Gun Reviews

In 1945, Roy Weatherby introduced three cartridges that became synonymous with speed. That has always been Weatherby’s calling card: high velocity equals flat trajectory, and they’ve stuck with that concept.

Then Smith produced the Model 640 Pro Series, perhaps the best J-frame ever! The Model 640 Pro is a Performance Center pistol that reminds me of the Smiths of old. The 640 Pro is based on a Model 640, stainless, five shot .357 Magnum, with a 2.125” barrel.

Even the highest quality, best-made guns eventually suffer a failure or malfunction, and it may not indicate a problem with the gun. It can still be a serious problem though, and learning how to clear malfunctions is serious business.

This week, we got a chance to look at a Savage 10 GRS, which boasts a Berserk stock, suppressor-ready barrel and runs off Magpul AICS style magazines.

The Ruger Precision Rimfire (RPR) Model 8400 is a bolt action .22 LR made to mimic a full-size precision chassis long range centerfire rifle. It has the ability to be a super short rimfire action or mimic a centerfire short action rifle. It’s a tac driving machine that has phenomenal ergonomics and an easily adjustable stock…

The Victory .38 was a wartime version of the original Smith and Wesson Model 10 first introduced in 1899. The gun was variously known as the S&W Military and Police or the S&W Hand Ejector. Total production exceeded six million copies. While civilian variants typically sported a deep blue finish and a variety of barrel lengths, the Victory model was bred purely for combat.

Smith & Wesson saw the exact problem I’ve described and have literally engineered the S&W M&P Shield EZ to be easier to shoot and manipulate. I believe it to be the easiest centerfire pistol in the concealed carry market to shoot and it might be the ultimate kids gun.

Law Enforcement was one of the obvious target audiences for this gun, and it shows. The 1301 Tactical features a slightly shorter receiver than the 1301 Competition, part of an overall size reduction. The stock is also slightly shorter, offering a 37.8 inch length of pull out of the box.

The Gewehr 98 Mauser rifle is one of the most historically significant and technically influential firearms in history. In one variant or another, it armed men on both sides of two world wars and continues to be seen in conflicts around the world to this day. Rifle actions are still being based on it or using its features.

Opening a newly arrived box at my local FFL dealership inspired a couple “Wow!” responses – one of them my own. The 1860 Richards Transition Model Type II nestling therein sports eight glorious inches of gleaming blued steel barrel, a beautifully figured walnut grip, and a very nice color-casehardened frame.

Lightweight, rugged, and maneuverable, the Czech vz. 58 represents a tiny glimmer of individuality in the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War.

Available in six models including pistols and carbines, the Guard has fully functional AR controls and feeds from Glock-pattern magazines.

This particular class was obviously not a beginner’s course. But there are plenty to choose from that are in the NRA Summer Gunsmithing Program.

Kimber America, however, seems like the most unlikely company to be in the revolver market. Yes, the same Kimber famous for their 1911s.

But, why I really love shotguns is because they are so versatile. Seriously, if you can find me any other gun that you can shoot a quail with at 15 yards and also shoot a whitetail with at 150, I will be very impressed. Not to mention all the different gauges, styles and brands.

Today was the first time I got to test the new Ruger 10/22 with the Silent-SR ISB, or Integrally Suppressed Barrel. The lines look like a double barrel gun, but the bottom half is actually a baffle stack. A one-piece barrel and suppressor, it fits any 10/22 takedown model as a replacement. It is one of the most well thought out rimfire suppressors I have seen, Ruger hit it out of the park this time.

In 1952 the Czech military adopted a radically strange new pistol designed by two brothers, Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvil. The vz52 (not to be confused with the vz52 rifle of the same designation that entered Czech service the same year) represented a unique application of the roller-locked action pioneered by the German MG42 machine gun. While HK dabbled in the same thing with their short-lived P9S handgun, the vz52 pistol was otherwise unique.

Successful firearm sequels balance “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” with real, value-adding improvements. If a manufacturer re-engineers a popular design like the XD-S, they risk losing those features that made the firearm successful in the first place. But if they don’t improve enough components, “new-and-improved” starts to look suspiciously like “the-same-and-more-expensive.” Those were my thoughts heading into this review, but I think Springfield balanced these two extremes well.

The TriStar KRX Tactical Shotgun is a serious player. With AR ergonomics and a box magazine, it is easy to load and simple to shoot. No matter what your sport, the KRX is ready to play. The advanced self-adjusting gas system feeds any shotgun ammo reliably and the removable choke system (Beretta/Benelli Mobile Threads) lets you pick your pattern, including extended tactical chokes.

The ability to convert existing M4A1 carbines to a PDW, chambered in 300 BLK, offers several appealing advantages.  First, it is far more economical than purchasing complete carbines.  Far more conversion kits can be purchased than complete carbines.  Second, the purchase of a retrofit kit presents fewer issues than building a new carbine.  Finally, should the receiver be damaged, the conversion kit can be fitted to another lower.

I was ready to rock ‘n roll earlier this month when I made my way to central Texas to try my hand at a 1000-yard target with the new Long-Range Rifle (LRR) from Smith & Wesson’s Performance Center and Thompson/Center. Like many gun owners in 2018, my long-range shooting knowledge exceeded my experience. I’ve been geeking out about D.O.P.E. cards, bullet trajectories, and MIL vs. MOA for years, but I hadn’t had many chances to pull the trigger.

Georg Luger left an indelible mark on the firearms world that persists to this very day. His extraordinary eponymous handgun was not an altogether original design, however. His mentor, a German engineer named Hugo Borchardt, was actually the first to realize the human knee would translate into a serviceable firearm.

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

Before I talk about the features of the gun, let me say that this gun and my time behind it has led me to rethink my immediate negative reaction when some gun writer pens the phrase, “Practical Accuracy.” When seen within context of most articles I have always winced, viewing it as a dog whistle indicating poor accuracy. However, my off-the-shelf Hudson H9 that I purchased from a retailer has me re-defining practical accuracy more generously, i.e., being able to hit targets of a size commensurate with the defensive use of a handgun, effectively at practical distances and speed. 

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.

Biometric safes make me nervous. Using a fingerprint to open my iPhone is one thing. Relying on that technology to save my life is a whole different ball game. Batteries fail, circuits break, and biometric locks have a less-than-stellar track record in the firearms community. But here’s the catch…

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.

Over the last couple of years, Taurus USA has hired a handful of experienced engineers from around the firearm Industry. To complement the new talent, Taurus also opened a state of the art manufacturing and R&D facility here in the United States.