Feature Articles

I have always been a fan of the .44 Magnum, not because it is the biggest boy on the block (it’s not), but because you can always get ammo for it, and it’s easy and cheap to reload. But probably the biggest strength of the .44 Mag is that you can get ammo at most any gun shop, and even at Walmarts that still carry ammo. To me that outweighs the little bit of extra power you can get with guns that are more powerful, and that have much more expensive and rare ammo. I think every gun accumulation should have a .44 Mag in it. And if you can afford one of the top name (and price) brands, you should consider them. But if you’re on a budget, I have found that this new generation of Taurus products are extremely high quality. The Model 444 Raging Bull 44 Mag .has been around for a generation at this point, and at a street price of under $700, I thought it was worth a new look and a range test. After a couple hundred rounds downrange, the gun did not disappoint. The Raging Bull is a handful, to hold and to shoot, but if you are in the market for a .44 Mag, I think you’d be surprised by this big Taurus stainless steel revolver.

Tired of anorexic plastic pistols? IWI (who makes the Tavor) is making a serious 9mm. This robust double-stack is built like a 1950s super model. How does the substantial 9mm perform on the range and what’s the appeal of an overbuilt pistol? Read our review.

What happens when an innovative AR maker takes on the task of modernizing the AK-47? The results, at least in Troy’s case, are almost perfect. Their new furniture gives you the option to add lights, lasers, grips, and optics as easily as you would on most other black rifles.

I like to share my failures with you all along with my successes, and I have to to tell you, water, the most important resource of all, is a tough thing to collect and store successfully. I set up my own collection system over a year ago, when I first started this column in March of 2014, and water was my very first actual article. For me, the most bang for the buck was to buy some used IBC totes, which I showed you in that article. Then I had gutters installed on my house, with the downspouts directly feeding into the tanks. The result was a lot of water, but a year and a half later, it’s not as simple. I also tried an alternate water collection system, as I’ll explain, and that is still giving me fits.

I’ve been asking this for a long time. I haven’t drunk the proverbial 870 Kool-Aid. But I’m coming to this review with a completely open mind. I’m determined to figure out why the 870 is, after 65 years, still America’s pump shotgun. And after seeing the 870 Police Magnum, I’m starting to get it.

Finding the sweet spot on a 1911’s trigger isn’t Voodoo. You just need to know your hand and understand how the trigger works. We’ve got some pointers for all of you single action fans that will help improve accuracy.

Looking for AK reliability and performance in something that isn’t an AK? Check out the PTR 32P, an H&K clone with serious potential. This over-sized pistol comes to life with the addition of an arm brace. The PTR 32P would make an ideal truck gun.

The biggest news in single-stack 9mms for 2015 has been the GLOCK 43. But the year’s not over yet. The crowded field of concealed carry 9s just got a bit more crowded, and the Honor Guard is, by far, the most single-stack for the money. This brand new gun from a brand new brand is offering options that some wait months for from custom shops.

I try to take nothing for granted. For some people it is probably a no brainer to have a couple hurricane kerosene lanterns on hand, and I’m sure a lot of you have at least one Coleman white gas lantern with mantles. But did you know that both of both of those will work with much more common fuels, and have you thought about whether you should store some extra wicks and mantles? How long does fuel last? How cheap can you get extra lanterns, and what is the best choice for fuel conservation? There are also some really good and cheap LED options for survival lighting these days as well. So for this week we take a opportunity to consider a few inexpensive approaches to light. There is a pretty good chance you will want to see at night once the lights go out. And you may feel confident that you have a plan for emergency lighting, but what will you do when the lights go out for good?