GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Rifles

While Colt is well known for their early revolvers, Government Model 1911, and various ARs, the company also happens to build very high quality bolt action rifles with the hunter and competitor in mind. These are the kind of guns you use when you want to reach out and touch something, whether a game animal in the wide open spaces or a target on the 1,000 meter range. The new rifles Colt brought to SHOT Show are an expansion of their popular M2012 series. As in the earlier versions, the new guns come with matc- grade fluted barrels and Timney single-stage adjustable triggers. The new model designations are M2012MT308T and M2012LT308G/M2012LT260G. It’s not really as complicated a naming scheme as it appears. The model is M2012, the 308 and 260 refer to the calibers, the MT and LT indicate how the gun is configured, and the T and G designate…OK it is as complicated as it seems. But that doesn’t detract from the exceptional quality they bring to the game.

When we stopped at the Benelli SHOT Show booth, three guns caught our eye – the Benelli ETHOS shotgun, the Franchi 3 1/2” Intensity shotgun and the Uberti 1873 Lever-Action Competition rifle, a trio of exceptional guns from the Benelli family of companies.The heart of the ETHOS shotgun is Benelli’s Inertia Driven System. Proven in nearly half a century of use in the most demanding competition and field applications, this simple but extremely effective system provides the operator with a number of benefits. There are only three primary parts – the bolt body, inertia spring, and rotating bolt head. Simplicity translates to reliability. It never needs adjusting and can handle a variety of loads from 3 ½” magnums to light field loads. The low mass of the moving parts makes for a fast cycle time, giving you quicker follow-up shots. And the locked bolt keeps powder residue in the barrel for a cleaner action. The AA-Grade walnut stock was not only gorgeous, it also housed a recoil reduction system. The ETHOS wore a light weight carbon fiber vent rib incorporating an interchangeable front sight so you can use the best color for the day’s hunt. Red, green and yellow fiber-optics are included. Take a look at this fast-loading, fast-shooting and beautiful-to-behold example of the gun maker’s art.

Noreen Firearms has a new AR patterned rifle. A new AR. Right. We’ve heard that a lot at SHOT show. You don’t even have to be here in Vegas to hear someone yammering on about a new AR. But Noreen’s guns are a little bit different. It’s an AR all right, but not a 15 or a 10. An AR 10 isn’t a big enough platform for this big boy. We are talking a true long-action AR. One big enough for 30-06.

Daniel Defense makes guns that are well known for their great shooting barrels. The new V9 series of M4 rifles in 5.56 feature three barrel profiles, allowing buyers to select the barrel that best meets their needs. There are a number of features which make the Daniel Defense barrels so good. The first is that they’re cold hammer forged. This process hydraulically hammers the barrel blanks around a mandrel that forms the chamber, lands and grooves. The forging process relieves the strain normally found in a barrel blank while delivering exceptional consistency in chamber size. Both contribute to improved accuracy. The barrels are then externally treated using a Melonite treatment, named for the Melonite salt used. This Nitrocarburizing process results in a smooth, slick surface that improves the surface hardness of the barrel while increasing resistance to corrosion and carbon adhesion. The three barrel profiles available in the V9 series include the16” government profile barrel, 16” lightweight profile and the 18” strength-to-weight (S2W) barrel.

The popular IWI US Tavor SAR won this year’s NRA Golden Bullseye Award presented for the best products in the shooting sports. IWI is building on that popularity and customer demand by introducing a complete kit to convert your Tavor from 5.56 to 9mm. If you’ve ever fired a 5.56 gun indoors without ear protection, such as in a home defense situation, you can appreciate just how loud it is. The same platform in 9mm would produce a lower level of sound with the added benefit of less recoil. The 9mm is also easier to quiet with a sound suppressor and less expensive for training. The kit comes complete with a 17” cold hammer-forged barrel, complete blowback recoil assembly including the bolt and carrier, 9 mm magazine magwell adapter, 9mm deflector, 32-round steel magazine and a barrel removal wrench. All you have to add is the ammo.

CZ-USA’s Western Series 550 Sonoran bolt action rifle is highly accurate and extremely tough. These aren’t run-of-the mill production guns. CZ-USA takes Czech actions and custom builds the rifles to give you a rifle you can depend on when the chips are down. Each and every rifle is ferritic nitrocarbonized inside and out. That brings the surface hardness up to Rockwell 72, making the gun nearly impervious to wear and corrosion. It also improves lubricity, meaning you can use less lubricant for a cleaner-running action. As an added bonus, it doubles barrel life. The Sonorran wears the industry’s first all carbon fiber stock and sports such features as a fluted barrel, adjustable trigger and guaranteed accuracy of 1 minute of angle or better. It’s available in four models: .270 and 30-06 with a 24” barrel and .300 Win. Mag and 7mm Mag with a 26” barrel. MSRP is $3199.

Traditions is well known in the black powder community as a manufacturer of superior firearms. The company produces old-fashioned-style flintlocks, but it also makes some of the most advanced black powder muzzle loaders available. The Strikefire rifles use a primer to ignite the main charge. The primers are ignited by an internal hammer. A simple slide of the lock button is all that’s needed to cock the hammer. Should you wish to de-cock it without firing, simply move the same lock switch to the rear, or break the action. You can see it more clearly in the video. A two-stage competition-style trigger with a break force of two pounds means that when you’re on target, you won’t upset your sight picture by firing the gun. The Strikefire system also improves lock time further improving accuracy. Safety wasn’t an afterthought, either. The Vortex Strikefire rifles incorporate not only a trigger block safety but are also equipped with an internal striker block safety. An alloy frame reduces weight, and a Ceracoat finish ensures corrosion resistance. The Ceracoat also makes cleaning a lot easier. To facilitate cleaning the barrel, simply remove the screw-in breech plug, giving you unobstructed access. The end result of the application of modern technology is a fast-loading, consistent-firing and accurate shooting rifle. With an MSRP in the mid $500s, it won’t break the bank either.

Crye Precision, a company known for tactical gear popular with law enforcement and active duty military personnel, has made a gun unlike anything we have seen at the SHOT Show this year. Actually, it’s not like anything we’ve ever seen before. The Six12 is a bullpup revolving shotgun. The gun holds six rounds of 12 gauge (get it) in a revolving cylinder. The Six12s are designed to mount to AR platform rails, and make an AR look even much more aggressive. And it looks like it is going to be popular. We had to fight through an excited crowd to get you these pictures.

Navy Arms https://www.navyarms.com/ Navy Arms is back, although it didn’t really go away; it has just been a long time since it has sold firearms. The company has entered into collaboration with Winchester and Turnbull to create a remarkably well-built and beautiful 1873 Winchester lever action. The guns are manufactured in Japan by Winchester and [...]