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By Sam Trisler https://www.browning.com/customerservice/ownersmanuals/index.asp History There are a couple of good stories about John Moses Browning and the work it took for him to get the Auto 5 made. As with most of his long-gun designs of that era, Browning first took it to Winchester. They had a long working relationship at the time, one [...]

If you were going to build a new AR-15 with a focus on competition shooting, such as 3-Gun—you would very likely wind up with exactly what you get out of the box with the new-for-2014 Stag Arms Model 3T-M. Assuming of course, that you used the best components and wanted a no-nonsense tactical rifle. No strangers to the competition uses of the modern sporting rifle, particularly the AR platform, the folks at Stag Arms know how to build a stage-ready rifle.

In early 2010, Florida-based Diamondback Firearms released its first pistol to the US market. That pistol was the Diamondback DB380 micro-compact 380 Auto. Over the last four years, there have been many additional variations of the DB380 released. Most of the variations featured colored grip frames, different sighting systems or additional finish treatments on the slide. The latest model, the DB380SL, can be considered the second generation of the DB380 and includes several functional and aesthetic improvements to the original design.

I absolutely boil over when I see yet another fool blame gun violence on black people. It is almost as bad as blaming it on the guns themselves. The latest story being linked to by the “alternative media” is by Karl Denninger, for his The Market Ticker website entitled “The Real Gun Violence Issue.” After poking fun at a couple anecdotal stories meant to expose the complete disregard for human life by inner city black people, Mr. Denninger makes a completely undocumented statement about gun violence:

“Indeed, if you take out black-on-black homicide in the major cities from our so-called “blood-red streets” that Bloomberg and others claim as our emblem of “endemic gun violence” you find that something like three quarters of all gun murders disappear.”

If you’ve ever done any traveling with guns, even if it is just to the local range, I’m sure you’ve had to deal with storing them. It isn’t always graceful. The deeper I get in the firearms world, the more I travel long distances with guns. And I’m way past the days of wrapping them in old t-shirts and stuffing them in a backpack. A good gun case will make all the difference, but many come with lousy interiors that do a mediocre job of protecting guns. Some cases come with sliced and diced foam that you can pick into an approximate shape, but they get ugly, fast. So where do you go for good, 100% customized foam? MyCaseBuilder.com.

There are multiple ways to approach concealed carry. You can go the minimalist route and tuck away a .380 (or an even smaller caliber like a .25 ACP) and simply hope for the best. You can pay close attention to your wardrobe and attempt to conceal a full-sized handgun or a larger compact. Or you can go with a gun that’s built specifically for concealed carry. The Springfield Armory XD-S is built for those who want a full-sized caliber in an easily concealed package. The XD-S 4.5 in .45 ACP looks, performs and presents like much larger pistol. With its four-inch barrel, it isn’t a backup gun. Yet it isn’t as obtrusive as most duty weapons. For those of us who only carry one handgun, the XD-S is a great choice.

If you like to shoot like I do, you’re faced with limited supplies of ammo and high costs (when you can find it). You can’t always reload either, because the most common powders are just not available. I’ve been looking for reloading powder online and at the local sporting goods stores for more than a month. Got everything else, but no powder to send the bullet on its way.

However, there is one rifle cartridge that’s in plentiful supply at very reasonable prices—7.62×39. Developed by the Soviets during WW II, it later became the cartridge of the battle rifle developed by Makhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov. Introduced as the Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947, better known as AK-47, the gun was adopted by the Soviet Armed Forces in 1949 and has since proven itself in 65 years of continuous service in militaries around the world.

“This is my rifle. There are many like it but this one is mine.” Do you remember that line from the movie Full Metal Jacket? The movie was lame but the point of that line should ring true for anyone who considers long term survival against all odds. Many gun writers have said this over the years, but something that many new shooters do not know is that there is no such thing as a powerful handgun. Even the whopping .44 Magnum pales in comparison to even a light rifle cartridge like the AK-47 round. In the game of survival, you have to at some point accept that fact that force will eventually meet force. You may be armed, but two weeks into any major disaster, everyone still standing will also be armed, and they won’t be that afraid of your .45ACP Taurus semi-auto pistola. Pop, pop, pop won’t be the sound that people fear. But a thundering BOOOM, coupled with their available cover being either seriously rocked or completely shot through, will put anyone and everyone on notice that the force they face is not worth facing, and it may be better to move on. A rifle is firepower like a handgun can never be, but the problem with rifles is that they are expensive to own and expensive to shoot. There is however one lowest common denominator with rifles, and for as little as $100, if all you own is a pistol, I strongly suggest that you go out and buy one of these powerhouse rifles today.

Once you have decided on a handgun, the next real consideration has to be a holster. Many gun stores will carry some standards in leather, nylon and Kydex, but it can be hard to determine what will work for you, exactly the way you want. Most of the store bought models I’ve ever used were good enough, but not perfect. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve formed my opinions. I know exactly what I want, and exactly who makes it. Multi Holsters, my go to for daily carry holsters, offers a wide variety of options and the attention to detail that I expect from something this important.