Guns

As I was writing the most recent Shooting History review on the Winchester 1873 I got to thinking about how that one lever action is called “The Gun That Won The West”. If nothing else that is some very clever marketing for sure. Not to belittle the ’73, it is a very fine rifle. But saying it single handedly “won” the west is a bit of a stretch. Then there is the whole issue of if The West was won, stolen, liberated or invaded. But that is a discussion for a different time and place. Let’s talk about guns!

The upcoming Modular Handgun Trials may determine a replacement for the M9. What will FNH sumbit for the trials? They’ve got options. And if the FNX-45 Tactical is any indication, whatever they submit is going to be a contender.

I have had the TNW ARS in for a couple of months during this review process. I carried it in a backpack in my Jeep as a survival rifle. Thankfully I never needed it to be that but I am confident it would have filled the roll nicely. I live in a big town, but travel into rural areas a couple of times a week. A breakdown type carbine is a great choice for my situation. Pack a bag with the Areo, 4-5 loaded magazine, 2 boxes of ammo, a first aid kit, water and a bit of food and I have a great little survival kit.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is pushing its Project ChildSafe campaign, a movement to promote safe firearms handling and storage practices for all current and prospective gun owners.

People get really emotional about Hi-Point guns. You could say that folks “either love them or hate them,” but I think there is a better explanation than that. Quality control and customer service are always an issue with small and fast growing companies. Hi-Point has had its ups and downs, so some people got good guns, and some people got very bad guns. Everyone I know who has purchased a Hi-Point in the last few years has been delighted with it, and my local gun dealer said that he sells a ton of them and none of them ever come back as having problems. To me that says that the word on the street is that Hi-Point guns are now generally reliable, and they have always been very inexpensive for what you get…when it works.

If you are looking for the perfect 1911 for concealed carry, and want to give back to disabled American veterans, check out this Guns & Ammo Signature Nighthawk 1911. We’re auctioning off number 1 of 100, and all of the proceeds go to HAVA–Honored American Veterans Afield.

1873 was a big year in the firearms world. Colt’s new single action was adopted by the Army and Winchester came out with their best lever action to date. Originally chambered in .44 W.C.F., aka 44-40, the 1873 Winchester was the most powerful of the lever guns when it was introduced. This was a huge step forward from the rimfire .44 caliber used in the Henry and earlier Winchester rifles.

There is something to say about the fancy pants custom and semi-custom steel frames. But there is also something to say about the other end of the spectrum, the el cheapo 1911s. Love or hate the John Browning design, you can not dismiss its history and longevity. Ones that are made right just flat out work and you don’t have to spend $2,000 plus to get one that is made right.

Have you ever wanted a close quarters battle rifle that could could easily be concealed in a small case? One that assembles in seconds? The DRD Tactical M762 is a hard hitting rifle with a hard hitting price tag–but what you get for the money make just make this perfect concealable rifle.