historical value and significance. Most of us out here with the guns are also history nuts and at least quasi-collector/accumulators, and we can’t just decide to drill and tap them for scope mounts so we can shoot them better. That is why, until now, they have largely just sat in the safe.

GunsAmerica and HAVA are pleased to offer this Mossberg MMR Tactical for auction. We’ve put the rifle through our battery of review tests, and now we’re auctioning off the gun. 100% of the proceeds will go to HAVA and their efforts to help American veterans. It is a worthwhile cause and a kick-ass rifle. The auction is live now, and will close at 8:00 p.m. EST on Sept 21st.Read on for the details.

Mossberg’s MVP Patrol in 5.56 is a surprising rifle. The basic nature of this gun’s design makes it easy to use, and the two chamberings (5.56, and .308) make it a logical choice for preppers. If you’re looking for a compact rifle that shoots inexpensive ammo, and one that is imminently capable, check out the Mossbergs.

Polymer80 makes pieces and parts for the home rifle builder. If you’ve ever thought about finishing your own AR-15 lower, and avoiding all of the FFL paperwork, Polymer80 has a kit that is almost foolproof. And we’ve going built it, start to finish. Read the review…

Today’s spotlight is on a very special set from Barnes Precision Machine–an AR-15 with uppers in both 5.56 and .300 AAC Blackout. Why two upper receivers? That is the brilliance of the Blackout. 300 AAC was designed from the ground up to work with all existing AR-15 components except the barrel. Magazines, bolt, and all the internal parts are identical. But the real benefit comes from active training.

General George S. Patton once called the M1 Garand the “best battle implement ever devised.” But was he correct? The run up to World War II saw a giant leap forward in technology for weapons of war. The jet airplane was invented for WWII. Of course the atomic bomb was invented for WWII. But more importantly, the weapons that saw the most combat, the infantry battle rifles of the war, changed considerably as well, worldwide. The SVT-40 never really got out of the gate due to the later popularity of the AK-47, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was an influential rifle on the Eastern front during the war, or the fact that it totally rocks. We got to test an actual 1943 SVT-40 side by side with an M1 Garand, and the results may surprise you.

When Savage called and asked if GunsAmerica would review one of their Youth rifles, I intended to do it right and have an actual kid do the shooting. Then they asked if they could send one in Muddy Girl. While this camo pattern won’t prevent boys from shooting it, I thought I’d try to find a girl who knew her way around guns. After a few phone calls, I lined up an 11 year old. But when the rifle arrived, it was a .308. How well can an 11 year old girl handle a .308?