Guns

Sometimes the most intriguing developments in the gun world go almost unnoticed. Here’s my take on the most interesting developments I saw this year. I’m not talking about popular guns–these are genuine innovations.

Do you have a young one on your shopping list this holiday season that wants to learn to shoot? Helping young shooters learn safety and skills is one of the most important things we can all do to keep our shooting sports alive and well. Everyone of us had someone teach us either as a kid or an adult. This is the season of giving and giving the gift of a firearm to a kid is a great way to give back to our community and to the kid.

Have a kid in your life that is ready to talk about real guns? I’m talking about AR-15s and AK-47s. Check out the Umarex Steel Force line. This is one of those rare gems that is fun and educational–though I will say that the fun part wins out when you switch it into six shot burst mode.

“Hey folks! Step right on up and see if you are up to the challenge. Hit the targets and win a prize! Everyone is a winner except the losers!” I wish there were still real shooting galleries at state fairs and carnivals. With a little work and this Henry Pump Action .22, you can make your own shooting gallery and let the fun begin.

The Coonan 1911 .357 Magnum Auto raised the standards for 1911’s. The new.45 ACP Pistol raises the standards again by applying all of the “Coonan Difference” proven technologies from their 1911 .357 Magnum Auto to their new .45 ACP.

There’s nothing wrong with a good AK-47. But rifle design has continued to evolve. So what would a truly modern AK look like? I’m not talking about an AK with some plastic quad rails–I’m talking about the Galil Ace. Well, the wait is over. They’re finally state-side. And they kick ass.

I’m on the hunt for a hard-hitting rifle capable of delivering excellent terminal ballistics at extended range. But it also has to be fast and versatile for close quarters work. Is there a gun out there that can do both? We’ve put the FN SCAR 17 to the test and are here with the results.

We recently took a trip to the Big Easy for the NASGW expo–and we got a sneak peak at some of what’s going to be announced at SHOT. Here are some of the ones we can talk about now.

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.