Feature Articles

The new EMP 4” Lightweight Champion Concealed Carry Contour Model from Springfield Armory has taken an approach that improves on the sound (and popular) EMP concept by combining the best of both worlds: A gun that you can love to shoot as much as you enjoy carrying all day.

I have tried for a couple weeks now to broaden the picture of why we may need all of this junk that I cover, and this week we are on the topic of perimeter security. These days there is a stereotypical “Prepper” character in all of our minds that we got from movies and cable, and most of us think of that character as an “extremist.” If you think that the extent of your prepping only needs to cover a 3 day snow emergency or a 2 week hurricane outage, good luck to you. This column is about the end of our food and consumption infrastructure, and I believe that it may be imminent.

A great mystery in the world of classic revolvers is the story of the 1860 Army cartridge conversions. Were they made by Colt’s, or were they merely the creations of gunsmiths addressing a demand from consumers? Read on to find out the story behind these and how you can buy one for yourself.

The Gemtech GMT-300BLK suppressor is, as the name implies, designed specifically for use with the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge. While you can use it on any 300 Blackout rifle with a 7.5-inch or longer barrel, it was really built for short barrel rifle configurations. It’s small and light as far as centerfire rifle silencers go, so it’s a great fit for short, light, and handy carbines. Take a look for a full review of this really interesting suppressor.

Shooters on tight budgets are always looking for a great deal. So, it was welcome news when Stevens announced the addition of three compact models to expand out their popular value line of 555 shotguns. Already, the flagship 555 in 12-gauge has earned high praise from shooters and outdoor writers alike for its modest beauty, solid performance and ridiculously wallet-friendly price (under $700) for an over/under shotgun. These three new compact models (in 20-gauge, 28-gauge and .410-bore offerings) only build on that reputation and provide a host of options for the sub-gauge fan.

The Taurus Judge was a controversial handgun when it was presented, and remains so today to a degree. But even the most skeptical nay-sayers raised at least one eyebrow and the notion of a fairly small revolver that could fire .45 Colt and .410 shotshells in whatever order or manner the owner saw fit.

While I was testing the Kel-Tec PF-9, everyone I encountered fell into three camps: Those who simply hated the brand, those that felt the gun was such a strong value that perhaps it should replace precious metals as a form of physical currency, and those who had never formed an opinion of the pistol at all. I was a never able to find anyone that had experience with the gun, but was ambivalent about it.

Two weeks ago at the Smith and Wesson factory, I got my hands on something truly exciting, and the day has finally come that we can talk about it. That pistol is the M&P M2.0, a terrific new version of an already great pistol design. It is exceedingly rare that a company listens carefully to all the wants of its consumers, and actually puts those features in its next generation of product. I am very happy to report that S&W is one of those companies.

Tag along with Clay Martin for a behind-the-scenes look at the historic Smith & Wesson factory in Springfield, Mass.