Media Firearms Failures that Will Give You Fits

May 8, 2015

It’s a matter of being human that we all mess up from time to time. After all, you can’t break every clay or put every round into the 10 ring. However, when it comes to firearms and screw ups there seems to be one group that goes out of its way to step in it again and again — the news media.

Even the lightest lifting when it comes to proper firearms terminology or knowledge makes their knees buckle. In turn, their audience is left with a palm full of face, lungs full of sighs, and a burning sensation at the base of the skull induced by the derp.

Oh yes, the world of journalism is rife with examples of its practitioners butchering the basics of firearms that gallons of digital ink could be spilled over. Here are four that caught our eyes — then made us want to gouge them out.

Nesting Behavior

Fox 32’s alerted the good folks of Chicago of a potentially deadly situation with this well measured and thoughtful headline: Snipers Nest discovered near Kennedy-King College. They go on to describe the marksman’s potential perch of death:

Officials say they found a high-powered semi-automatic weapon about a block from the campus of Kennedy King college, near 64th and Lowe last Thursday. Officers say the nest was found on top of a garage across from a soccer field on campus.

Wow a snipers nest, with a high-powered semi-automatic weapon in it! What was the weapon? It had to be an M110 right? Ooh, ooh, was it a Vietnam era M21? So Fox 32, what exactly was the long-range implement of doom?:

At the scene, officers recovered a fully loaded Mac-10.

Ah yes, the Mac 10 — wasn’t that Chris Kyle’s weapons system of choice when part of the Navy SEALs? The pure carnival barking of this headline, however, ends up being worth it, if for no other reason it elicits an all-star comment:

Well done sir! Well done!

Unable to Get the Point

This next example comes from the New York Times and not only draws into question its journalists’ grasp of firearms. It also makes one wonder how good they are using this new-fangled invention called the Internet.

Really, for a firearms novice, it would not have taken an inordinate amount of time to have discovered the proper use of a decimal point in regards to caliber and gauge notation. Case in point:

A picture caption on Thursday for a special report about Americans’ relationship with guns referred incorrectly to the gun that an 8-year-old boy used to kill his first turkey. It was a 20-gauge shotgun, not a .20-gauge.

Try throwing .20-gauge into a search engine and see how many false positives turn up. Dang near zero, well outside of maybe a Times’ article. It gets worse when these scribes grapple with metric calibers and decimal points:

A photo caption for an article on June 9 about innovations in the design of bullets misstated the caliber of the Speer Gold Dot hollow-point round. It is 9 millimeter, not .9 millimeter.

There are four articles documented in the blog of the misuse of decimal points in caliber identification, along with one admission the times identified a shotgun as a rifle. In surveying these mistakes the blog’s author does have a moment of clarity as to the gravity of these mistakes:

In one sense, it’s a tiny lapse — an unnecessary decimal point. But it’s the type of error that might leave some skeptical readers wondering whether we know what we’re talking about on this subject.

I don’t know about it being a tiny lapse, given it’s dang near akin to a sports reporter talking about basketball bats or football diamonds. But he hit the nail on the head regarding one point, readers wondering if the Times has any idea what they’re talking about.

Calling Shotgun

Why do I get the feeling the word “perky” appears more than “research” in Chicago NBC 5 News’ job descriptions? Call it a hunch:

To be fair, there are handguns designed to fire shotshells. But color me skeptical this newsreader had the Taurus Judge or Smith & Wesson Governor in mind in referring to a shotgun in the report. Of course, as was correctly reported in other outlets, the Uber driver had a concealed handgun he used to put a halt to this potentially deadly situation earlier this year.

Plug Ugly Reporting

Finally perhaps the most famous firearms media flub of recent times emanated from that beacon of enlightenment the Huffington Post. Submitted without comment (just a chuckle):

I believe these are rubber bullets, can anyone confirm? #Fergurson pic.twitter.com/iCsFi6qoIa — Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 17, 2014

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How To Master Field Shooting Positions

Eric Conn

May 7, 2015

When preparing for hunting season, it’s important to practice field shooting positions that replicate real-world scenarios.

Most North American big game hunting doesn’t afford you the opportunity to use a bench rest or even shoot from the prone position, so it’s critical that you become proficient at shooting from the standing, kneeling and sitting positions.

When performed correctly, the sitting position can be one of the more comfortable and easy to master in the field.

First, cross your feet and bend your legs, lowering yourself steadily to the ground. As you do so, place your right hand on the ground while keeping the rifle in your left as you come to a seated position.

If you’re physically able, crossing your legs at the ankle provides additional support; if you lack the flexibility to do so, you can adapt a position with your feet spread on the ground in front of you.

Leaning forward, place the backs of your arms against the front of your shins to create a natural sandbag-like rest with your body.

Avoid the common mistake of placing your elbows on the tops of your knees, since the bone-on-bone contact makes for an unstable shooting platform.

Since big game hunting often requires that you use slow, steady movements when approaching game for a shot, it’s important that you’re comfortable getting in and out of your preferred field shooting positions. Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect.

Just Released: Leatherwood M1200 ART-XLR Scope

Elwood Shelton

May 6, 2015

Leatherwood has introduced a new, more powerful model of its trajectory compensation scope — the M1200 ART-XLR.

The Leatherwood M1200 ART-XLR gives shooters a more powerful option in bullet drop compensating scopes. Compared to the M1000, this version has more magnification, among other noteworthy features.

U.S. Military history buffs, particularly those interested in arms, should be familiar with the name James Leatherwood. After all, his creation was at the heart of one of the Vietnam War’s most iconic weapons systems — the M21.

The semi-automatic sniper rifle was a deadly and precise weapon in the right hands, allowing a solider to deliver fast and accurate fire at variable distances. And a sniper was able to get the most out of his modified M14 rifle due to Leatherwood’s creation sitting atop its receiver.

For all intents and purposes, the inventor’s Automatic Ranging and Trajectory scope took all the heavy lifting out of quickly shooting at different ranges. All the sniper had to do was identify targets, dial in the scope and pull the trigger. From there, the round went where it was suppose to go.

Now, the Leatherwood ART Scope has been updated making it a much more useful tool in an era where long-distance shooting has pushed much further. The new 6-24x50mm 1200 ART-XLR provides more than enough magnification to tackle any conceivable shooting situation.

California-based Hi-Lux Optics has not only beefed up the glass of the scope, but also its calculating components. The ART’s Camputer has been enlarged to be calibrated for a wider range of cartridges and distances. Even with these upgrades, the scope remains as simple to operate as the original.

The 1200 ART’s load input is programed beforehand off the bullet’s ballistic coefficient and velocity data. Then in the field, the bullet drop is compensated for by simply zooming in until the target fits into range brackets within the reticle. At this point, dropping a bullet in on the bull’s eye is simple as squeezing the trigger. Engaging a target at a different distance is a rinse-and-repeat process of zooming and bracketing.

Like all other high-powered optics, the M1200 ART-XLR has fully adjustable windage and elevation controls. The scope is outfitted with large turrets for each and moves the bullet’s impact in ¼-inch increments at 100 yards with each click.

Hi-Lux also helps the scope stay honest with a side focus parallax adjustment. This should be just the ticket in helping maintain a clear and sharp image at longer ranges, as well as reducing the reticle’s swim. The scope features an illuminated, etched glass reticle that is available in red or green. And all the ART’s lens are multicoated for optimum light transmission. The MSRP of the M1200 ART-XLR is $649.

Looking for the best scope for m14 sniper rifles? Need an automatic ranging scope for your M1A? Check out this sniper scope review of the Leatherwood ART scope (Automatic Ranging and Trajectory).

Reloading Ammo: Pitfalls of Using Old Pistol Reloading Data

Philip Massaro

May 6, 2015

Given the advancements made over the years in power and components, you should rely on more contemporary pistol reloading data.

While old reloading data can be useful, you must be careful applying the information to handguns rounds. Advancements in powders and components have made much of this info outdated.

I’ve been known to put into print that old reloading data, and old reloading manuals, should be saved and still used to develop loads. While I stand by that statement, I should have put some qualifiers in there to further explain and avoid any confusion.

In the rifle world, where I do most of my loading, many of the powders and bullets that were used to develop the test data are still with us, unchanged, and where the specifications used for the testing remain constant, it is perfectly fine to use older data. The pistol world is a bit of a different story altogether.

Some pistol bullets that previously had been plated are now jacketed, and the reverse holds true as well. The difference in pressures between the two types of bullets can be huge, and if one is substituted for the other there could be devastating results.

It is imperative that you verify the model number, type and weight of a pistol bullet before trying to use old data, lest tragedy befall. Always, always, always start at the lowest load listed, and slowly (read .1 to .2 grains at a time) work the load up, watching for the signs of excessive pressure along the way.

As a matter of fact, I’d sleep better if all of us who load pistol cartridges were to go out and purchase the latest manual, with data verified on modern pressure machines.

I have it from a reliable source, one gentleman that has worked for a major reloading company for decades, that some of the older manuals contain pistol data that was never even tested in a handgun; the data was produced from theoretical pressure curves and other calculations. This makes the hackles rise on my neck, and scares me to death. In respect to pistols, and especially loading with modern bullets, let’s go with the new data.

The instances I’ve noted before, such as the Sierra Reloading Manual that my dad purchased c.1970, have worked well in my rifle loads. This is primarily because the Sierra bullets of 1970 are virtually unchanged in the last 45 years, with the exception of bullet models that didn’t exist then.

Modern pistol reloading data gives the handloader the peace of mind it was tested on contemporary pressure-measuring machines.

Looking through the old manual, one will find that many powders that were tested no longer exist, Reloder 11 and 21 coming quickly to mind, but there are others. Many of the IMR powders still exist in the same formula that they did in that era, now manufactured by Hodgdon rather than DuPont. When you can be certain of continuity, there is no problem using that rifle data, especially when you follow the mantra of starting at the lowest charge listed and working up slowly.

That same rule applies to the pistol data, but with some more caveats. Nickel plated cases didn’t exist in yesteryear, and there are cases on the market that weren’t even conceived of at that point in time, such as Starline (which I love) and DoubleTap.

One interesting tidbit that I’ve noticed: the older manuals seem to list a higher maximum powder charge for both rifles and pistols than are published today. I’m not sure if that has to do with the influence of legal counsel, or whether some folks refuse to adhere to the “start-at-the-bottom-and-work-up-slowly” rule.

As much as that rule can be a pain in the arse, it keeps your anatomy in it’s current configuration.

Shooting Accessories: 10 Cool New Things for the Bench and Range

Gun Digest Editors

May 5, 2015

Bright Idea in Gun Storage

Gun Digest has tackled one of the biggest annoyances of gun safes with these handy Gun Safe Lights. This pack of two motion-sensitive lights is just what you need to illuminate your safe or locker. And with an automatic off switch, these lights are absolutely no fuss and no muss.

From cleaning stuff to gun cases and devices to make our guns shoot better, one thing all of these new shooting accessories will do is make your time at the range in 2015 one helluva lot more fun.

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This photo gallery is adapted from the April 30, 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

FNH’s M249S Ready for Civilian Market

Elwood Shelton

May 5, 2015

FNH USA’s M249 is coming to the market fall as the semiautomatic M249S.

Your wait until the fall is just about to get longer, particularly if you have a yen for military hardware.

FNH USA announced this past month it is set to release a semiautomatic variation of one of its most iconic firearms — the M249. The light machine gun has seen action in every American conflict since its adoption by the U.S. Military in the late 1980s.

What has been designated as the M249S will be produced at the Belgian-based company’s South Carolina factory. And for the most part is an exact replica of the battle-harden Squad Automatic Weapon.

The M249S is also an overall push on the part of FNH to cash in on the prowess of its military firearms with the civilian market. The company is introducing the FN 15 Military Collector’s Series this year, as well. This includes semi-auto versions of the manufacturer’s M4 and M16 rifles.

The M249S might not be fully automatic, but still appears to be a handful weighing in at a hefty 17 pounds. But it comes with a slew of goodies that should get military-firearms enthusiasts’ hearts a pumping.

Chief among these are the 200-round box and links that will allow shooters to take full advantage owning a belt-fed firearm. And with a crisp 4.5- to 6-pound trigger pull, it should be a fairly easy to get it to chew through copious amounts of 5.56 NATO ammo.

There appears to be one drawback of this piece of heavy metal, its price tag. It’s been reported that M249S will run north of $7,000. No word on the FN 15 Military Collection’s price point.

Recommended Gear and Resources

Remington Fast-Snap Universal Firearms Cleaning Kit

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Modular Low Profile Chest Rig

Ruger Mini-14 Now Available in .300 Blackout

Elwood Shelton

May 5, 2015

Ruger has expanded its selection of Mini-14s with the addition of a .300 Blackout model.

Ruger is introducing its fifth chambering of the Mini-14 with the addition of the .300 Blackout.

There’s just something about the Ruger Mini-14. The design is as rugged as the day is long, and there might not be a more versatile firearm available. Truly, the semi-automatic rifle is a jack-of-all-trades.

Given these attributes, there is little wonder that the iconic firearm, based on the M-14, is drawing near its 50th anniversary. And while it may be a bit long in the tooth, the Ruger Mini-14 is still keeping up with the times.

Most recently, the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer has chambered the rifle in a round that is gaining traction in tactical circles — the .300 Blackout. This is the fifth cartridge the design has been adapted to shoot and there is reason to believe it could be highly popular.

For the most part, those who yearn to shoot the .30-caliber intermediate cartridge out of a semiautomatic are pretty much relegated to the AR-15 market. Ruger gives these shooters another solid option with the new Mini-14, particularly those who prefer shooting from a more traditional rifle platform.

With that said, the company is definitely shooting for the black-rifle market with its new addition, given it is being released in the Tactical Rifle variant. This style is a slightly more agile model of the rifle and comes with some odds and ends that helps it take advantage of aftermarket accessories.

This style of the Mini-14 has a shorter 16.1-inch barrel, which should help it move from target to target more quickly. And the barrel is designed to be decked out with one of the top accessories used in conjunction with the round — a suppressor.

The barrel has a 5/8”-24 thread allowing it to be topped off with the noise-reducing device. But if shooters don’t want to go the way of a tax stamp, the Mini-14 comes with a birdcage style flash suppressor factory installed.

Those who have suppressors will be pleased to know the Ruger’s new .300 Blackout Mini-14 comes with a threaded barrel.

Another attribute of the new rifle that shows Ruger has turned an eye to quieting down the .300BLK is the barrel’s twist rate. At 1:7”, the rate is conducive to shooting heavier bullets, which are common in the subsonic rounds.

Of course, the twist rate is a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul proposition. The faster rate won’t be as favorable to lighter rounds.

The new Mini-14 weighs in at a manageable 6.75 pounds with the much of the cost savings coming from its light, glass-reinforced, nylon stock. Other features include: adjustable ghost ring rear sight, receiver-mounted Picatinny rail and integral scope mounts for conventional optics.

The .300 Blackout Mini-14 ships with two 20-round, steel detachable box magazines. The rifle is also outfitted with front and rear sling swivels. Presently the MSRP on the rifle is $1,019.

Reasons Why BLADE Show is the Summer’s Can’t Miss Event

Gun Digest Editors

May 4, 2015

With 700 tables, 300 booths, thousands of knives and the most respected names in the knife world. It’s the biggest, baddest and best knife show in the world. But don’t take our word for it. See for yourself.

EXHIBITORS
Busse, CRKT, Southern Grind…big manufacturing names like these and hundreds of others will be waiting for you at BLADE Show 2015. They’ll bring thousands of quality forged knives with them — bushcraft and survival knives, tantos/Japanese-style knives, tomahawks, kukris and everything in between.

BLADE U
When you come to BLADE Show, you won’t just leave with a new knife, you’ll leave with knife know-how! We’re offering the sharpest seminars for collectors and enthusiasts, alike, with informative, exciting BLADE University classes. Find out how to choose the best knife. Learn bladesmithing techniques. Discover knives made from meteorites. Each and every course is designed to give you the most useful knife info possible–and all taught by industry leaders!

BUNDLE AND SAVE
We don’t just offer knowledge…we offer value! Choose a 1 or 3 day Bundle package to save big on your BLADE Show ticket and BLADE University classes! Options are:

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*Bundle packages exclude the GRS and ABS class, but those classes can be added during registration.

We can’t wait to see you at the BLADE Show!

Stay on the Cutting Edge

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What to Look for in a Home-Defense Handgun

Joseph von Benedikt

May 4, 2015

Plenty of ink is spilled over choosing the right revolver or pistol for concealed carry, the same is not true for home-defense handguns. But there are important design features and attributes that should be taken into consideration when searching for the right gun to defend hearth and home.

Handguns that pull night duty are vastly varied. Most gun owners just use whatever they have or whatever they’re most comfortable shooting. Those are both good reasons to use what you use, but the truth of the matter is, there are characteristics that make some handguns more suitable than others.

Those characteristics can be defined as the attributes that make for an honestly capable combat handgun. Attributes that will help you deal with whatever threats you may face when that bump in the night tells you that it’s time to patrol the home front. Whether you end up facing a single assailant with deadly intent or a civilization-wide state of emergency caused by foreign invasion, you want that one handgun to be the most capable, versatile tool possible.

Full Size
Full size is what allows a proper combat-capable handgun to be all it can be. Hand-filling grips aid recoil control and enhance rapid-fire capability. Generous magazine wells (the inside part of the grip that houses the magazine) provide room for high capacity magazines. Longer barrels offer accuracy-enhancing sight radius and aid velocity, which translates into more downrange energy and thus better projectile impact performance. And so on.

Controllable
Several things tame recoil, weight and grip design among the most important. Weight is the most effective, but a gun can get cumbersome if it’s too heavy. You want a gun that is light enough to carry. I particularly like polymer-frame high capacity semiautos in the lighter calibers (9mm and .40 S&W), because they provide a good balance of an adequate cartridge that kicks comparatively little, plenty of rounds, and quite light weight. I’m also partial to a good metal-frame .45 ACP—the weight in the metal frame dampens recoil and aids quick follow-up shots—but they are heavier. An alloy-frame .45 ACP is a good compromise for a full-size gun that will be carried a lot.

Reliable
In full-size semiautomatic handguns of reasonably good design, it could accurately be said that almost all malfunctions are caused by one of two things: poor ammunition or faulty magazines. Assuming you use correct, high-quality ammunition, consistent malfunctions can usually be remedied simply by discarding the magazine or magazines causing the problem, and replacing them with top-quality mags. (I’m not ignoring revolvers in this section, it’s just that they don’t suffer from bad magazines.) Other, less common causes are neglect, where the owner overlooks the need to clean and/or lubricate his or her firearm. A good, thorough cleaning and oiling works wonders on tired, abused semiautos.

Accurate
Contrary to popular opinion, short, compact handguns aren’t necessarily less accurate than their full-size counterparts. Rather, they are simply harder for humans to shoot accurately. Locked in a machine, many compact guns shoot very accurately. Locked in a fist, full-size guns do much better. Why? Two primary reasons. First, a full-size gun fills the hands better, making it easier to hold steady. Second, it has a longer sight radius (the distance between front and rear sights), making it much easier to achieve a consistent sight picture.

Light Rails
I used to mentally scoff at the concept of attaching a flashlight to the bottom of my handgun, but I kept my contempt to myself in case that attitude might eventually prove me an idiot. Good thing, too: I’ve grown into the realization that anyone who does not do all he can to have illumination—very, very powerful illumination—available during a potential nighttime encounter with a person of deadly intent is foolish indeed.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt of the book Firearms for Personal Protection.

Modern Shooter Ends First Season with a Bang

Gun Digest Editors

May 1, 2015

Whether it was high-end gunsmithing tips or a visit with master firearms instructor Massad Ayoob, the first season of Modern Shooter on the Sportsman Channel was a wild ride. And viewers get one more shot to enjoy the best of this riveting T.V. show, targeted at the most diehard shooters.

Weapon of Choice: Best of Season 1 takes a look at some of the most memorable times from the show’s high-powered first season. Some of the must-see moments include tours of the Colt and Ruger factories to meeting up with Glock pros and Hollywood icons. And, as always, these stories will be recounted with the eye-catching cinematography, which has become the show’s trademark.

The final episode gives viewers a taste of a show that covered a wide variety of topics in the world of shooting and firearms. Modern Shooter took a backroom look at how gunsmiths ply their trade. It got hot takes on self-defense and shooting from some of the top names in the industry. It even hit the mean streets with a metro police force to observe how they train and utilize their firearms.

The new episode airs 8 p.m. Monday on the Sportsman Channel. The episode airs again 9 a.m. Tuesday and 12 a.m. Sunday. Modern Shooter is produced for shooters who look for the best in firearms programming and is sponsored by the top names in the firearms industry. Those sponsors include Glock, Colt, Ruger and Silencer Shop.

Modern Shooter Magazine

Modern Shooter Summer 2014

Modern Shooter Fall 2014

Modern Shooter Spring 2015

Magnum Research .22 Rifles Now Dressed in a New Stock

Elwood Shelton

May 1, 2015

Magnum Research has unveiled a new black walnut stock on its .22 rifles.

Magnum Research .22 rifles now have a classy new look with the addition of black walnut stocks. In addition, the stock has some interesting ergonomic features.

Magnum Research is best known for its heavy-hitting selection of pistols. But the Minnesota-based manufacturer has a lighter side.

The subsidiary of Kahr Arms also has made a name for itself as a top-notch maker of rimfire rifles. And recently, it has given one of its more popular models a fairly classy makeover.

The company’s Magnum Lite .22LR and .22WMR now wear a stick of striking black walnut. The rich, dark wood looks to bring out the every curve and angle of the stock’s unique design.

Switching the thumbhole stock to hardwood, however, was not purely a matter of aesthetics. There is function in what Magnum Research calls its Barracuda American Black Walnut stock, as well.

The new material gives the gun a lighter overall weight than when it was purely stocked with laminate; it tips the scales at less than 5 pounds in both chamberings. The lack of heft should make the light-kicking rifle an ideal choice to tote into the field.

Another factor keeping the new rifle trim is Magnum Research outfitting it with its patented graphite bull barrel. This material also is meant to give the firearm greater accuracy by creating a stiffer barrel. Another advantage, the company touts is it will also dissipate heat 43-percent faster than steel.

The rifle features a Bentz target chamber designed specifically for semi-automatics, full floating barrel for maximum accuracy, CNC-machined receiver from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum forging with an integral Weaver-type rail for optics, and a black anodized finish.

The Long Rifle variation has a 17-inch barrel length and an overall length of 19 inches. The Winchester Magnum model has a 19-inch barrel and an overall length of 37.5 inches. Both have Ruger 10/22 trigger groups and utilize 10/22 rotary magazines. MSRP for the .22LR is $824.00 and the .22WMR is $941.00.

Market Trends: Hoosiers Snap Up CCW Training, Handguns

Brian McCombie

April 30, 2015

Don Perkins — BareArms Firearms & Accessories, Noblesville, Ind.,

Located on the north side of metropolitan Indianapolis, BareArms Firearms & Accessories’ customer base is heavily focused on the first-time, novice gun owner interested in personal protection and home defense.

As such, firearms training is a large part of the business here, including concealed carry certification. And with certification often comes a handgun purchase.

“Right now, our number one carry handguns are the Ruger LC9 and LCP,” owner Don Perkins said. “Customers really like the new trigger and the way the LC9’s feel in their hands.” The LC9 sells for $399.

Concealed carry holsters are big sellers here, too, especially the Versa Carry closely followed by the Blackhawk Inside-the-Pants model. For external carry, the Blackhawk Serpa Level 2 is tops, at $46.95.

Indiana deer hunters can use centerfire rifles, but they must be chambered in what is essentially a handgun round of .35 caliber or larger.

“For the deer hunters, we move a good number of Henry and Rossi lever actions in .357 Mag., .44 Mag. and .45 Long Colt. For the handgun hunters, the Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag. is by far number one. They are built so well, and they last forever.”

Editor’s Note: This brief originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Spare Ammo Always Within Reach

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Caldwell Releases AK-47 Mag Charger

Elwood Shelton

April 30, 2015

AK-47 Mag Charger — https://gundigest.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=213981&action=edithttps://gundigest.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=213981&action=edit Keeping hungry AK-47’s well fed.

If there is one shortcoming to semiautomatic rifles, it’s loading magazines. It only takes a wink of an eye to empty one, but a perturbing long stint to re-juice it.

Caldwell, however, has made this process a much shorter ordeal with its Mag Charger. The company introduced the handy gizmo a little more than a year ago for AR-15-style rifles, and now it has turned its attention to another popular semi-auto.

The subsidiary of Missouri-based Battenfeld Technologies recently introduced the AK-47 Mag Charger, giving owners of the iconic firearm what appears to be a quick and easy way to get an empty magazine back in action.

The device is designed to process 50-round batches from the ammo box into magazines. And it appears to be a snap to operate.

The tips of the bullets are simply aligned with the holes in the Mag Charger, and then dumped in. The rounds are automatically indexed into rows of five, which are then quickly pushed into a magazine each time the loading plunger is depressed.

If the unit lives up to Caldwell’s billing, it could be a marvelous time saver. In a press release, the company states it can dispense a full 50 rounds in less than 15 seconds, this includes changing out a magazine.

There is some reason to believe the new accessory should perform, given the accolades the earlier iteration earned. Caldwell’s original AR-15 Mag Charger was well receive when it was introduced, earning the NRA’s Golden Bull’s Eye for Accessory of the Year.

As a nice touch, the company has made the device compatible with any AK magazine, no matter the material it’s made from or its capacity. AK-47 Mag Charger is made of a durable polycarbonate plastic that it designed to take a beating. Presently the MSRP of the device is $99.99.

Recommended Gear and Resources

S.T.R.I.K.E. AK/M4 Double Mag Pouch (Holds 4)

The Gun Digest Book of the AK & SKS

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Sig Sauer Releases New Supersonic .300 Blackout Ammo

Elwood Shelton

April 29, 2015

Sig Sauer is perhaps best known for its firearms, but the company is working its tail off to make a name for itself in another sector.

In recent years, the European/American company has expanded its operations into ammunition manufacturing. First it introduced premium self-defense handgun ammunition, then this past year it moved into rifle rounds.

Sig continued in this direction this past month introducing its second rifle cartridge. And while it is for the same firearm as the first, the round is a logical addition to the company’s catalog.

Sig’s newest offering is a supersonic 300 Blackout round that plays a perfect compliment to the subsonic load it kicked the line off with. And much like the more suppressor-friendly round, the company looks to have turned an eye toward performance.

Like its subsonic counterpart, the 300 Blackout Supersonic Elite Performance Ammunition is topped with a Sierra Matchking bullet. However, Sig has opted for a lighter 125-grain projectile for the round.

The new 300 BLK ammo achieves solid ballistics with Sig listing the round’s muzzle velocity at 2,200 fps. And with the Matchking’s superior ballistic characteristics, the bullet loses less than 200 fps over the course of 100 yards.

Sig originally ventured into rifle ammunition around the 2015 SHOT Show introducing a 220-grain subsonic 300 BLK round. This coincided with the company also expanding into silencer production.

Reloading Ammo: Cartridge Primers and Pressure Differences

Philip Massaro

April 29, 2015

More than just igniting the propellant, cartridge primers' heat can also play a role in the pressure generated internally upoen ignition. — More than just igniting the propellant, cartridge primers’ heat can also play a role in the pressure generated internally upoen ignition.

Don’t assume that all cartridge primers are the same. The way each is formulated means their performance can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

In the drought of the past two years, where reloading supplies have been limited, if not completely unavailable, we have been forced to make do with what we can obtain. We can save our cases, and cast our bullets, but cartridge primers and powder must be made to very specific formula.

Powder burn rates and charge weights are easily identifiable from our reloading manuals, but primers remain a bit of a mystery. Yes, it’s pretty easy to figure out that a large rifle magnum primer will burn a bit hotter than a large rifle primer, and the same correlation will apply to the other styles of primers, but what about between the different brands of the same class of primer?

This can be a tricky thing, as there is no easy way to measure primer heat, and no definitive listing of primer burn temperatures. However, in my experiments with different loadings, I can absolutely tell you that there is a difference in cartridge primer performance.

Using the large rifle primers as the example, mainly because that’s where I’ve found the largest discrepancies, switching primer brands in a particular load that is on the cusp of showing high pressure can easily push it over the edge.

Within the large rifle primers, I’ve found the Winchester WLR and Federal 210 to be the hottest, and the Remington 9 ½ to deliver the least heat, with the CCI200 somewhere in between. The generally accepted difference is heat is 6 percent, up and down from the middle ground CCI200, although that is subject to actual scientific data, which I’ve never seen.

Pistol cartridge primers are much less volatile, unless we’re talking about the big hunting cartridges, like the .454 Casull, .460 S&W and .500 S&W; I’d treat them with the same mindset as the rifle primers. However, it always pays to be safe and observe the rules I’m going to outline herein.

When the reloading components had all but dried up, loaders were grabbing anything they could get their hands on (myself included) and sometimes the primers that were available weren’t the brand I had used to develop an older load.

I remember the good folks at Beecroft’s Shooters Supply having to ‘ration’ primers, only selling as many primers to a customer to launch the amount of projectiles they purchased, in an effort to keep everyone shooting. Things being what they were, I had no choice but to use what I could get, but found some interesting results.

All that my pal Dave had available at Beecroft’s were Federal 210 primers, and I was loading for my .308 Winchester, for which I had usually used Remington 9 ½ primers. The idea of different primer heat niggled at my mind, so I (wisely, in retrospect) backed the powder charge down 1.5 grains, and headed to the range.

When switching to different cartridge primers for an existing load it is always wise to play it safe until you understand their properties.

The hotter Federal primer gave the same velocity as the Remington, but with 1.5-grains less powder, indicating that the hotter spark is equal to an increase in pressure. This could be potentially dangerous if one were to simply swap out primers without considering the pressure increases; it would be the same principle as using a case with thicker walls.

Now that the market is starting to loosen up and components are becoming more readily available, do your best to find and store an ample supply of the primer that you’ve developed your pet load, and stick with that choice.

If the situation dictates that you must switch primers, play it safe and work up to your previous load slowly, reducing the powder charge to begin with, and slowly increase it, watching for pressure signs along the way.

Smith & Wesson Introduces M&P22 Compact Suppressor Ready Model

Elwood Shelton

April 28, 2015

Smith & Wesson’s M&P22 Compact Suppressor Ready model is ready to quiet down plinkers.

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Suppressors have made a ton of headway in the shooting world in recent years.

To be sure, most of this has been due to the changing legislative landscape with more and more states legalizing the noise-reducing devices. But there has also been a push by firearms manufacturers, who have turned out more and more models that are compatible with the accessory.

Smith & Wesson is one of those companies that has given suppressors the nod and has continued to expand its offerings. Recently, the Massachusetts gun maker introduced one of its most popular plinkers in a variation that allows the easy addition of a suppressor — the M&P22 Compact Suppressor Ready model, which could prove to be popular with many shooters.

What has the potential to make the new pistol popular is its chambering — .22 LR. The round is by far the most popular (when there is ammo to be had) across the country, whether for target shooting or taking small game.

The rimfire round’s esteem, however, is only part of the reason why the M&P22 Compact Suppressor Ready model could find a place in many shooters’ hearts. The cartridge it shoots is also eminently suppressible, thus making the potential of long shooting sessions more enjoyable and less damaging to hearing.

The new pistol is nearly identical to the original M&P22, except for its supplemental thread adapter. The handgun is designed to accept most 1/2×28 threaded suppressors presently available on the market.

Like earlier iterations of the pistol, the new suppressor ready model is polymer-framed and hammer fired. And it has decent capacity — 10+1 — particularly for a compact.

The pistol weighs in at a nimble 15.3 ounces, which should keep it wieldy with a suppressor hanging off the muzzle. The pistols dimensions are also very manageable, measuring in at 7.25 inches in length and 1.48 inches in width.

M&P22 Compact Suppressor Ready model comes outfitted with a Picatinny Rail under its muzzle for the easy addition of an accessory. And it features fully adjustable rear sights that can be tuned for windage and elevation.

The pistols features an ambidextrous manual safety, a reversible magazine release and a magazine safety. Presently, the MSRP on the suppressor ready model is $409.

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