Guns

The Gewehr 98 Mauser rifle is one of the most historically significant and technically influential firearms in history. In one variant or another, it armed men on both sides of two world wars and continues to be seen in conflicts around the world to this day. Rifle actions are still being based on it or using its features.

Opening a newly arrived box at my local FFL dealership inspired a couple “Wow!” responses – one of them my own. The 1860 Richards Transition Model Type II nestling therein sports eight glorious inches of gleaming blued steel barrel, a beautifully figured walnut grip, and a very nice color-casehardened frame.

Lightweight, rugged, and maneuverable, the Czech vz. 58 represents a tiny glimmer of individuality in the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War.

Victrix Armaments is an Italian rifle company that specializes in high end precision tactical rifles. Every bit of the gun is machined incredibly well.

Available in six models including pistols and carbines, the Guard has fully functional AR controls and feeds from Glock-pattern magazines.

Kimber America, however, seems like the most unlikely company to be in the revolver market. Yes, the same Kimber famous for their 1911s.

But, why I really love shotguns is because they are so versatile. Seriously, if you can find me any other gun that you can shoot a quail with at 15 yards and also shoot a whitetail with at 150, I will be very impressed. Not to mention all the different gauges, styles and brands.

This particular class is the Advanced Machine Shop class. As the name implies, it has some pre-requisites. The class is basically geared towards chambering barrels, but other projects are also permitted. I wanted to build a precision bolt action rifle. So, I spent the week blueprinting the action and doing the related barrel work. Obviously, this is not going to be an absolute guide to chambering and fitting a barrel. But I wanted to give you an idea of what it does entail.

In 1952 the Czech military adopted a radically strange new pistol designed by two brothers, Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvil. The vz52 (not to be confused with the vz52 rifle of the same designation that entered Czech service the same year) represented a unique application of the roller-locked action pioneered by the German MG42 machine gun. While HK dabbled in the same thing with their short-lived P9S handgun, the vz52 pistol was otherwise unique.