Nickel-Plated Cases: Reloading the Shiny Sibling

July 23, 2014

Nickel brass cases are visually appealing, since the coating resists tarnishing after being handled. — Nickel brass cases are visually appealing since the coating resists tarnishing after being handled. *Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.*

Nickel-plated cases are the shining gems of ammunition, but using the component for reloading takes some understanding of the material's characteristics.

When I first saw nickel brass cases around twenty or so years ago, I was immediately enamored. They were shiny, almost mirror-like, and when I read that they wouldn’t tarnish like a regular brass case, I simply had to have some.

I still use them for some applications, but in those twenty years, I’ve had some experiences with them that have forced me to rethink their uses.

Nickel-Plated Case Construction

The construction of these cases is relatively simple. They are a brass cartridge case, plated in nickel. Nickel is a metal that is still malleable enough to be worked, yet does not tarnish when carried in a leather shell holder or when handled with sweaty hands. These features are good, but they come at a price.

Reloading Considerations Of Nickel-Plated Cases

Nickel is harder than brass, and in repeated uses will scratch the inside of a standard reloading die. They are also more apt to stick in a reloading die. I know this firsthand, because when I first tried to load some ammunition for my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, all I had was nickel-plated cases, and I simply didn’t use enough lubricant in the resizing process. Yep, I stuck that case in the resizing die so bad it seemed like I had welded the case in there. Had to toss that die, and I never forgot it.

Nickel cases also seem to vary a bit more in case volume. This can pose a problem in higher-pressure rifle cartridges. I have used “nickel brass” in my .22-250 Remington and my .300 Winchester Magnum, and here’s what I’ve noticed. The cases that performed with the same level of accuracy as their all brass counterparts had a different point of impact while using the same powder charge, primer type and brand, and the same particular bullet.

This effect is all but unnoticeable in the pistol cartridges, but the same drawbacks of reloading die damage apply unless you use a carbide or titanium resizing die. I use them frequently, and I don’t have an issue resizing nickel-plated pistol brass. I do however believe that as a result of the flaring of a pistol case’s mouth the harder nickel brass has a shorter life than the all brass variety.

Then there’s the issue of having small bits of nickel flake off into your firearm’s chamber or barrel, and that can be a problem. Brass can be removed with a good solvent, but nickel can’t be removed as easily, so when you clean your gun, be sure and use a good brush to remove all those tiny nickel fragments.

Usage Of Nickel-Plated Cases

Now, these issues don’t stop me from using nickel-plated brass. In fact, in some rifles, I use it almost exclusively. My favorite safari rifle, a Winchester Model 70 in .416 Remington Magnum, is one example.

When I first bought the rifle, Remington only offered nickel-plated brass as a reloading component. Therefore, I developed the load for this big stick using the case volume of the nickel cartridge cases, and it has proved to be a very accurate rifle and load. I use the nickel brass for all of my soft-point loads and reserve the brass cases for the solid bullets that African big game requires.

The soft points are what I use most often, and being a sweaty Italian in the tropical sun, I don’t worry about my paws tarnishing the cartridge cases while handling them on safari. This idea of two types and colors of cartridges makes them immediately identifiable. I use those nickel cases for my .300 Winchester specifically for the slower 220-grain loads that I use for black bear, and I can easily differentiate between those and the brass-cased, and much faster 180-grain loads I use for long-range work.

While nickel brass cases are sharp looking care must be taken when reloaded. Harder than brass, nickel has the potential to scratch the inside of some dies. *Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.*

If you choose to load nickel-plated brass in your rifle, I recommend you pick up enough to create a good amount of ammunition, so that you don’t have to worry about a different point of impact with all brass cases. If you’re worried about pinpoint accuracy from your handgun, I would recommend segregating the brass from the nickel, and range testing the two to see if there is any difference in target impact.

I’d be willing to bet you won’t, but it’s always good to know.

Time to Rename the AR?

Doug Howlett

July 22, 2014

From black guns, tactical rifles or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) to the inaccurate and slanderous “assault rifle,” the AR has been called more names than Slick Willie. Editor Doug Howlett thinks it should have one more—the UFF.

I was recently asked by a contributor whether I preferred he use the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)-endorsed MSR (Modern Sporting Rifle) when referring to an AR-style rifle, the term tactical or the trademarked, but generically used, AR itself.

Throughout its 50-year history these firearms have also been called assault rifles and black guns, and I’m sure a few other terms that escape me at the moment, both from within the shooting community and outside of it.

I had to ponder my answer before responding, and I have to admit, the more I thought about it, the more uncertain I was of the correct one. As a writer myself, I like the luxury of having as many words as possible at my disposal to describe an object or action. Few things are more tedious to read than a story where the same words are used over and over again.

I’ve always had issues with the term assault rifle since it describes an action the gun can be used for, not the gun itself. It seems if someone is “assaulting” me with a weapon, and I have an AR, then it is technically a defensive rifle in my hands—and a damn good one at that.

I don’t have an issue with the MSR designation, and I certainly get the motivation behind the NSSF’s move to clarify the term for the media, most of whom often know little to nothing about guns. But it can be cumbersome. And while I’m nearly as old as the AR design itself, I, too, like to think of myself not so much old as “modern.” But my 14-year-old daughter and her friends would probably disagree.

I suppose my go-to designation would be “tactical rifle,” since it covers ARs and other military-inspired designs, is true to the gun’s utility and, to be totally honest, is just much cooler sounding.

Regardless of what you call it, it’s a great design, boasts versatility for nearly every shooting purpose, delivers minimal recoil, is accurate and with a six-position stock, can fit most every shooter with on-the-spot adjustments.

Maybe it should just be called a UFF—for Ultimate Freakin’ Firearm. That’s certainly what it is. Yeah, lets call it that.

This article appeared in the July 17, 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Concealed Carry Tips: Toss the Decoy Wallet

Joseph Terry

July 21, 2014

Here’s a way you may be able to avoid having to use your handgun in self-defense, thanks to a simple trick that costs less than $30.

If you carry a legally concealed handgun for protection an old trick might become a last-chance tactical option. That trick is the decoy wallet.

Back in the ‘70s, in crime ravaged cities where executives and street hoods worked cheek by jowl, some executives who couldn’t carry guns for protection carried a second wallet for deception.

When confronted by a mugger they simply reached into their off-side hip pocket, tossed what appeared to be their wallet and ran like hell in the other direction (undercover cops used the same trick if they got bounced on a stakeout and didn’t want to get made.

It’s an option for the concealed carry permit holder smart enough to know that throwing thirty bucks worth of fake wallet at a street thug may be a lot cheaper than throwing a hundred grand at a good defense lawyer.

I know … I know … I’m going to get lots of colorful invective like, “This is cowardice!” or “We need to take back our streets!” and “If somebody threatens to hurt me they should get shot!”

Really? Do you understand that even if you are in the right you may still be criminally charged? Are you aware that if you are not criminally charged and you own property, you may be subject to civil action by the dead thug’s grieving widow and children (who will get polished up by their lawyer and placed in the front row of the court room just opposite the jury box).

And if you must use lethal force and start out behind the action curve, (you are already at the mercy of his weapon) tossing a decoy wallet, or even your real one at the feet of the armed assailant may take his eyes off your gun hand just long enough to even the odds.

No “trick” is ever foolproof nor should be depended upon to overcome lack of situational awareness or training in the fundamentals. But the decoy wallet has worked in the past — and might just give you that crazy little edge that saves the day.

Editor’s Note: Got a question for Joseph Terry about concealed carry not covered here? Log in and post your question in the comments below.

Recommended resources for concealed carry:

The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, 2nd Edition

The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery

Armed: The Essential Guide to Concealed Carry

Find more resources at gundigeststore.com/tactical

Beretta Unveils Elegant New Over-Under Shotgun
By
Elwood Shelton
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July 18, 2014
0

Beretta proudly touts itself as, “born from the dream and capability of a renaissance craftsman.” It’s hard to argue against the statement.
The Italian company has become renown for its ability to merge form and function to produce firearms of superior aesthetics and performance. This holds true for Beretta’s latest addition to its shotgun catalog.
Earlier this month, the oldest firearms manufacturer in the world unveiled the 690 Field III. And at first blush, the 12-gauge appears to have the delightful lines and mechanical genius of previous Beretta over-under shotguns.
Dick Jones was in Tuscany when Beretta revealed its new creation. The Gun Digest the Magazine contributor will have a review of the firearm in an upcoming edition. But he publish some initial observations of the shotgun on Outdoorhub.com:
When I heard Beretta had a new shotgun to introduce, I feared the new gun might be the replacement for the 686 and that it couldn’t possibly be an improvement on what’s been a truly great design. The compact receiver on the 686 line has made for an easy to carry and graceful gun that proven as reliable as a rock. The new 690 Field III that Beretta recently revealed to the public on a writer’s retreat in central Italy is a functional improvement of the 686 rather than a completely new design with improvements in weight and function. The forearm hardware on the 690 is aluminum, and the locking system is improved for better wear resistance. The locking lugs are now curved and with a larger contact area for extra strength. The hinge pin is larger for longer wear and there’s a new ejector system that uses something called the Eco Ejectors that can be converted to work as extractors. These changes have been made without increasing the depth of the action, though it is slightly wider.
Jones mainly looked at some of the functional and material aspects of the over-under shotgun. But there are also a number of other features Beretta incorporated into its new smoothbore.
Perhaps the most eye catching is new roll marked game scene engraving on the receiver. The artistic addition is worthy of a legacy shotgun and is enhanced by a stunning high-grade walnut stock.
The 690 is a hunting version of Beretta’s high-end trap gun, the 692. Thus, the gun has a couple features making it more rugged. The barrel is made from Beretta’s durable nickel/chrome/molybdenum/steel alloy – Steelium. And the stock is hand oiled to create a more resilient moisture barrier.
The 12-gauge is available with 26-, 28- and 30-inch barrels and with either 35/55 or 38/60 stock drops, in both cast on and off. Models with Beretta’s Optima-Choke HP system come with five different chokes. Fixed-choke models are available upon request. Beretta's main website did not have an MSRP listed on the 690.

Greatest Cartridges: A Debate with Plenty of Ammo
By
Tom Turpin
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July 18, 2014
0
Figuring out the greatest cartridges of all time has the benefit of having to test a ton of ammo.
When it comes to talking about the great cartridges of the world, there is plenty of ammo to support many arguments.
I'll ask the question for you esteemed reader, what divine proclamation anointed your humble scribe the guru of all the cartridges that exists? The answer is simple, there is no such anointment. Well, perhaps my publisher indicated such, but that certainly isn't divine providence.
I have, however, had a long and varied shooting and hunting career. I received my first firearm, a Winchester youth rifle (a Model 68 I believe it was), single-shot .22 RF, at the ripe old age of six years. If I make it to Mid-August this year, I'll turn seventy-six. Math has never been my strong suite, but I think that gives me seventy years of shooting experience.
In addition, for more than four decades, I have earned at least a part of my living writing about shooting, hunting, and firearms. I also spent twenty-six years wearing a US Army uniform as a professional soldier.
In that time, I've shot just about every commercially available cartridge at least a few times. Those that I've not personally fired, I've generally witnessed them in action, either on the range or in the field.
The smallest I've shot is the .17 rimfire, and the largest, a .600 Nitro Express. I have never known anyone that owned a .700 NE, and the last time I had any information on the subject a single round of .700 ammo was $100.00 or more. I'll leave that one to one of the youngsters in the business.
I have learned a few things in my seven-decade shooting career so far. One is that shooters are a finicky lot with a strong tendency to pick a lot of nits.
The truth be told, practically speaking that is, we have at least ten or fifteen times the number of cartridges available that any reasonably sane person could possibly justify needing. However, since when does NEED enter into the decision making process. The fact that one wants some off-the-wall, ten-times duplicated cartridge is enough justification. If need was the determining factor, most of the rifle and ammunition manufacturers would have gone out of business eons ago.
The average North American hunter, for example, could make it very nicely with only three or four rifles. Add a couple handguns and a couple shotguns, and he could handle anything in North America very handily. For the International hunter, add one more rifle and he'd be set for anything from a titmouse to a T-Rex.
One of the most experienced hunters that I knew, the late C. J. McElroy, took just about every animal on our earth with one rifle, a .300 Weatherby Mark V. He did, later in life, switch to a 7mm Weatherby Mark V with its softer recoil. He told me he couldn't tell any difference in killing power between the two. Another, the late Grancel Fitz, took all twenty-five legal species of North American game, using but one rifle, a Griffin & Howe .30-06. Those two examples should answer the NEED debate quite nicely.
I will add one thing, however, neither Mr. McElroy nor Mr. Fitz were gun nuts. Both were pragmatic men that viewed their rifle as a tool, and nothing more.
Truly we live in the golden age of ammo. There are more calibers and cartridges available now than at any other time in the history of firearms.
Mr. McElroy's rifle was a stock factory Weatherby Mark V .300, and when he retired it in favor of another, but chambered for the 7mm Weatherby, the .300 was the most dilapidated rifle I think I've ever seen. It looked as though Mac had used it for a boat anchor for at least a decade or two. At least, Mr. Fitz had Griffin & Howe make his rifle for him. He treated it a bit better than Mac did his, but nevertheless it was still a tool to him.
However, when rifle, handgun, or shotgun nuttiness enters the equation, all sanity and reason goes out the window.
Pragmatism gives way to silliness. The nits get smaller and smaller, but picking them gets more and more frequent. I can't condemn anyone for this malady, as I am one of the better examples of the genre. Even so, if forced to do so, I could eliminate most of my vault contents and pretty much be unaffected in a practical sense in the field, or on the range, or defending my Arizona pea patch.
What follows then is a listing of cartridges that I have found to be as good or better than most in their category, and why I've found them to be so.

Army Shooting to Replace Beretta M9
By
Elwood Shelton
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July 17, 2014
7
The Beretta M9, in service since 1985, might soon be replaced as the U.S. Army's service pistol.
It’s official, the U.S. Army is in the market for a new handgun.
The military branch formally signaled it is hunting for the replacement to the Beretta M9 in June when it issued a Request for Information, initiating the search for a new sidearm. Though this is not the first indication the army and other service branches were moving in the direction of replacing the 9x19mm pistol.
According to National Defense Magazine, the Air Force initiated a joint project with the Army in 2008, known as the Modular Handgun System. The project investigated potential replacements for the M9 that were currently available on the market. And the undertaking kicked the door wide open for the new sidearm, not limiting competing models on calibers or features.
In fact, an RFI filed in January by the Army was extremely vague in exactly what the service branches were searching for in a handgun. The only hard information on the project, according to Defense Media Network, were the standards by which the handguns would be evaluated.
The article stated, the Army would assess competing handguns at ranges from 0 to 50 meters and in ballistic gelatin 0- to 14-inches thick. The accuracy standard for competitors, a 90-percent or better probability of a hit on a 4-inch circle at 50 meters from a test fixture. The potential replacement also must have a rating of 2,000 mean rounds between stoppages and 10,000 mean rounds between failure.
According to The Washington Times, the Army plans on evaluating .45ACP, .357 SIG and .40 S&W in the selection process. There is also talk of looking into features such as night sights and Picatinny Rails.
Spurring the drive for a new service pistol has been consistent complaints about the M9 by soldiers. Servicemen have repeatedly express a lack of confidence in the handgun, this has included complaints by soldiers who served in Afghanistan about the 9mm NATO round being underpowered.
There is also a push to make a more resilient handgun. The M9 has been criticized for breaking too easily. And there has been discussion of extending the lifetime of the new pistol past its predecessor. The M9 is reported to have a 17,000-round service life. The Army would like the new handgun to last 25,000 to 35,000 rounds.
The winner of the new government contract has the potential to reap a windfall with the Army planning on purchasing 400,000 new pistols, according to Military.com. Presently, there are some 200,000 M9s in service.
The move to replace the Army’s service pistol has drawn criticism from some corners. It has been pointed out by some that the project comes in the midst of defense-spending cuts. It also comes on the heels of the Army’s fruitless campaign to replace the M4 Carbine.
The M9 has been a somewhat controversial firearm since the Army adopted it in 1985. The handgun rubbed many the wrong way since it displaced the M1911A1, which was the service branch’s sidearm of choice since 1911.

Belted Magnum Cases: A Myth Dispelled
By
Philip Massaro
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July 16, 2014
1
Many tend to think the belt on belted magnums is to help the cartridges handle high pressure. In reality, the belt creates proper headspace in a rifle's chamber. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
I love them. They captured my heart as a young man.
Wide bodied, with that sexy belt of brass just in front of the case head, and a name that inferred an unprecedented level of power: “Magnum.” I’d raise my eyebrows and prick up my ears like a German shepherd every time I read one of Col. Boddington’s articles where he highlighted one of the new magnum cases.
To my unknowing eyes, the cartridge that had that big belt of brass could withstand unearthly pressures; it just had to, because it was built so strong.
Well, time and education has revealed the truth of it all. That beautiful belt has nothing at all to do with strength; it serves to function as a means of headspacing. Allow me to rewind the clock 100 years or so.
The good gents at Holland & Holland had developed a high powered (for the day) .375” diameter cartridge. Not the .375 H&H Magnum we all know and love, but a cartridge called the “Veloplex.” As it didn’t quite fit the bill, they kept the bore diameter and revamped the case. What those proper British fellows were after was a cartridge that would offer the easy feeding attributes of those new fangled rimless cases, but still give the positive headspacing of the rimmed cartridges.
Rimmed cartridges didn’t require a shoulder for headspace, yet they don’t feed well from a box magazine rifle. Rimless cases need (generally speaking, there are exceptions) a shoulder for headspace. I’m not sure who the genius was at H&H that said (at least this is how I can vision it) “Why not put a small rim ahead of the rimless case head, and Bob’s your uncle, we’ve got the best of both worlds!”
The long and short of it is that the gentleman was onto something.
The .375 H&H Magnum, and its junior counterpart, the .300 H&H Magnum, both headspace off the belt, not off the shoulder. The very slight shoulder on the .375 H&H and the sloping shoulder of the .300 H&H are the features that give those cases the “smooth feeding” quality that proponents of those cartridges love so much. I believe the same could be said of the .416 Remington Magnum. The straight walled .458 Winchester Magnum and the .458 Lott are examples of cases that have no shoulder and also headspace off the belt.
The more familiar magnums, like the .300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, .338 Winchester Magnum and .300 Weatherby Magnum all headspace off the cartridge shoulder, and perform best when cases are resized to have that shoulder at the proper dimension. Most every other cartridge that features the H&H style belt will use the shoulder for headspace, and the belt on this style case is non-functional.
The same decade that saw the birth of the .375 H&H Magnum would bear witness to the release of the .404 Jeffery’s and the .416 Rigby. Although neither of these cases had the “Magnum” title, they certainly performed like one. The .416 Rigby has a very steep shoulder (almost 45 degrees) and has been used as the parent case for some of our modern magnum sweethearts: the .338 Lapua Magnum and .450 Rigby.
All three of those cases are beltless, and perform just fine. The .404 Jeff went on to be the platform for Remington’s Ultra Magnum series. Case wall were expanded to near parallel, and necked down to hold 7mm, .308”, .338” and .375” diameter bullets, and my buddy Bryce Towsley has a great wildcat based on this case necked to hold .358” bullets. The popular Winchester Short Magnum series would also be a beltless design.
The more familiar magnums, like the above .300 Winchester Magnum, headspace off the cartridge shoulder, and perform best when cases are resized to have that shoulder at the proper dimension. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
All the beltless cases are, in some theories, more “inherently accurate.” I can’t verify that theory, as I’ve seen some incredible accuracy from both kinds of cases.
On the positive side, if you shoot a belted magnum case, can create brass from other cases based on the H&H platform. On the downside, there is some case stretching that occurs just in front of the belt, which may shorten case life.
If you’re picking out a new magnum cartridge, don’t feel that you must have that belt. But I’m not getting rid of my .300 Winchester, .375 H&H or .416 Remington any time soon!

SureFire’s New .22LR Suppressor Now Available
By
Elwood Shelton
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July 15, 2014
0
SureFire aims to tackle to the consumer market with the introduction of the Ryder 22-A suppressor.
The growing popularity of suppressors speaks for itself.
Perhaps the most striking demonstration of the noise-reducing device’s increasing acceptance is its legality. Presently, the accessory is legally available in all but a handful of states. And most of the areas where suppressors are not legal tend to be the states with the most draconian firearm laws.
What’s more, recent legislation in many regions have made suppressors more than just shooting novelties. The device have become an accepted method of collecting game in a number of states.
As the popularity of suppressors has grown so has its demand. In turn, more and more companies are setting their sights at the consumer market.
One of the latest is SureFire, who has been a long-time supplier of military and police suppressors. The California manufacturer recently began shipping its first suppressor specifically designed for civilian shooters – the Ryder 22-A.
The 3.1-ounce model design for .22LR firearms offers many of the tactical advantages of SureFire’s professional suppressors. But, the 22-A has one big selling point for the everyday shooter – its ease of upkeep.
The can can literally be stripped down in seconds, making it a zip to clean and return to service – even by novice shooters.
What makes the 22-A so simple is what also makes it so quite, SureFire’s proprietary baffles. The suppressor has five baffles that stack on each other. Once the endplate is removed, the baffles need only to be un-stacked to be cleaned.
The company also makes it a snap to get the suppressor back together again, numbering each of the baffles. They also have indexing notches ensuring proper alignment when reassembled.
While the suppressor is a snap to maintain, it still has top-notch performance. SureFire gives the 22-A a 117 dB rating; the average handgun report has around a 166 dB rating.
Also making the Type 3 aluminum baffles easier to clean are built-in spacers. The addition helps reduce carbon buildup, making it much simpler to scrub the baffles down to their Mil-Spec hard anodized red finish.
The suppressor measures 5.4 inches in length and works with both pistols and rifles. It has a slim profile, with the fluted aluminum tube’s maximum diameter just 1 inch. And it has been coated with a tough Mil-Spec hard-anodized black finish.
It has been reported, SureFire will release a SF Ryder 9, SF Ryder 45 and SR Ryder 40 sometime in the next year.
SureFire has put a $469 MSRP on the 22-A, keeping it in line with much of the present consumer market. Shooters, however, will have to plan to pay an additional $200 to purchase one, given suppressor are still a NFA accessory.

Market Trends: Bullpup Shotguns and Moving Targets Big in Arizona
By
Brian McCombie
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July 14, 2014
1
Bullpup shotguns, such as this Kel-Tec KSG outfitted with a Mesa Tactical SurShell Carrier, have been just the ticket in Arizona. Photo curiosity Mesa Tactical.
Richard Sprague – Sprague’s Sports, Yuma, Ariz.
Richard Sprague is a little surprised at the popularity of bullpup-style shotguns like the UTAS UTS-15 and the Kel-Tec KSG, both of which are 12 gauge and pump-operated.
“They’re definitely being bought by people interested in a self-defense shotgun” the owner of Sprague Sports said. “But they’re also sought after by guys who like cool and innovative guns.”
Sprague’s sells the UTS-15 for $1,199, the KSG for $1,100.
Gun cleaning and maintenance supplies are moving very well, both individual products and packaged sets of cleaners, lubricants, patches, rods and brushes.
“We stock all we can get and it all sells,” Sprague said.
Champion and Do It All Outdoors ground reactive targets are big sellers, too.
Kids and plinkers like the movement created when these targets are hit, and they can take thousands of rounds and bounce back for more.
This brief originally appeared in the January 13, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Petition Shoots to Remove Suppressors from NFA Regulation
By
Elwood Shelton
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July 11, 2014
1
A petition aims to help remove suppressors from NFA regulation.
As would be expected with suppressors, their popularity has silently crept up in the shooting world.
Presently, the gun accessory is legal to own in all but a handful of states. And, much to the joy of hog hunters, the noise-reducing device has been OK’d in many area’s for taking game.
Even with the growing acceptance of suppressors, there remains one major hurdle in the device becoming more commonplace – the National Firearms Act. The 1934 legislation regulates the ownership of the suppressors; in turn there are plenty of hoops to jump through to obtain one.
Perhaps, the most onerous aspect of being a NFA regulated accessory is the $200 tax stamp that must be paid to purchase a suppressor. This effectively more than doubles the price of most suppressors.
However, there is an effort afoot to have the legislation changed to make it easier to purchase a suppressor. Recently a petition went up on Whitehouse.gov in an effort to get suppressors removed from NFA regulation.
The text of the petition reads:
Removal of suppressors as an NFA regulated item would eliminate the $200 tax stamp, eliminate legality and travel issues between states, reduce hearing safety concerns related to discharging firearms, and would help people be courteous neighbors when discharging firearms.
Even though the petition won’t immediately affect change, it has the potential of getting more shooters interested in the issue. Texas-based retailer, the Silencer Shop, is among the petition’s supporters and has promoted the effort on their social media platforms.
The petitioners are aiming for 100,000 signatures by Aug. 5, 2014. Presently, 75 people have signed. For more information on suppressors, their use and legislation regarding them, please check out the American Suppressor Association.
Gun Digest's Shooter's Guide to Concealed Carry

The Gun Debate: Revolver or Semi-Auto?
By
Doug Howlett
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July 10, 2014
6
Want to start a lively debate the next time you’re at the range? Toss this one out: Revolver or semi-auto for concealed carry?
Concerns over self-defense continue to be the single largest driving force behind gun sales in America. That alone continues to prompt more people—both new and longtime shooters—to spend their hard-earned cash on handguns and ammunition.
Indeed, even with the consumer buying frenzy of 2013 behind us, new handgun models such as Glock’s 42 and 41 and those from the likes of Ruger, SIG, Walther, Taurus, Colt, Smith & Wesson and others have a shorter shelf life in a store than bread and milk before a Southern snow storm. That is if the stores can even get ahold of these new guns.
The demand has even put a crimp on gun writers, some struggling to get test models in their hands because the manufacturers are scrambling to put every single gun they can in the pipeline to satisfy current consumer demand.
Whether a gun buyer has their name on a waiting list, finds a hot new or previously introduced handgun model on the shelf or hits the used market, I’m always intrigued at the factors that go into deciding which gun to buy when it comes to choosing a carry firearm.
For some it comes down to the caliber and its perceived adequacy, for others the overall size of the gun itself with smaller often better for concealment and yet for others, it’s simply a matter of what looks cool. One chief debate over what makes the ultimate “carry” gun often centers on whether a semi-auto or revolver is best.
Want to start a lively debate the next time you’re at the range? Toss that one out. Indeed, many modern shooters wouldn’t think of leaving their home without a sleek, low-recoiling semi-auto with a quick-swap spare mag at the ready should the need arise. Others will staunchly argue for the timeless reliability of a cylinder gun.
Where Do You Stand?
Where do you fall on the issue and why? We’d love to know.
Email us at [email protected].
Join the discussion on our Facebook page at facebook.com/gundigest.
Log in and leave a comment below
I have to say, I personally enjoy shooting and carrying both. But then, I’ve always had trouble making up my mind.
This column appeared in the May 15, 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gallery: 4 Hot New 2014 Rimfire Rifles
By
Gun Digest Editors
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July 10, 2014
1
[imagebrowser id=425]
The rimfire is alive and well. Just ask anybody who is still hunting down ammo. Once you find it, here are four new rifles worth firing some rounds through.
This photo gallery is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Shooter's Guide 2014.

Video: Gun Review of the Heckler & Koch VP9
By
Elwood Shelton
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July 10, 2014
0
Given the shear volume of striker-fired pistols, it's a difficult proposition to get shooters fired up for a new model of the gun. But Heckler & Koch appears to have hit a sweet spot with the introduction of the VP9.
The 9mm (MSRP $719) is the company's first new striker-fired pistol in around three decades and the sleek and sturdy looking handgun has caused ripples across the gun world. As Colion Noir points out in the above video, the gun's aesthetics and ergonomics are top notch and right in line with H&K's hammer-gun catalog. But for Noir and others who have put the pistol through its paces, one feature has stolen the show – the trigger.
Noir makes a pretty bold claim about the VP9's trigger in his review, rating it in the top-three of all stock triggers available. In his opinion, the feel and performance of the pistol's trigger is only second to that of the Springfield XD. He gives some pretty solid reasons why the VP9 stacks up so well, but you'll just have watch the video to see why it has what it takes to beat out the competition.
Does Noir find nits to pick? You bet, but most are slight. The only one that really resonates in the gun review is Heckler & Koch's choice of luminescent dots on the handgun's three-dot sights. While bright after being charged up, their illumination quickly dissipates in the dark – not the best news for those who might have plans to use the 9mm for concealed carry.
The one area not touched upon in the gun review is how it shoots; Noir promises that facet will be covered in an upcoming edition of his new show. Despite no rounds being thrown down range, the short overview is worth watching in its entirety. The video does a fair job of showing exactly what the Heckler & Koch VP9 is all about.

Incoming: Understanding Rifle Twist
By
Corey Graff
-
July 9, 2014
2
Editor's Note: One of our readers recently took us to task over an article that covered rifle twist rate and bullet stability in relation to long-range shooting. His response is thought-provoking.
I read with interest Dick Jones’ article “Shooting’s Ultimate Challenge” (March 27). Although Jones is no doubt an excellent long range shooter, and his qualifications are good, I must point something out regarding the side bar “Understanding Twist.”
Jones wrote that “…as the bullet slows down, the spinning motion that stabilizes the bullet slows, and it can become so slow the bullet becomes unstable.”
This statement is rather misleading. Although the spinning of the bullet most certainly slows down over time, its rate of deceleration during the flight time of the bullet is, at worst, negligible. For many of us, our first experiments in physics involved the rotation of toy tops and the forward travel of marbles. If you have ever spun a top, you know that there is little resistance and the spin speed takes a long time to slow down, maybe minutes.
At the 3,600 rotations per second of Mr. Jones’ bullet when it leaves his 1:10 barrel, it would take many minutes for the bullet to slow down enough to affect its stability, but it takes less than 2 seconds for it to reach it’s 1,000-yard target. The sidebar suggests that 1:10 twist is the ultimate rate for this caliber with this bullet, and 1:12 twist rates will not do. That, however, may not necessarily always be the case. Berger Bullets ballisticians recommend the slowest twist to correctly stabilize its 185-grain VLD match bullets as 1:12. This is the recommendation for a bullet actually designed for long-range competition.
The rate of spin for a certain bullet has everything to do with “calming” the bullet down shortly after it leaves the barrel, and less to do with maintaining its stability at long ranges. The current trend in ever increasing rates of twist is introducing a whole new set of problems to the long-range shooter. Gun writer Jim Carmichael once wrote that “No shooting subject is more likely to make one sound like an expert, and at the same time prove him a fool, than a discussion of rifling twist.” I hope I haven’t proven myself a fool but a contrary opinion is always helpful to initiate thought.
—T. C. Knight, Davis Creek, Calif.
What do you think about rifle twist rates, bullet stability and long-range shooting? Sign in and leave a comment below.
This letter originally appeared in the June 12, 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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