Military

Optics leader Leupold is selling a special run of Mark 4 2.5-8×36 MR/T TS-30A2 scopes at this year’s NRA Annual Meeting.

Recent events have created a new round of panic buying of AR-15 rifles and parts kits. As companies race to meet demand, a lot of substandard parts end up in the hands of consumers. End users are often left frustrated when their new parts kit does not snap together like Legos or that factory gun they got a screaming deal on fails to feed or extract. But not to worry…! This article will cover the four most common issues I have personally seen with “panic AR-15’s” and how to correct them.

The Battle Rifle is commonly accepted to be an autoloading combat rifle that feeds from a detachable magazine and fires a full-sized .30-caliber round. While Battle Rifles found their stride in the years following the Second World War, they have been largely replaced by small caliber Assault Rifles nowadays. However, combat in such places as Afghanistan has shown us in recent years that the need still exists for a man-portable .30-caliber rifle that can offer precision fires out past the range of the 5.56mm cartridge.

Overall the Colt 1917 is a very interesting revolver. It was a stop-gap sidearm that ended up with American troops in two world wars. 1917 revolvers, both Colt and Smith & Wesson, can usually be found for reasonable amounts of money (especially in comparison to other US military revolvers, or WWI 1911s). They are not difficult to find suitable ammunition for, and they’re strong enough to enjoy some range time with. So if you’re looking for a WWI handgun to add to your collection, consider one of these old Colts.

SIG’s flagship pistol was tested against several other very recent offerings including the Beretta APX, Canik TP9 SF and Gen 5 Glock 17.

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing of Murfreesboro, TN is known around the world for building heavyweight, hard-hitting 50 BMG rifles for the military and law enforcement. Barrett’s a family owned business and has been supplying firearms for the US and its allies for over 30 years.  With the Fieldcraft they jumped completely to the other end of the firearms spectrum- from one of the biggest and heaviest shoulder fired rifles to one of the lightest, most versatile hunting rifles on the market.

Competing in the Extreme Tough Man Division of the Mammoth Sniper Challenge is a test of both shooter and gear. This 3-day event held each January requires competitors to carry all their gear 25+ miles between stages and campsites, camp out, and engage precision rifle targets out to 800+ yards. Many of the lessons learned are applicable to hunting and backcountry scenarios. Here are a few of those I discovered over the years.

The Marines are adopting the Mk 13 Mod 7, a semi-custom bolt-action rifle chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum with an effective range of 1,500 yards.

In one particular area, the Italians really outdid themselves during World War II. Their Model 38 submachinegun was the finest pistol-caliber automatic weapon of the war.