Gun Reviews

From time to time, Ruger produces the rifles in chamberings more suitable for hunting African plains game and big game elsewhere. The newest of these is the Ruger Hawkeye African chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. For my money, Ruger knocked it out of the park with this gun.

To me, there’s something special about using a Colt 1873-style revolver. Part of it, of course, is the connection to our Old West history, cowboys and gunfighters, and all those John Wayne movies I watched as a kid. But there’s also a simplicity and a functionality to the 1873 and its single-action operation I find very attractive, as well as how good the revolver feels in hand, the weight, and the fine balance.

The entire XDS line up shoots like a house on fire, and the OSP is no exception. Sized perfectly to carry extremely well, but still be a shooter on the range, this gun is hands down a winner.

The Korth Mongoose sells for close to $5,000! I have no doubt that this may be the most expensive revolver ever covered by GunsAmerica. Yes, you can buy three and a third Pythons for the cost of the Mongoose.

Lone Star Armory is making some very impressive weapons and is worth a look. It has a premium price tag, but it gets you a premium blaster.

Springfield Armory resurrected the classic custom 1911 and upgraded it with modern features in their most recent 1911 release – the 5” Ronin Operator .45 ACP. Steel forged components are at the core of the Ronin Operators and were made to withstand a lifetime of service.

If you’re a serious handgun shooter, eventually you are going to want a serious pistol. One that was designed for true perfection, and to maximize the shooter’s ability to perform. Such a pistol is the CZ 75 Tactical Sport Orange, or TSO. It is one of the most elite production handguns on the market. Let’s explore why.

The complete BRN-180 ain’t cheap ($130-150 for the lower + $900 for the upper + parts), but it’s a great option if you’re in an AR-15 rut. The side charging handle and folding stock are eye-catchers at the range, and the rifle is reliable and accurate. While your buddies are building another AR-15 for their ever-expanding collection, branch out to something a little different and check out the BRN-180 from Brownells.

US military handguns have not been sold to citizens as surplus weapons in quite a long time. Given the current political climate, it’s really hard to tell how long the CMP will keep getting 1911s to sell. I am really happy with the pistol I received, and I believe you will be as well if you get one. If you’re a diehard 1911 fan, these are a must and they’re definitely worth the wait. It’s not every day that you can buy a real piece of history.

The FN 15 Tactical Carbine FDE P-LOK hasn’t garnered a lot of attention since its introduction a couple of years ago, and that’s a shame because this is one very well-conceived and executed rifle that you can buy at an affordable price.

At some point, any waterfowl hunter is attracted to the guns that have some type of wet fowl-weather durability. Browning’s Wicked Wing meets that tough demand with their Cerakote Burnt Bronze finish, synthetic stock and forearm, and a fully chromed bore.

The Micro 9 is essentially a “Honey, I shrunk the 1911” design, with a few subtle changes. It’s available in a rainbow of bright metallic finishes that are – if nothing else – very eye catching!

Under current conditions, buying any gun can be a challenge, and ammunition availability is even worse. One bright spot in the field is the venerable 12 gauge shotgun. Ammunition is in stock and selling for around normal retail, even if it is not present in unlimited quantities.

Springfield is now offering the Hellcat with a factory mounted Shield SMSc Micro Red Dot sight, and in a new color, Desert FDE (OSP and regular). The Shield SMSc is a 4 MOA LED red dot with a coated polymer lens for improved shock resistance and clarity. Shield uses a colorless coating to reduce the visible signature.

The new 1911 Ronin Operator 4.25” 9 mm from Springfield Armory brings modern styling and precision manufacturing to the timeless 1911. It has a profoundly classic look with all the features today’s shooters expect at an entry level price.

With ever-present threats looming prominently all year, 2020 taught us that preppers aren’t so whacky after all. Take a look at this year’s Top Ten Tactical Christmas list for gift ideas to make yourself and your loved ones more prepared in 2021.

The Turnbull Winchester 1886 rifle we tested is a spectacular firearm. The color casehardening, in particular, is extraordinary. We had zero malfunctions, the rifle shot well, and carried nicely in the hand and in a saddle scabbard. Accuracy was good.

I got fairly excited when I discovered Magnum Research had developed a new version of the Desert Eagle, the Desert Eagle 429 Mark XIX, chambered in Magnum Research’s new .429 DE cartridge.

Clay discusses reasons for malfunctions in his pistol build.

Smith & Wesson’s K-frame series is, without question, the most prolific series of revolvers ever produced. If my count is correct, Smith offers, at least 14 models based on the K-frame. Calibers includes .22 LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum. However, the Queen of the K-frames is, and will always be the Model 19 Combat Magnum.

Even a quick glance tells you this is not your granddaddy’s lever rifle. The new Henry Big Boy X rifle is a modern refresh of the iconic lever-action rifle design, boosting performance and versatility to entirely new levels.

For anyone that didn’t grab a gun before now, ithe SKS should not be overlooked. SKS rifles are still available, albeit 2020 price is closer to $350 or $400. Even at that though, it gets you a semi-auto rifle that does a pretty decent job in combat terms.

The benefits to an 18 make it something you should reconsider. For that little bit more length and weight, you get a softer shooter, as well as a minor bullet velocity gain. It is absolutely worth trying out.

The XDE from Langdon Tactical Technologies is a heck of a shooter. Springfield Armory built a terrific little hammer-fired gun, and Ernest Langdon perfected it.

In my opinion, the K6 series of revolvers are some of the best personal defense revolvers on the market. In a world of polymer wonder nines, I appreciate that Kimber has dedicated significant resources to designing and manufacturing a solid wheelgun.

Extremely useful as trainers for both PRS competition and hunting, not to mention as stand-alone rifles for the NLR22 series, these rifles are gaining in popularity. The unfortunate part of this was that to get a truly perfect, size correct traine…

Kalashnikov’s legendary AK47 is unlike the battle rifles of the NATO. The AK47 was a unique marriage of an intermediate cartridge with a sophisticated mass production design. Perfectly integrated with the Soviet doctrine of mass attacks and mass fires, it became a symbol of revolution.

Aftermarket specialist Apex Tactical Specialties has a real treat coming up for FN 509 owners, a tricked-out 5-inch longslide assembly.

Ruger has long been a leader in handguns, at least in terms of numbers. But while they have been the King of Rimfire, and arguably single-action revolvers, in my opinion, their polymer guns left something to be desired. That really started changing about 4 years ago, with the advent of the