A gun safe can be an organizational nightmare. But SecureIt offers a system that can whip any gunlocker into shape – no matter how many gun accessories or firearms need storage.
Anyone who owns a gun safe knows the one major drawback of the security device – accessibility.
You want that .30-30 that lives way in the back of the safe, but it requires a minor project to pull it out. First, three or four other firearms have to be removed just to get at the rifle. Then once it’s retrieved, all the guns have to be replaced.
SecureIt Tactical has come up with some elegant solutions to this problem.
The New York company has designed a storage system that allows direct access to all firearms stored in a safe. We highlighted one such product earlier this year, when SecureIt released its MILSPEC Safe.
The company, however, also has an option – they were quick to point out – for those who are not looking to upgrade to a new safe. SecureIt also offers a retrofitting alternative it calls the MILSPEC Conversion Kit.
In essence, the kit is meant to offer all the benefits of a MILSPEC Safe, without having to purchase an entirely new one in the process.
The main advantage of the SecureIt system appears to be the straight-line access it allows to firearms. Unlike the scenario elaborated at the beginning of this post, the military-style storage allows access to a gun without having to shuffle through other firearms.
This concept seems fairly logical, giving shooters the piece of mind of keeping their firearms under lock and key. But also, giving them quick and easy access to a firearm if the situation calls for it.
SecureIt Tactical’s MILSPEC Conversion Kit looks to whip nearly any gun safe into shape.
SecureIt’s MILSPEC Conversion kit consists of two 17.25”x16” steel louvered back panels, one lower rifle shelf, six upper saddles and 12 (two per firearm) lower saddles. The system bolts into nearly any existing safe or gun locker – steel or wood.
In larger safes, the system can work in conjunction with the pre-installed traditional storage system (watch the above video for more information on that end). And it doesn’t look to skimp on volume, with the kit set up to hold six long guns.
The system is completely adjustable and can safely store a full-sized shotgun as easily as it can a carbine-length AR. Both the upper and lower saddles can be moved until the desired storage specifications are achieved.
Another point touted by SecureIt, is the system is also easier on optics. In particular, with the way guns are stored in the system an optic should almost never bang against a firearm or another optic.
The MILSPEC Conversion Kit is presently listed at $199 on SecureIt’s website.
There’s little doubt 20-gauge shotguns are gaining popularity as defensive firearms. And with Mesa Tactical’s new stock adapter for the Remington 870, the smaller bore guns can now be decked out with a slew of different stocks.
When it comes to tactical shotguns, there seems to be a developing trend. Slowly, but surely, more and more shooters are looking at the 20-gauge as a defensive option.
The 20-gauge might not be the top choice for an operator looking to breach solid-core doors in a hot zone. There is, however, a case to be made for the more petite bore as a firearm to defend hearth and home.
Arguably, its lighter recoil makes it an easier to shoot gun. And, the 20-gauge shotgun still offers plenty of stopping power when loaded with the right shells.
Mesa Tactical is looking to harness these and other assets of the 20-gauge with the introduction of its newest product. The Lucy Adapter aims to make one of the most popular 20-gauge models even more versatile.
The cast-steel adapter creates a ton of versatility for Remington 870s chambered in 20-gauge, by allowing the addition of a 12-gauge stock. This seems to be an elegant solution, given the little piece of parkerized metal opens a wealth of stock options, given there are more 12-gauge accessories on the market.
The Lucy is simply a coupler that bolts to the back of the 870’s receiver, then allows the larger 12-gauge stock attach to the smaller frame. The device, according to Mesa Tactical, maintains the stock’s rigidity and functionality.
The Lucy Adapter is simply bolted to the rear of a 20-gauge shotgun’s receiver, it is then ready to accept a new stock.
The company’s catalog claims the adapter is compatible with any 870 12-gauge stock. This obviously includes Mesa’s models, such as its Urbino Stock, its telescoping stock kits and its hydraulic buffer system.
The stock adapter received its unusual name, according to a Mesa Tactical press release, due to one of its employees. The company’s sales director Lucy Espinoza was an advocate for the development of the adapter in response to customer requests and also as a fan of the 20-gauge.
Perhaps the most striking part of the Lucy Adapter is it appears to open a ton of options for just a little bit of money. Mesa lists the adapter with a MSRP of $20.
There’s no denying it – the AR-15 is hotter than ever as GunDigest.com readers prove with these top 10 most popular AR-15 reviews and articles of all time!
#1: AR-15 Review: The Ruger SR556 (Our Most Popular AR-15 Review Ever!)
Patrick Sweeney looks at the Ruger AR, aka the SR556. Even a few years ago, this would have been unthinkable. Read the review
#2: .223 vs 5.56: What’s the Problem?
Ammo is not ammo. And when doing a .223 vs 5.56 comparison, while the loads are almost identical, they are not the same. To know why, we have to go back to the beginning. Click here
#3: AR-15 Review: Rock River Arms Elite Operator
The Elite Operator (or to give it its full title: the RRA LAR-15 Elite Operator) is a tele-stocked carbine in 5.56. The stock is a close-appearing copy of the mondo-expensive SOPMOD stock that your tax dollars buy by the truckload. Read the review
#4: Gun Review: Rock River Arms LAR-8 Elite Operator
The first thing you notice about the Rock River Arms LAR-8 Elite Operator is that you have a stout yet maneuverable rifle in your hands. True it is heavier than a .223 version, but it is well balanced and easy to handle. Read the review
#5: Q&A: What’s the Best Tactical Rifle Available to U.S. Citizens?
Reader Thomas H. asks: “With the extensive knowledge of your experienced staff, I would like to ask your opinion. Which tactical rifle (in the U.S.) on the market is the best? Also, the same question as to semi-auto handgun in the 9mm caliber? Top three to five would be great if no consensus can be found on one.” Gun Digest responds
#6: 6 Facts About AR-15 Gas Impingement Vs. Piston
Some say the gas impingement operating system is like a person who poops on the same table they eat from. But is that really fair? Here are Richard Mann’s 6 factual observations in the AR-15 gas impingement vs. piston debate. Jump in here
#7: AR-15 Review: SIG 516 Patrol Rifle
The SIG 516 Patrol is not just another AR. It has some really cool improvements over the typical AR-style rifle. One of the most notable improvements is it’s gas piston operated. But that’s not all. Read the review
#8: Tactical Long Guns: AR15 Review and Other Rifles
In a defensive situation, nothing beats a long gun for power and accuracy. Here are some of the latest tactical rifles. Click here
#9: Field Gun Review: Remington R-25
Built on an AR action, the R-25 is the definition of the ‘Modern Sporting Rifle.’ Read the review
#10: Gunsmithing the AR: 3 Tips for Buffers & Recoil Springs
In “Gunsmithing: The AR-15,” Patrick Sweeney shares tricks and information gathered over 25 years of shooting and wrenching on the AR-15. The following tips are from the chapter on buffers and recoil springs. Click here
African Professional Hunter Harry Selby was one of the driving forces in popularizing the .416 Rigby.
We often hear the story that the .270 Winchester was a cartridge made successful by one man, Jack O’Connor. Well, I think that is a bit of an exaggeration.
There is no question that O’Connor’s writing about his experiences with the cartridge helped it along immensely, he didn’t “make” it. The cartridge was good enough to make it on its own, O’Connor just speeded up the process.
Another cartridge that has been very successful in the game fields of the world whose success has largely been attributed to one man is the .416 Rigby cartridge and African Professional Hunter, Harry Selby. How that came to be is an interesting story.
Like all self-respecting Professional Hunters in Africa, Harry Selby used a heavy caliber English double rifle for his work. On one safari, his trusty double managed to get run over by the Land Cruiser, causing enough damage that it had to be returned to England for repairs which would take several months to complete.
In the interim, Selby visited a gunshop in Nairobi and purchased a John Rigby made Mauser rifle chambered for the .416 Rigby cartridge. It worked so well for him that even after his double was repaired, he never went back to it and remained with his .416 magazine rifle.
Here’s what John “Pondoro” Taylor had to say about it in his iconic book African Rifles and Cartridges, “John Rigby clinched his reputation as African gunsmith when he placed his .416 Mauser on the market for heavy and dangerous game. If for any reason you prefer a magazine rifle to a double, there is no finer or more satisfactory weapon for all-around use against dangerous animals than this .416.”
He also wrote, “This was Blunt’s favorite rifle, and the weapon with which Daly shot most of his elephant.”
The cartridge was designed by John Rigby & Company in 1911 as a magazine rifle suitable for use in India and Africa. At about the same time, Jeffery came out with its .404 cartridge and Westley Richards with its .425, all designed for magazine rifles. These three cartridges were made possible largely due to the development of Cordite smokeless powder and mauser’s great 98 Mauser action. Both the .404 and .416 became very popular in Africa – the .425 less so.
The original loading of the .416 Rigby used a 410 grain bullet at 2300 fps. This was later standardized with a 400 grain bullet at 2400 fps. Even at the higher velocity, the big cartridge is really loafing with about 47,000 psi chamber pressure. Compared to some of the newer .416 loadings, they reach the same general ballistics as the Rigby, but at much higher pressures, well over 60,000 psi.
The .415 Rigby was the choice of professional hunters who were looking for a magazine-fed rifle.
The downside to the large case is that, in general, a large magnum action is needed to house it. It was designed around the Mauser No. 5 Magnum action. Most Rigby-made rifles used this action. However, a few were made on standard length 98 Mauser action by milling away a lot of metal. The one used by Harry Selby was one of these rifles.
In its heyday, the only viable source of ammunition for the big .416, along with most of the other large bore cartridges of British origin, was from Kynoch. After the end of WWII, for numerous geo-politial reasons, the demand for large bore rifles and ammunition decreased substantially.
Ultimately, Kynoch ceased production of all ammunition, including the big Rigby .416. As a result, most of the English express rifles withered on the vine. It remained that way, with African hunters switching to cartridges that were still being manufactured.
Winchester came out with it’s Model 70 chambered for the .458 Winchester cartridge. Many professionals, including Selby, made the switch. Initially, the .458 had some growing pains, but they were finally sorted out.
This was the sad situation until a young American by the name of Jim Bell came along and started a company called B.E.L.L., standing for Brass Extrusion Laboratories Ltd. His small company literally resurrected the large bore rifles from premature deaths, by providing the means to produce ammunition for them. The .416 Rigby is among those resurrected.
Been in the market for a pistol? If so, Colt is giving shooters a pretty good reason to give them a nod.
On Oct. 15, the Connecticut-based manufacturer kicked off a rebate offer on three of its popular semiautomatic pistols that runs until Dec. 31. The company is giving a $100 rebate with the purchase of a Colt 1991 Government Model and a $75 rebate with the purchase of a Mustang XSP or Pocketlite.
The 1991 Government Model is a 1911 pistol that Colt bills as a direct decedent of the original M1911. The .45 ACP has a 5-inch barrel, full metal frame and slide, and a 7+1 capacity.
The Colt Mustangs are both chambered in .380 ACPs and are single-action only semiautomatics patterned after the 1911. The XSP and Pocketlite share many of the same features – 2.75-inch barrel, 6+1 capacity, 5.5-inch overall length, to name a few.
The big difference between the Mustang models are their frame material. The Pocketlite has an aluminum frame (weighing in at 12.5 ounces), while the XSP is a polymer pistol (11.8 ounces).
For more information about the rebate or to register for it please go to Colt’s rebate offer page.
The foundation of the StealthGearUSA ONYX is its innovative VentCore™ breathable platform (the backing that rests against your body). This revolutionary ventilation system allows moisture to quickly dissipate away from your body leaving you dry and comfortable all day long. Avoid the need to take off your holster part way through the day to relieve your back of sweat and discomfort – no other holster will keep you drier! The Ventcore™ platform is built with a special fusion of synthetic non moisture-absorbing materials, and the .093 Kydex® shell is attached using stainless steel hardware. This is the toughest, lightest, and most comfortable IWB holster you’ll find on the market.
Shortages of centerfire handgun ammunition, as well as very high prices for the .22 Long Rifle that is available ($125 for a 525 round brick), have a number of gun training aids selling strong at the Tradesman.
“We have a lot of customers buying snap caps, and red and green laser ammo,” owner Edward Wilks said.
These devices allow customers to continue training, practicing things like trigger control, when they can’t get the “real” ammo. And they usually cost less than a box of the lead-and-gunpowder variety.
A Class III dealer, The Tradesman also sells fully automatic firearms.
“We haven’t seen machine gun sales slow down one bit,” Wilks said.
He recently sold a full-auto M16 for $18,000, and a Thompson sub-machine gun for $15,000. He places every full-auto Uzi and Mac10 he can get, too, usually for between $4,000 and $8,000.
Editor’s Note: This brief originally appeared in the Jan. 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
From the world’s foremost gun authority and the industry’s top selling book brand comes the Gun Digest Great Guns 2015 Daily Calendar, the only page-a-day calendar available for rifle, handgun, and shotgun enthusiasts. Featuring 320 high quality images of some of the most collectible and popular firearms, this daily calendar makes a great gift for any gun collector, tactical weapons fanatic, or hunter.
Anybody keeping an eye on the happenings within the world of bolt-action rifles knows what has dominated the market in recent years – value-priced models. Winchester appears set to be the next manufacturer with just such an offering.
There is scant information on the Utah-based company’s new XPR – only a product page and internet scuttlebutt. The firearm is set to be released January 2015, so more will be known then – this includes price. But from Winchester’s initial media blitz, the firearm appears to have some attractive features.
One that jumps right out is the recessed crown on the muzzle, which is a nice addition certain to help the rifle’s accuracy.
A few other features of the Winchester XPR include: the company’s MOA adjustable trigger, free-floating chrom-moly barrel, chrom-moly receiver milled from bar stock, a detachable magazine, a two-position safety and a three-lug bolt (with a 60-degree lift). The one thing that might irk some, the bolt does not include the oversized claw extractor that is found on Winchester Model 70s.
Subsonic ammunition is a key factor in gettting the most “quiet” out of your suppressor. Author Photo
Many perceptions surrounding suppressor effects come from marketing, blogs or the media making them suspect at best. Here’s the reality of how suppressors are used and what they can do.
Suppressors Are Not Silent
Long suppressors are fantastic for precision rifles—the larger the caliber, the longer the suppressor. Author Photo
Perpetuated most often by movies, there is the idea that suppressors eliminate sound. This, however, is not entirely true, as they only suppress it. How much depends on many factors: the length of the suppressor, its construction, and the type of weapon and ammunition used. Pistol-caliber firearms are pretty quiet, as are rimfires with low-velocity ammunition. Centerfire rifles with subsonic rounds are similarly quiet, but are never completely silent. Most supersonic ammunition makes noise that is louder than you think. Suppressors may reduce the report to safe levels, but they still make noise and often require hearing protection.
Affects on the Action
Suppressors trap, redirect or alter gas expended from a discharged cartridge, both in front of and behind the expended bullet. This will effect your weapon’s operation, and to which extent depends on the weapon and ammunition used, as well as the suppressor’s design. Suppressors cause back pressure, although newer designs cause much less than what they once did. How and when it occurs is critical.
Most have little effect on bolt guns beyond heat transfer and a sticky bolt that is hard to lift. Gas guns are a different story. Increased back pressure causes increased bolt speed and can wreak havoc on function. Piston-driven systems are less susceptible, but can still be problematic. As a general rule, the shorter the barrel, the greater the effect on the gun’s performance. Adjustable gas blocks help but remain an issue. Excess gas in the action can also affect reliability as the action can get fouled quickly. Rapid fire produces significant heat transfer to the weapon and can have an adverse effect on operation.
Pistols suffer the opposite effect. Suppressors lessen the recoil impulse required to make your pistol cycle. Some require recoil boosters to ensure proper operation. Low-powered ammunition can turn your semi-auto into a single shot. Suppressors can be attached to revolvers, but much of the trapped gas just goes out the cylinder gap, lessening efficiency. I have not seen one mounted to a revolver, other than in old movies.
Subguns are the perfect firearms for suppressors. A can seldom affects the subgun’s reliability, is quiet and has little adverse effect on overall operation. Rifles specifically tuned for subsonic ammunition (such as the 300 Blackout) are similar. Excess gas is minimal with recoil, all but nonexistent. There is very little downside to suppressing a subgun.
Suppressors Enhance Accuracy
Unless improperly installed or attached, suppressors do make shooting more accurate. Velocity change is low to nonexistent and generally increases. Modern designs have no adverse affect on the bullet. Standard deviation decreases, as a rule, providing consistency, and significant recoil reduction allows you to be more accurate.
Less muzzle rise, less sound and less concussive effect also help a shooter improve accuracy. As long as they do not come loose and are installed properly, modern suppressors will do nothing less than enhance a shooter’s accuracy.
Carbines under sustained fully automatic fire, or rapid fire, can be more problematic. Significant heat transfer may show a decrease in accuracy while hot. Shooting a suppressor until it is red- or white-hot is going to definitely cause issues.
Since most people do not shoot this way, accuracy is seldom an issue. With tens of thousands of rounds through suppressed subguns, a quality suppressor has no effect on accuracy even when hot. Pistol ammunition just does not provide enough excess gas or heat to cause a problem. You are not going to see any real increase in accuracy, but neither will it degrade.
More Suppressor Effects
Suppressors should neither be revered, nor feared. They are simply useful tools. Author Photo
Suppressors can cause impact shift when attached to the barrel of a gun. How much again depends on suppressor design, ammunition and weapon choice. Heavy suppressors have a greater effect, especially on precision rifles. Suppressors constructed with titanium and high-quality designs minimize change. True of both precision rifles and carbines, several recent designs have almost no detectable impact shift. Match-grade rifles and ammunition see the least changes.
Weight and length of a suppressor can certainly affect the balance of the firearm. Long suppressors are quiet and heavy, while short ones are lighter and louder. Short suppressors affect balance and weigh less. You have to decide what is most important, as it is a trade-off. Thread-on suppressors typically weigh less since attachment systems add weight. Short and fat suppressors are fantastic for defensive tactics where handling is important and sound suppression is secondary. Long suppressors are fantastic for precision rifles—the larger the caliber, the longer the suppressor.
Suppressors will lessen flash, some almost as well as a flash suppressor, and quality low-flash ammunition also helps a great deal. Rimfire suppressors get really dirty compared to other designs; fortunately, most can be disassembled for cleaning. The same can be true for pistol and some subgun suppressors. Modern rifle suppressors seldom require maintenance, or even cleaning, and most cannot be disassembled.
Bottom Line
Modern-day suppressors clearly have more advantages to them than disadvantages. Above all, they enhance the shooting experience and usability of your firearm. Given proper choices, they make your weapon better at its job, make the firearm easier to use and ultimately more fun to shoot. However, they are not magical mystical devices, nor are they for everyone.
The cost remains substantial, and the BATF and state laws still control availability. They should never be purchased without considerable forethought based on your planned use and firearms you want to use one. Suppressors should neither be revered, nor feared. They are what they are, and used properly, they are fantastic tools. Take the time to get the right one, and you will get years of enjoyment. Trust me, once you go suppressed, it is really hard to go back.
In my opinion, the most viable, off-the shelf calibers today for hunting are the very popular .45 ACP, and the 10mm, and to a lesser extent (despite popularity), the .40 Smith & Wesson.
Bullet diameter is important when discussing handgun hunting. Handguns don’t have the luxury of high velocities and the subsequent hydraulic pressure this creates (not saying it doesn’t exist, only that it is minimal compared to various high-powered rifle cartridges).
There are two things that the handgun hunter can fall back on and that is diameter and bullet weight. I like the 10mm as a diameter minimum for use on big game. Smaller will work, but smaller leaves little margin for error.
Another of my favorite auto-pistol rounds is the old warhorse .45 ACP. Synonymous with the 1911 pistol, the .45 ACP is more than 100 years old and still going strong and is available in more striker-fired models such as the new Glock 41.
Due to the velocity limitations of the round, I prefer stepping up in bullet weight with an eye toward penetration than going with a lighter and subsequently faster expanding bullet, particularly for large game. The heavier load, with a large meplat (flat nose of the bullet) should prove more reliable from a terminal standpoint, which in my mind cannot be over emphasized.
Handgun Hunting with the 10mm
The 10mm offers a wide selection of rather serious hunting loads like those offered by Federal, Double Tap and Buffalo Bore Ammunition. Author Photo
The 10mm met with huge popularity when initially introduced with the FBI going so far as adopting this cartridge as their official caliber. It was loaded hot at its inception, as hot as it was intended to be loaded.
Soon enough it was discovered that some FBI agents were incapable of handling the 10mm’s recoil and before you knew it, the potent 10mm was being downloaded to the point of emasculation where it hardly resembled its original self. Eventually the .40 Smith & Wesson was introduced as the 10mm’s successor.
The actions of the FBI so inspired Mike McNett, owner and proprietor of Double Tap Ammunition (doubletapammo.net), that he went into business producing 10mm ammunition that restored the honor of this fine round. Double Tap still offers those four original loads and a slew of others for every and any occasion the 10mm owner may encounter, from lightweight fast-moving expanding bullets, all the way up to 230-grain WFN hardcast loads for big-game.
Double Tap supplies four of Alaska’s state parks with ammunition for their rangers to carry in their 10mm and .40 Smith & Wesson pistols. The park services specify the use of heavy, minimally expanding, flat-nosed 200-grain bullets for dispatching bear, moose and other large animals they may encounter. These rounds will easily handle game such as white-tailed deer.
Another development worth noting is the line of .450 SMC (Short Magnum Cartridge) ammo offered by Double Tap. The .450 SMC is in essence a higher pressure .45 ACP (much like the .45 Super), featuring a number of loads to include a 255-grain semi-wadcutter hardcast bullet that runs over 1,000 fps. There are other semi-auto offerings in the Double Tap lineup that should prove more than effective for the semi-auto handgun hunter.
Federal (federalpremium.com) also introduced a new Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded 10mm Auto this year that is a full-power 10mm load, allowing hunters to once again reclaim full advantage of the caliber’s capabilities on large game. The jacketed soft point bullet is launched at 1,275 fps and boasts a heavy jacket with a formed inner profile that controls expansion as it penetrates deeper into tissue and vitals.
Conclusion
So if you regularly carry something like a Glock in your day-to-day life, loading it a bit differently can make it a capable piece to carry in the field as well. Like any firearm you choose to arm yourself with you must practice. You owe it to yourself and the animals you hunt to be able to accurately place your shots. So get out there and up the challenge, and your hunting satisfaction, by pursuing game with a semi-auto.
This article is an excerpt from the Summer 2014 issue of Modern Shooter magazine, presented by Gun Digest.
We live in a world where the entertainment media and the news media alike have demonized the firearm as a frightening, high-efficiency killing machine. A myth has arisen that I call “hierarchy of lethality.” It is the false belief that the firearm represents the nuclear level of hand-held weaponry, and is somehow more lethal than other deadly weapons.
The general public sees the knife as something less: after all, they’ll open their mail in the morning with something very much like your opponent’s knife, and will slice the roast at dinner tonight with something virtually identical to the blade your opponent wields.
Because it’s an accoutrement of everyday life, they just don’t see the knife as a weapon, even though they know cognitively that it can be turned from culinary aid to murder weapon in a heartbeat. An impact weapon, a “club”? Well, they may see that as even less deadly.
Now, the night comes when you are attacked by a homicidal perpetrator wielding bludgeon or blade. You are forced to shoot him in self-defense. I can almost guarantee where the subsequent attack on you is going to come from:
“He only had a knife!”
“He only had a baseball bat!”
Opposing counsel may attempt to paint you as the bully and coward who used a deadlier weapon than your assailant, and will attempt to convince the jury that your shooting of a man with “a less than lethal weapon” is unfair and therefore improper.
Of course, this flies in the face of the legality of the matter, which is that within their range, the club and the knife are every bit as deadly as the gun…and, in some situations, can be deadlier.
Knife Lethality
A knife never jams. A knife never runs out of ammunition; you rarely see a gunshot murder victim who has been shot more than a few times, but any homicide investigator can tell you how common it is for the victim of a knife murder to bear twenty, thirty, or more stab and/or slash wounds. “A knife comes with a built-in silencer.” Knives are cheap, and can be bought anywhere; there used to be a cutlery store at LaGuardia Airport, not far outside the security gates. There is no prohibition at law against a knife being sold to a convicted felon. Knives can be small and flat and amazingly easy to conceal.
Impact Weapon Lethality
Common tools turn into remarkably efficient death weapons, some more readily than others. Police batons have rounded surfaces in hopes of reducing fractures to underlying bone and minimizing lacerations, while still delivering a stunning impact to stop the recipient’s physical assault. Many common tools and other objects have rough, irregular edges which are conducive to shattering bones and splitting flesh. The common claw hammer is a particularly deadly murder weapon. In blows to the head, it often punches completely through the skull wall and into the soft, vulnerable brain tissue beneath. Hammer murderers have told in their confessions how the hammer became stuck inside the victim’s skull so deeply that they had to step or even stomp on the head to break the hammer free for the next blow. Crowbars are also associated with particularly destructive blunt force injuries. The list goes on.
The “Unarmed Motorist”
Unarmed? A full-size automobile traveling fifty miles an hour generates approximately half a million foot-pounds of energy. Far from being unarmed, the violent man who turns his automobile into a guided missile has armed himself with the most crushingly powerful of bludgeons. Deliberately driving at a person on foot is a serious crime, delineated in some jurisdictions as “assault with a deadly weapon, to wit, a motor vehicle.” That angry spouse who runs over the significant other is culpable for murder in every jurisdiction.
Less Lethal Weapons
Over the years, the terminology changed from “non-lethal” to “less-lethal” or “less than lethal.” The reason was simple: in real world application, intermediate force weapons weren’t always non-lethal. A fight is generally a rapid swirl of movement involving at least two people. Sometimes, for example, a swing of the baton intended for a suspect’s shoulder or upper arm might hit the rounded deltoid muscle and skid off into the head as the suspect simultaneously tried to duck away from the stick. The result could be a blow to the temple with enough power to fracture the skull, and/or cause permanent or even fatal brain injury.
Most firearms history buffs and World War II film aficionados will agree, one of the most impressive guns to gain renown from that conflict was the Browning Automatic Rifle.
The unique report of the monstrous light machine gun alone was said to strike fear into the hearts of Axis soldiers. And, for all intents and purposes, the iconic firearm has been given a new lease on life.
Ohio Ordnance Works has come out with an interesting modern take on the nearly century-old M1918. The company introduced the H.C.A.R. (Heavy Counter-Assault Rifle) earlier this year, drawing upon its years of expertise in building semi-automatic versions of the BAR.
In the above video, FPS Russia puts the rifle through its paces with watermelons, old TVs and even a dilapidated washing machine. Beside its ability to wreak havoc, everybody’s favorite faux-Russian points to a couple other attractive aspects of the rifle.
First, the weight of the H.C.A.R. is a vast improvement over the rifle it is based off. At first blush, its 11 pounds might not sound like the slimmest rifle to hit the market. But considering the BAR tipped the scales at 19 pounds, it’s light.
The other feature of the rifle talked up in the video is its polite recoil, despite throwing .30-06 rounds down range. Much of this is attributed to the rifle’s Surfire Muzzle Break and hydraulic system housed in the buttstock.
Watch the entire video, if you love heavy firepower it’s sure to get you drooling. Then if you need to dry your mouth just take a gander at the present MSRP for the rifle on OOW’s website – a cool $4,699.99.
Reloading ammunition is rewarding on many levels, from practical to personal.
Similar to anything associated with shooting and firearms, there is no end to the gizmos and doodads that can be purchased for handloading.
From presses to micrometers to chamber gauges, a reloading bench can quickly overflow with instruments. But to be certain, there is one set of tools a reloader cannot be with out, whether novice or veteran – quality reloading manuals.
These scared tomes are what lay the foundation of a successful reloading operation. And, with time, helps a shooter move from just reloading ammunition to producing precision ordnance.
Gun Digest has made acquiring this vital knowledge much simpler with the introduction of the Reloading Ultimate Collection. The six-resource series is among the most comprehensive on the market, covering every angle of the rewarding discipline.
The series offers step-by-step instruction to handloading, exploring every conceivable topic. These lively and authoritative manuals walk you from the basics, such as purchasing you first press, to more advance concepts, like swaging your own bullets.
The series also boasts some of the top names in the world of firearms and reloading. Some of the authors include professional ballistician Philip Massaro, renowned gun writer Patrick Sweeney and many others.
A little time with this collection and it is easy to see how it will quickly reward a shooter.
First off, there are the practical aspects that shooters enjoy in reloading their own ammunition. In this regard, there are two chief advantages – more accurate ammunition and saving money.
On the former point, there is perhaps no quicker way to bring a firearm’s full potential out than by feeding it ammunition tailored to its idiosyncrasies. The latter point, however, is a bit debatable.
Sure, broken down to its components, reloading is cheaper. But as Sweeney points out in Reloading for Handgunners, this savings quickly evaporates with how much more shooting you’ll likely do once you start handloading.
Reloading ammunition also offers more than just applied rewards.
There is a certain level of gratification only known to those who have won a shooting match or harvested a trophy buck with ammunition they handloaded themselves.
Almost every shooter will gain a deeper appreciation of their passion by reloading. And every reloader will build a more solid knowledge base through the Reloading Ultimate Collection.
Whether you choose to reload because it’s a more cost-effective alternative, or you’re interested in creating custom ammunition, it’s important to know what you’re doing. Done incorrectly, handloading can be risky, but with the appropriate tools, equipment, and techniques, it can be a more than viable alternative to purchasing manufactured ammunition. With the Reloading Ultimate Collection, discover the best practices for reloading ammo for rifles, handguns, and shotguns.
If you’re looking for Glock 42 holsters, one tactical holster maker is quick to welcome Glock’s most popular newcomer with a concealable carry option.
Building their reputation on creating comfortable concealed carry holsters N82 (Nate Squared) Tactical, was among the first to roll out a holster option for the super popular Glock G42, the Austrian gunmaker’s first .380-caliber handgun available in the United States. It was introduced at the beginning of 2014.
The new holster is part of N82’s IWB (inside-the-waistband) Professional Series that features an adjustable cant, positive retention with their Twist Release System and is tuckable for added comfort and concealment.
The holster is made of durable polycarbonate. The Twist Release System works by simply driving your thumb between the holster backing and the grip and slightly twisting the grip toward your body to release the trigger guard.
Professional Series holsters are available for hundreds of handgun models from 21 of the industry’s most popular gun manufacturers. ($70; n82tactical.com)
Will the AR remain a popular firearms option or was it a flash in the pan?
One of the hottest trends in recent years has obviously been the dramatic uptick in the sale of AR rifles. A lot of reasons have been cited for this, chief among them the election of Barack Obama in 2008 (“We had people flooding the store to buy even as election results were still coming in,” said one Norfolk, Va. shop owner.) and of course his re-election in 2012. Both of these electoral victories put fear into gun owners that new restrictions similar to the so-called Clinton Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 would re-emerge and many sought to secure another gun or two as much for investment potential as they simply wanted to own one. Indeed a lot of first-time tactical rifle buyers rushed into the market at this time as did even a good number of first-time gun owners period.
Other reasons cited for the increased sales were that after a decade of war where many of our citizen soldiers have returned home, the platform is one they are simply more comfortable with. At the same time, seeing them on the news (and in television shows) has made them more recognizable and quite simply, “cool.” With the expiration of the Clinton ban in 2004, the guns have also become more familiar to sportsmen—a number of whom initially resisted the AR in deference to their beloved bolt-action and other traditionally styled long guns—while the technology and performance of the tactical rifles have become more refined. As a result, many are making their way into more hunting camps. The guns are also easily customizable, which is another phenomenal attraction for many buyers.
Despite all of this seemingly good news for gun owners and those who deal in modern sporting rifles, talk to some shop owners and manufacturers now, and you would think the bottom has fallen out of the market.
“The firearms market seems to really be grinding to a halt all of the sudden,” said one California gun shop manager. Owners are starting to slash their prices in order to even move the guns suggested another in Oklahoma. If you read the news it has sounded as if nobody is buying guns—any guns for that matter. “Gun Sales Are Plunging” echoed one CNNMoney headline earlier this year. But are they really?
Numbers released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation based on adjusted FBI’ NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) numbers, which provide the best basis for how many firearms transfers have taken place over a given period, show that in the first seven months of 2014, firearms sales were still the highest they had ever been at 6.95 million transfers over any other year on record except for last year. Last year, was indeed remarkable with an astounding 8.81 million transfers over the same time period. The year before that, even at a time when things were seen as “hot,” there were 6.85 million transfers. Surely nobody expected things to stay that superheated forever. No industry or economy does. It all moves in cycles.
What has really happened is that we are returning to a “new normal” according to NSSF president and CEO Steve Sanetti. Companies and retailers ramped up operations and supply to meet the surging demand and when demand became more normal, it created a surplus supply. This is definitely a challenge for any business that suddenly finds itself with more supply than there is demand, but it can be GREAT for consumers. Product availability returns, choices increase and prices generally drop.
Trending among today’s tactical-style or modern sporting rifles is that higher-end models are still selling quite well and with more hunters coming into the fold, there is an effort by many companies to develop a wider variety of big-game friendly chamberings to make the guns more commonplace in hunting camps where whitetail deer are the most hunted species in North America. Now is an awesome time to be in the market for a tactical rifle.
So the question to gun owners now is “Are ARs so 2013? Or do you see them becoming even more commonplace than they already are? Will these guns eventually replace bolt-action and traditional rifles on the range and in hunting camps just as smokeless powder replaced blackpowder and lever-actions replaced the single shot back in the 1800s?
The .338 Winchester Magnum (top) compared to the .375 H&H (bottom).
This cartridge is a very good medium-bore cartridge that was introduced by Winchester, along with the .264 Magnum and the .458 Magnum, in about 1958.
They named the Model 70 rifle chambered for the .338 “The Alaskan, a pretty good indication of the type of game the Winchester developers figured it would be most useful on. It was pretty much and immediate success among Alaskan guides and residents alike.
The cartridge most likely had its origins in the efforts of three men in the late 1940s, experimenting with a couple similar cartridges. The men were Charles O’Neil, Elmer Keith, and Don Hopkins, and the cartridges were the .333 OKH and the .334 OKH.
The .333 OKH was based upon a .30-06 case necked up to a .33 caliber bullet, and the .334 OKH used a shortened .375 H&H case necked down for the same bullet. The .338 Winchester Magnum also used a shortened and blown-out .375 H&H case, necked down to accept a .338 caliber bullet.
Elmer used his .333 OKH as his second rifle on his first African Safari, and as I now recall it was a custom Mauser built by Montana rifle smith Iver Hendriksen. I vividly recall reading his descriptions of some of the difficulties he encountered using the cartridge.
He was using English made bullets and their performance on game was pretty dismal. The failures were in no way the fault of the cartridge, but rather the construction of the bullets. We are very fortunate these days to have plenty of really excellent bullets. Members of the Keith era were not so fortuitous.
I also recall reading in Keith’s writings that the .333 OKH became the .338 Win magnum, and the .334 OKH, became the .340 Weatherby. I suspect that there is a lot of truth in those comments.
The .338 is an excellent cartridge for larger big game. It is a great elk rifle when hunting wapiti in heavy timber. It is as good as any cartridge on big moose (and eland in Africa), and it really shines on the big bears.
When a motivated bruin is bound and determined for a up-close meet and greet, it’s nice to have the insurance the .338 Winchester Magnum allots.
One well-respected outfitter in Alaska used to require his bear guides to carry a .338 chambered rifle when chasing the bruins. Whether that is till the case or not, I can say.
Ammunition is available loaded with an assortment of good bullets, weighing from 200 grains to 300 grains. For normal use in the field doing anything other than backing clients on big bears, bullets in the 225-250 grain range are perhaps the most useful.
There isn’t much that a 225 grain quality bullet cruising along at about 2,800 fps won’t handily take care of. It is a relatively high pressure cartridge with the SAAMI recommended average pressure at 64,000 psi, and the CIP a bit less at 62,000 psi.
In my hunting career, I have had but one occurrence where an animal decided to test my mettle by taking me on. It was an Alaskan brown bear, and I was armed with a custom pre-64 Model 70 chambered for the .338 Win. Mag. loaded with handloaded ammo using 210 grain Nosler partition bullets.
I won’t get into the details, but since I’m writing these lines, needless to say, it worked.
Of course, this should warm the cockles of Justin Moon’s heart. After all, the founder of Kahr Arms originally designed his pistols for concealed carry and as backup guns.
And with the Massachusetts-based manufacturer’s newest line of pistols, it appears Kahr Arms plans to continue to embrace the small-is-practical ethos.
The company’s CT line boasts some of the company’s most concealable pistols. And with the final edition to the line, Kahr looks to jump on a couple other concealed-carry trends.
The CT380 is the most recent .380 ACP to hit the market and it walks lockstep with gun companies offering affordable concealed carry options. The gun certainly appears priced to move, with Kahr’s MSRP on the pistol $399.
The new pistol – part of the Kahr Value Series – has the dimensions to make it a runner for being tucked in a waistband or a pocket. The handgun has a 3-inch barrel and measures in at 5.52 inches in overall length, 4.4 inches in height and .75 inches in width.
The polymer-framed pistol also shouldn’t be a burden to carry, weighting in at a manageable 11.44 ounces unloaded. Too boot, it boasts the clean lines that help it avoid getting snagged on clothing on the draw.
Of course, being part of the value line, the CT380 has some cost-saving engineered into it. Kahr, for its part, was very straightforward in its press release about the differences between the new CT380 line and its premium model– the P380:
[T]he CT series has a conventional rifled barrel instead of the match grade polygonal barrel found on Premium model; the CT slide stop lever is MIM (metal-injection-molded) instead of machined; the CT series slide has fewer machining operations, and uses simple engraved markings instead of roll markings; the P380 comes with three magazines and is shipped in a lockable plastic case. The CT Value series comes with one 7 rd. stainless steel magazine and ships in a cardboard box.
The CT380 has the dimensions that make it a grand candidate for a concealed carry pistol.
The pistol features drift adjustable white bar-dot combat rear sight and pinned-in polymer front sight. It has a 7+1 capacity. And it has aggressive, yet clean grip texturing.
The CT380 boasts Kahr’s trigger-cocking double-action-only system. Racking the slide partially cocks the striker. Pulling the trigger then rotates a double-lobed cocking cam that does two things: one lobe draws the firing-pin block back, while the other depresses the striker and spring, until it slips the lobe and fires.
The CT line is available in three other calibers – .45 ACP, .40 S&W and 9mm – all with $449 MSRPs.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
