Gun Reviews

We’re all guilty, each and every one of us, myself included. We’ll be at a summer barbecue, or sharing a beer at the local pub, or sitting around the campfire, and the cartridge debate will begin. And, once it begins, you’re bound to hear all sorts of boastful claims, insistent arguing points, hand-me-down tales of perfect, flawless performance in the hands of various uncles and grandsires, and all sorts of reasons why any other cartridge than the metallic hero receiving adoration at that moment is a silly, wasteful, childish design. Sometimes you’ll hear – possibly simultaneously if the crowd is large enough and the tongues are loose – that old cartridge should be put out to pasture.

The .22LR is about as American as apple pie and it’s safe to say that no other .22 rifle is as American as the Ruger 10/22. Since the 1960’s, the Ruger 10/22 has been responsible for the countless shot-up cans, the taking of small game, and general fun having then just about any other .22LR made. This is for good reason. Similar to the AR-15, the 10/22 is manufactured in a way that makes it easy to swap out components to go from plinker to tack driver in no time.

There are lots of great companies competing for a slice of the AR-15 market, but it’s sometimes hard to find a rifle that is different. Enter Rock River Arms. I was torn between two rifles: the LAR-15 QMC (Quick Magazine Change) and the LAR-15 BTB (Better Than Basic) Carbine. I couldn’t decide between which one to test, so Rock Rivers graciously sent both.

Having the right tool for the right job helps eek out the most enjoyment of the sport. When I was invited to go waterfowl shooting, I didn’t want to risk water damage to the wood on my upland shotgun. Falling in the water or being pelted by hours of rain is not uncommon when waterfowl hunting, so I knew I needed a shotgun designed for the wet environment of a waterfowl blind. Enter the Mossberg 930 Pro-Series Waterfowl, a 12 gauge, gas operated semi-automatic shotgun designed to take the abusive environment of waterfowl hunting.

With the Hearing Protection Act being heard on Capitol Hill this week and the introduction of the Maxim50, suppressors are front and center in the shooting community. SIG Sauer has been marketing themselves as the “ total systems provider”, and that is proving more accurate by the day. This week, we finished the hard part of getting a suppressor. The waiting game.

The war in Vietnam saw the introduction of a wide array of new technologies. From smart bombs to night vision and lightweight assault rifles, Vietnam was a proving ground for countless new weapons and the tactics that drove their employment. As a result, flight crews operating Army rotary-wing combat aircraft frequently made up the rules as they went along.

As an outdoorsman, I enjoy being afield in all sorts of capacities. While hunting is one of my favorite pastimes, fishing and hiking are a wonderful means of spending time with friends and family and living in close proximity to both the Catskill and Adirondack mountains, there is ample opportunity for both of those activities. I am also, by trade, a Professional Land Surveyor, so my work hours are often spent in the remote wilderness areas.

Waterfowl hunters are a dedicated lot; heading off to the lakes and swamps before daylight, stringing out decoys, shivering motionlessly in the blind as the morning fog cuts through their best camo jacket, all for the sake of making the skies rain ducks and geese. CZ has just the ticket for those of you who are really serious about filling the skies with shot and bringing down every bird that comes in range, the CZ Swamp Magnum Camo.

This week, I got my hands on the M&P Bodyguard in .38 Special from our friends over at Smith and Wesson. What is the big deal, you may ask, with a .38 Special J Frame that was actually released six years ago? Well, there have been a couple of updates, but the biggest deal is what we found to feed it.

What do you call a double stack 1911 in 9mm, with an Excalibur level trigger, an RMR, and a threaded barrel? Dan Wesson calls that the Fury. One of the most appropriately named pistols I have seen. I would have to concur. This pistol has roots in paper and steel matches, but God help whoever is on the other end of this as a tactical gun.

It seems like every year we hear that revolvers are dead, and then every year some magic happens with the wheel guns. The Performance Center Model 327 is no exception to this. The 327 is everything you could ever want in a personal protection gun if you are a wheel gun fan.

I can still remember the days when I longed for my first rifle; the thought of a long shiny blued steel barrel and glossy walnut stock of my very own almost more than I could stand. Now I saw the same look in my little son Josiah’s eyes as he stood, hands shoved deep in his pockets, gazing with earnest shyness into my face as he answered my question. I had asked what he wanted more than anything for his upcoming ninth birthday. His answer? “A gun!”

The CCW market is one of the fastest growing segments of the firearms world and has held that position for years. It should come as no surprise then, that a good chunk of it is snake oil and hyped up nonsense. Sadly, grifters naturally gravitate to any segment of the market based loosely on fear, [...]

In our .17 HMR vs .22LR shootout, the .17 HMR was the clear winner. So the obvious question is, why not go to .17 WSM ( Winchester Super Magnum) instead of .17 HMR?

DoubleStar expanded its popular Always Ready Carbine (ARC) line with the addition of a .300 Blackout caliber model; meeting the needs of hunters who wanted those larger 30-caliber bullets for hogs and deer. This filled the gap in the ARC line for a suppressible caliber version as well.

“Phil, we’re going to pass on him; he’s just a bit too short for what we’re looking for.” Really?  The bull was as dead as yesterday, comfortably wading in the billabong, completely oblivious to the hunters standing 40 paces away behind the shade tree on the bank. But, professional hunter Graham Williams was very serious, and all I could do was draw the rifle down on the buffalo and count coup. Something in my body language must have expressed frustration, and the ever-cool Willams uttered what I would soon learn was his catch-phrase: “Please be patient, there are many bulls to be looked over.” I shouldered the big German double, and continued on the buffalo trail beside the series of waterholes that dotted the small valley.

When is a gun defined as a firearm? Even better when is a gun a ghost? If you are a staunch 2nd  Amendment advocate as I am plus like to build stuff — especially stuff that goes bang — then 80 percent lowers no doubt tickle your fancy. According to the Federal Government, the Polymer80 Spectre 80 percent pistol kit is nothing more than a piece of polymer, but apply some calculated cuts with drill bits and cutting tools, shape the polymer with a file and sand paper, and add parts and that inert piece of plastic becomes a functioning semi-automatic pistol.

World War II changed most everything about planet earth. Society, culture, industry, and politics all underwent a seismic shift during this worldwide conflict that ultimately claimed 50 million souls. This most horrible of wars spilt rivers of blood. Previously gunmaking retained some modicum of art. Military weapons combined the machinist’s touch with the woodworker’s skill to produce weapons that were elegant, graceful, and expensive.

Barnes Precision Machine of Apex, North Carolina, has a long history of direct support for the boys from Ft. Bragg. More loaner upper receivers have been used in the Global War on Terror (GWOT) than you will find any official statistic on. With a need for accuracy and reliability well beyond the normal government-issue junk, Green Berets have field tested the BPM products in the least forgiving environments on earth.

When you bring up FN in conversation, people will nod their heads. If you ask them to say something about FN, a few of the folks nodding their heads will say “Well, they make guns for the military.” The old guy will clear his gullet and say, “John Browning’s Hi-Power.”  Well, both of these are accurate, but FN’s history spans far more than just these two great guns. The BAR, The FN FAL and the M2 Ma Deuce would all be quickly added to the discussion as the group thinks began to kick in. Even these additions only scratch the surface, so let me take you through the high points of FN.

As a vehicle, the Affinity would look like a great value with its long lasting, highly reliable, low maintenance, high-performance Inertia-Driven power train and long list of standard features. Then consider its customer-inspired list of models and options that allow you to tailor to meet almost any shooters’ desires and at a reasonable price. You couldn’t go wrong. You could buy the Franchi Affinity and drive it for a lifetime.

Ruger is expanding their American Rifle offerings to include new guns chambered in 7.62x39mm and adding lefty-friendly options in 6.5mm Creedmoor.

You have probably seen those advertisements for AK parts kits in your favorite gun magazine and wondered, “What are those all about?” Or you have put together an AR-15 or three and now seek a new challenge. Building an AK is a very interesting and rewarding experience. You come to truly appreciate the genius in the simplicity of the design.

The absolute best gun you can have in an emergency is the one you are carrying. For many though, the idea of carrying a full-size pistol is simply a deal breaker. From the guns being too big for a person’s frame to an unwillingness to make clothing changes to conceal the gun, the challenges are real. In cases like this, I steer shooters towards a smaller framed pistol that still has decent firepower, but also has a smaller footprint than full-sized pistols.

For those of you who are fans of the combat Tupperware, the wait is over! The Glock Gen 5 has arrived. GA team got their hands on the new Glock 19 and Glock 17 Gen 5. Aside from some cosmetic changes and few functional changes, they function just as we come to expect from Glock — flawlessly.

Following World War II, a group of nations were consolidated into what we referred to as Yugoslavia, ruled by a man named Tito. Not owing his ascension to power to the Soviet Union, but still being a communist, he proclaimed that Yugoslavia would go a third way, part of neither the East nor the West. The Yugoslavian military adopted the basic pattern of the Soviet AKM rifle and made some alterations to adapt it to their doctrine. Rifle grenades were thought of as a huge force multiplier by the Yugoslavians, which resulted in several of those modifications.

Glock Gen. 5 has been released. The wait is over. The newest Generation includes a few cosmetic changes and functional upgrades.

Legendary custom builder Ed Brown just unveiled their new hotness, a hunting- and competition-ready longslide 1911 chambered for 10mm Auto.

I am relatively new to the .17 HMR cartridge. When it debuted in 2002, I was guilty of downplaying its effectiveness. Most of my life, Uncle Sugar bought me all the centerfire rounds a growing boy could want, so I didn’t have to worry about training ammo. Now that I have to buy my own [...]