Gun Digest authors Gila Hayes, Massad Ayoob and Grant Cunningham will be meeting with fans and signing books at the National Rifle Association’s 2014 Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, Ind., April 25 and 26.
The three firearms authors will make separate special appearances at the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. booth during the event. Fans are encouraged to arrive early, as each author will be signing a limited number of complimentary copies of their book, courtesy of Gun Digest Media.
The Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. is an organization of gun owners dedicated to the legal protection of members facing the scrutiny of the legal system after using deadly force in self defense.
Massad Ayoob, an internationally recognized authority in the firearms world, has authored thousands of articles and more than a dozen books on guns and self-defense topics. Ayoob is an Advisory Board Member for the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network and directs the Massad Ayoob Group. His most recent book, Gun Safety in the Home, guides readers to a more comprehensive understanding of safe firearm handling and secure storage methods in the home, and encourages parents to educate their children about guns.
Gila Hayes, author of Concealed Carry for Women, has been teaching gun safety and armed self defense since 1993. She is one of the three founders of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network and currently serves as its Operations Manager.
Grant Cunningham is a renowned author, teacher and gunsmith. In his new book, Defensive Revolver Fundamentals, he makes a convincing case for utilizing the revolver as a personal defense firearm.
Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. Signing Schedule (Booth #4262):
Grant Cunningham (Defensive Revolver Fundamentals) – April 25 from 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Massad Ayoob (Gun Safety in the Home) – April 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Gila Hayes (Concealed Carry for Women) – April 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Taking a nod from the current zombie craze, the gun department at Herb Bauer got creative recently and has tricked out a number of guns.
The retailer had modified Mossberg 500 Persuader and Remington 870 Express self-defense shotguns with Mesa Tactical six-position stocks and alloy side-saddle shell holders.
With an EOTech or Surefire tactical light, these “Zombie Specials” became a top seller, and go for $849, says gun manager John Lewis.
Rimfire shooters like the Browning Maple stock T-bolt, especially the 17HMR model (the rifle’s also offered in 22LR and 22Mag), at $789. The new Ruger American rimfire rifle in 22LR and 22Mag is also moving well, as are the new camouflage Ruger 10/22 takedown rifles
Local deer hunters who hunt in California’s lead-free condor zone have been buying up Corbon 30-30 DPX ammunition. Made with solid copper bullets, a 20-round box of the DPX goes for $49.95.
Editor's note, this brief originally appeared in the Dec. 16, 2013 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
When it comes to collectable revolvers, one Virgina auction house has seen some of the largest from the British Empire fetch attention and top dollar this past winter.
“British military large-bore Webley Revolvers are hot right now, the prices having doubled in the last year,” notes Robert House, owner of Classic Firearms and Echoes of Glory Auction House. “The Webley Mark I in the original .455 caliber went from being a $600 handgun to an $1,100-$1,200 revolver in less than six months.”
British Lee-Enfield rifles and the Imperial Japanese Arisaka rifles (with the chrysanthemum stamp) have increased in value 100 percent over the last year.
“Even the lowly imported Soviet 91/30 Mosin-Nagant rifles, historically low priced, have gone from being $89.95 bolt-actions to $150-$175 rifles in the last six months as supplies have dried up,” he adds.
For firearm accessories, German military WWI and WWII Mauser bayonets are selling well, bringing $125 to $250 at auction depending on condition.
Editor's note, this article originally appeared in the Dec. 16, 2013, edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Whether talking home defense or ultimate survival gun, plenty of arguments can be made for the shotgun as the one type of firearm that will serve those purposes best. It also doesn’t hurt if it boasts a little visual intimidation factor and tactical attitude, something the Catamount Fury delivers in spades.
The Catamount Fury is a Chinese-made tactical shotgun imported by one of North America’s largest importers of surplus firearms, Florida-based Century International.
The Fury is a new offering by Century in 2013 and is similar in design to the popular (and pricier) Russian-made Saiga-12 (also imported by Century), a shotgun built on the even more popular and renowned AK-47 action, both guns operating in the same manner and assembling in much the same way—the parts obviously much bigger to accommodate 12-gauge sized loads rather than the AK’s 7.62x39mm.
The Fury is a gas-operated piston-driven semi-auto 12-gauge that is adjustable for both high brass and low brass ammo, meaning you can easily fire less expensive field loads for practice or practical use, but switch over to heavier-hitting magnum loads if the situation dictates and still get the gun to cycle as it must.
It is capable of handling both 2 ¾-inch and 3-inch shells and unlike any other semi-auto shotgun I’ve ever fired, most of them tube magazine fed, the Fury comes with two five-round detachable box magazines that slip into the bottom of the receiver in the same rolling fashion as an AK-47 magazine. It comes with a cylinder choke tube installed, along with a Full and Modified tube, and is designed for lead shot only.
The matte black composite straight stock offers a solid cheek weld for aiming down the notched rear and single-post front sight. A solid hold on the gun is enhanced by the checkered pistol grip of the stock and a narrow composite forearm with granular texturing to its feel. A rubber recoil pad mounted to the butt of the stock mitigates the kick a 12-gauge load can transfer to the shooter, particularly in frequent fire situations.
Both the design and overall weight of the Fury—8.7 pounds—make it stout without being cumbersome. For the possibility of lengthy carry or toting through the forest, I would recommend a quality sling, which the Fury is ready to accept with a threaded brass insert in the bottom of the stock and a front handguard rail that will accommodate a tactical sling attachment.
Additional features that round out the Fury is a side safety lever that prevents the gun from firing when rotated up to block the recoil of the bolt and all the way down to permit the locking open of the bolt. Enhancing the tactical nature of the Fury is the integrated Weaver-style rail along the top of the receiver, as well as the aforementioned rail mounted on the front bottom of the handguard.
The packaging of the Fury also includes a cleaning rod and brush that can easily packed in the field if needed. The modular nature of the gun allows it to break down in essentially seven main pieces (not counting the magazine) and it assembles and disassembles pretty easily once you have the system down.
Target Time
Using a number of strategically placed target stands pasted with Birchwood Casey Shoot•N•C targets and loaded with Federal Vital Shok 3-inch No. 4 Buckshot, I moved down the line and shot targets at every distance between 7 yards and 40 yards. Even at the longer range and shooting through a Cylinder choke, I found the patterns to be sufficiently dense and even. At the closer distance, the pattern punched through the target about the size of a boxer’s fist.
Obviously, if regularly shooting at 30- or 40-yard distances or using heavier shot such as 00 Buck, I would recommend switching to the Modified tube and for even farther out, the Full. For most defensive situations, however, the Cylinder is more than ample, and if shooting standard slugs, you'll definitely want the more open choke screwed in at the end of the barrel lest you could damage the gun and possibly injure yourself. That’s the case with any smoothbore shotgun with screw-in chokes.
As for the choke tubes themselves, my only beef was other than the Cylinder tube, I couldn’t find markings to distinguish what the others were, though it would be easy enough to shoot patterns through them at identical distances, determine which throws the tighter pattern and mark it, perhaps with a small notch on the outer edge. Perhaps this is something Century can address going forward.
Catamont Fury
Because the design of the gun is different from what many American shooters are used to, I’d love to see a little more detail in the manual explaining more fully the operation of the gun, such as the bolt release button (I had to figure that one out myself) and gas operating system.
I found the Catamount Fury an extremely fun gun to shoot and at a retail price of $600, it cost virtually less than half of what many semi-autos, tactical or otherwise, can be had for in today’s market. That alone is sure to attract an audience of gunowners looking for that scattergun that looks as tough as it shoots, the sight of which is often enough to send a threat scurrying away before the first shot ever has to be fired.
Century International Catamount Fury Specs Gauge: 12 Action: Semi-Auto Receiver: Black anodized, detachable 5-round magazine fed Barrel: 20.125” Chokes: Full, Modified, Cylinder Trigger: N/A Stock: matte black composite Overall Length: 42.5” Weight: 8.7 lbs. Options: two magazines, trigger lock, choke tube tool and cleaning rod and brush Suggested Retail Price: $600 Website: centuryarms.biz
This article originally appeared in the Dec. 16, 2013 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Professional instruction can benefit new and experienced shooters alike.
Gun schools aren’t just for experienced shooters.
Arizona’s Gunsite Academy, the largest and most famous shooting school in the country, teaches shooters with skill levels ranging from expert to absolute beginner. Classes include everything from basic handgun instruction to advanced tactical and defensive shooting, wing shooting, long-range rifle shooting and tactical shotgun shooting.
“We get quite a few students that have never fired a gun,” says Gunsite Academy training director Dave Starin. “About a third of our students are beginners, a third have some experience and the rest are skilled shooters, often with a military or law enforcement background. We offer training that matches the skill level of the shooter and then we help them become better.”
Tim Fallon – owner of Sportsmen’s All-Weather, All-Terrain Marksmanship School held at FTW Ranch in Barksdale, Texas – instructs shooters who share similar experience levels.
“We have a lot of shooters who are avid hunters but who may not have the opportunity to shoot much,” he says. “We help improve their abilities by reinforcing good techniques and changing bad habits.”
Fallon likes to call it the perfection of the fine art of shooting. He and his instructors analyze everything from the way a shooter grips the gun and squeezes the trigger to the follow-through after they take a shot. All of those things, and many more, play a major role in shot placement.
“One-thousandth of an inch movement at the muzzle equals a sixteenth of an inch at one hundred yards. If you multiply that by just a tiny fraction, you can see how the slightest movement of the muzzle can translate to a poor shot at three or four hundred yards,” he explains.
Class In Session
Missing isn’t just a result of bad form, though. A number of factors besides the guy behind the gun contribute to poor shot placement. Some guns just don’t like certain bullets or loads, and even the most skilled shooters may not fully grasp the intricate details of ballistics. That’s why the best schools include a little classroom time.
Instructors typically cover everything from basic marksmanship and safety to ballistics and the intricate functions of a scope. Each day is a progression of lessons that helps participants improve one step at a time.
The classroom instructors are typically the range instructors, who not only know how to shoot, but how to teach. They tend to be ex-military or law enforcement with lots of experience as instructors.
Fallon’s lead instructor is a retired Navy SEAL sniper, and Gunsite’s teachers not only taught shooting in their past lives, they have undergone extensive training themselves. The best teachers not only know guns and shooting, they have good people skills, too, and know when to push their students and when to use a different approach.
Don’t Forget the Fun
Self defense and hunting scenarios are among the most popular at shooting schools.
If you can drill a bull’s-eye at 100 yards and shoot sub-minute-of-angle groups at twice that distance, you may not need someone to tell you how to shoot better than you are already. But in some ways, Fallon’s classes and other, similarly intense instructional seminars aren’t necessarily about becoming a better shooter. They’re about having fun.
Where else can you test your ability out to 500, 600 even 1,000 yards? The best schools have multiple ranges with a variety of targets scattered throughout challenging, even intimidating topography.
You can’t have too much fun, though, at least not if you measure fun by the number of times you squeeze the trigger. Gunsite’s students will burn through upwards of 1,000 rounds in some five-day sessions, but Fallon typically limits his shooters to three or four boxes of ammo per day.
Depending on the group, he might turn a range session into a game, pitting shooters against each other in speed drills, accuracy contests and distance shoot-offs. In the end, though, it’s all about combining fun with improving your ability to defend yourself, break more clay pigeons or hit a target every time you pull the trigger, even a steel plate over a half-mile away.
Cool Schools for Shooters
Whether it’s long distance with a rifle, up close with a handgun or swinging at flying targets with a shotgun, the following schools offer a fun, exciting way to spend a few days improving marksmanship skills that will last a lifetime. Heck, the skills you learn could even safe your life someday ensuring that lifetime lasts a little longer.
Although there has been some initial bias towards the AR as a hunting firearm, more and more sportsmen are favoring the AR as the gun of choice when heading into the woods. Patrick Hayes Photo
While misperceptions about tactical rifles remain among the sporting public, and even some division remains among sportsmen in camp (one recent magazine article talked about being the first guy in camp with an AR and how to present yourself as a good ambassador for the tactical gun crowd), studies show that opinions are changing.
One 2011 study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation found that just over 18 percent of all gun owners now own an AR-style rifle (probably higher since 2013). Of those, nearly 20 percent say they use them for hunting.
This is a sizable number given the relatively recent arrival of ARs on the hunting scene but will likely only continue to trend upwards as more sportsmen become familiar with the platform.
Of course, nobody will ever accuse hunters—at least not most of them—of being on the forefront of cutting edge changes in the way they live or do things. Admittedly, most of us hunt out of a respect for the traditions and simple pleasures the outdoors offers.
But as younger hunters raised in a technologically focused society take to the woods and start to produce their own income, the AR promises to be as continuing a presence in hunting camp as it does in the capable hands of our military forces.
Ninety-four percent of those surveyed said they approve of the use of semi-auto AR-platform rifles for target shooting. That number dropped to a 75 percent approval rating when asked if they thought those same guns should be used for hunting.
While I have found no data measuring those same attitudes, say just four or five years ago, I believe it would be safe to assume, that the percentage of approving hunters and shooters has grown considerably.
More telling of where the field of sporting ARs is likely to go can be found in the responses where approximately 20 percent of those surveyed said they intend to purchase a modern sporting rifle within the next 12 months. Can you say, “Coming to a camp near you!”
Spend any time shooting trap and skeet and it quickly becomes apparent coming up with a proper and effective sight picture can be difficult.
The eye has a natural tenancy to be drawn straight down the barrel, which can cause problems – especially in skeet. With clays traveling side to side, a sight picture straight down the barrel means the shot ends up trailing the clay. Instead, shooters need to become accustom to tracking the clay with their eyes while positioning the shotgun at a proper lead.
In some respects, it's the same theory behind catching baseball, softball or football – your eyes are focused on one thing, while your hands are doing something else. Gil and Vicki Ash of OPS Shooting School have a quick and easy way to build good habits in acquiring a proper sight picture and lead in the video above.
The best part of the Ash's method is it can be done nearly anywhere – from backyard to living room (with an unloaded gun, of course). And it's one of those whacky shooting drills that almost seem too simple to work. But if given a chance, it is almost certain to pay dividends the next time you hit the range.
Savage Model 1907 Field Test Pistol. (Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company). Taking a gander at the Savage Model 1907 it's difficult not to ponder what if…
The delayed blowback single-action semi-automatic pistol is obscure as spats nowadays. But the handgun – in it's .45 ACP iteration – stood at the precipice of greatness. The Savage 1907 was, after all, the handgun that went toe-to-toe with the Model 1911.
The pistol was Savage's first and only attempt at procuring a military contract for a sidearm and Elbert H. Searle's design did surprisingly well. The 1907 – along with what became the Colt 1911 – was one of the last two guns standing in the military field trials.
Of course, firearms enthusiasts all know how the story ends – the laurels and glory went to the 1911 and John Browning. The video below, details what happened in this epic battle of designs and what did in the 1907.
Despite the failure as a .45 ACP, the 1907 did go on to find success as a pocket pistol chambered in .32 and .380 ACP. And it went on to influence the designs of the Savage 1915 and 1917.
While it didn't cut muster as a military weapon, Searle's design is interesting. As the National Firearms Museum points out, the pistol is elegantly simple:
This arm contained only 34 parts and contained no screws or flat springs. A distinctive feature of the original design was the inclusion of checkered sheet metal stocks that were held in place by simple friction. The gun incorporated a hammer/cocking piece that was directly connected to the firing pin. This assembly was in turn housed within a modular breechblock that also contained the mainspring and a top-mounted notched extractor that doubled as a rear sight.
Arguably, the 1911 winning the military contract was a factor in its un-paralleled influence on the firearms world. There are few guns on the market that don’t take something from the 1911, whether in action or aesthetics. Which kind of make one scratch their head about what if the Savage 1907 would have won the contract. Would modern pistols designs have favored the svelte barrel lines of the 1907? Would designers have preferred variations on the blowback action? Answers to these and other questions, obviously, will forever linger in the realm of conjecture.
Only 200 or so 1907s chambered in .45 ACP were produced, all for military trials. In turn, the pistol is rare and desirable; The Standard Catalog of Firearms lists a .45 1907 in excellent condition at $13,500. In the end, it appears Savage's loss has turned out to be collectors' gain.
Flashbang Holsters entered the market with a unique under bra holster for women, but quickly expanded its line to include more traditional holster options like these excellent “Baby Face” models – for women and men carrying under varying circumstances and risk profiles.
Your life circumstances affect your “risk profile,” which has as much bearing on choosing the best concealed carry holster as which gun you choose to carry.
I get asked a lot of questions about concealed carry holsters, usually focused on comfort and security for the weapon. Those are important attributes but rank below an often overlooked factor of greater importance—your personal risk profile.
If you're an armed professional whose employment requires you to go in harm’s way, the most important variable would probably be speed of presentation. This “high-risk” profile would warrant a Kydex-type holster, worn on the belt on the strong side, with a slight forward tilt.
For most shooters in this risk profile, including a civilian whose life situation places them in a dangerous environment, this is likely the carry method that would facilitate the quickest draw from a standing position.
However, if you are a civilian (male) who is fortunate enough to live in a low risk town but must traverse a bad area on your regular commute to work, the most important variable might be ease of access while seated in the car.
For this application an ankle holster may be the best choice, allowing you to get to the gun quickly while in the car. Car-jacking is usually best resisted from within the car. You can present from the ankle in about one quarter of the time it takes to unclip the seatbelt, get through your cover garment, twist your torso radically and present the gun from a belt holster.
Because ankle holsters usually require a smaller pistol or revolver, when arriving at work it can be discretely transferred from its “driving position” to a jacket pocket without getting out of the car.
For women in this risk profile, a belt carry cross-draw would probably be the quickest presentation but it is less comfortable than an ankle presentation for most people and it requires pants.
If you are fortunate enough to live and work in a relatively safe area and want to be armed “just in case,” then the most important tactical variable is likely comfort. If carry becomes tedious it will soon be discarded out of habit.
When choosing a concealed carry holster, both gun and comfort play obvious roles. But keep your lifestyle and personal risk profile in mind, too—it's critical to getting the best practical fit.
For the most part, an actual PEQ can be a difficult item to procure. Certainly, the mil-spec laser sights can be found floating around here and there on the Internet, but their cost is prohibitive.
As far as replicas are concerned, typically they’re all sizzle and little steak. Sure they look like their military counterparts, but for the most part they add little more than a superficial quality to a rifle.
These drawbacks are, in part, why one of Sightmark’s newest products is a relief. One glimpse at the LoPro Combo is enough to discern it was inspired by what is fixed on our military’s M4s. But upon closer inspection, the multi-functional accessory is more than just a good-looking bobble. It is practical tactical.
The LoPro Combo delivers two popular AR accessories in one compact package, allowing shooters to add a laser sight and flashlight in one fell swoop. And the best part is Sightmark has not scrimped on either device.
The sight is Class IIIA green laser, powerful enough to handle almost any situation that might be thrown at a shooter. It has its place in the daytime with a range of around 50 yards when the sun is out, but it really shines at night reaching out to 600 yards.
The sight is also fully hand adjustable for windage and elevations with 1-inch MOA click adjustments turrets. And the unit is designed to keep its zero not matter how roughly it’s treated.
The LoPro is constructed of high performance thermoplastic that yields a weather resistance rating of IPX6 – that's equivalent to high-seas conditions. The unit is also built for tactical durability, resistant to 1000G’s of maximum recoil.
The laser isn’t the only souped-up aspect of the LoPro with the flashlight boasting plenty of power. The LED flashlight is 220 lumens, more than enough to light up a room or to quickly spot a target. To some, the flashlight is among the most important accessories that can be added to a defensive AR.
The multi-functional laser and flashlight device can be mounted on a Picatinny or Weaver rail and is intended to work on any AR, no matter its setup. It is designed to function either in front of a riflescope, without interference with the field of view, or on the side or bottom of a quad rail.
It has pressure-pad controls, to reduce the chance of fumbling for the on-off switch when it counts. The unit is powered off a 3V Lithium battery, giving the laser 12 hours of life, the flashlight 17 and both devices run in conjunction 4.5.
Given the versatility of the LoPro, the unit checks in at a moderate price. Sightmark sells it for $179.96 on its website and it is also available at a number of other shooting retailers. The drawback of the LoPro is it might not float minimalists' boats. The unit is larger than just a flashlight or lower-powered laser sights. Like all accessories, it will have its fans and those who will turn their noses up.
Certainly, the unit won’t appeal to everyone. But for those looking for a practical PEQ-style device to top off their rifle, the LoPro is one that has the potential to steal the spotlight.
Typically, Kirsten Joy Weiss can be found attempting some pretty wild trick shots on her YouTube channel. But the former college All-American and present member of Team Lapua takes time out of her busy schedule to answer one of the more pressing questions of the day – exactly how many Peeps will a .22LR shoot through?
Ms. Weiss comes well prepared to see how many of the gooey marshmallow Easter treats it takes to stop a bullet. And when everything is said and done, the results are rather surprising. No bean spilling here, you've got to watch the video.
Bushnell has made a name for itself in the tactical world.
The Kansas manufacturer’s Elite Tactical scopes have won kudos from shooters who aim to knock the X out of targets two counties over. As effective as this line has proven to be, however, there was a glaring hole in it. There was nothing for shooters whose applications were up close and personal, requiring fast and accurate target acquisition.
That has all changed with Bushnell’s newest optic making the Elite Tactical line more useful than every before – no matter the distance at which a shooter needs to hit. The Close Quarters Tactical Sight is the first red-dot sight in the line and with the name Elite Tactical tied to it, it comes with everything a shooter might want out of a low-powered optic.
Like the other Elite Tactical optics, the 1x32mm CQTS is built to tight specs boasting the same professional grade, field-tested standards of the rest of the line. This includes high-end multi-coated lenses for a clear and bright sight picture, housed in a rugged tube ready to absorb the roughest handling.
The fixed-power optic has the sighting features that make it useful in tactical or competitive situations. It has a precise 3 MOA red dot, allowing a tight bead on a target. And the CQTS is set up to handle nearly any environmental conditions with eight brightness setting.
The optic is also engineered to go above and beyond for nighttime applications. The CQTS has three brightness setting specifically designed to work in conjunction with night-vision devices.
Like the rest of the Elite Tactical line, the CQTS is constructed to withstand abuse. It has a durable 30mm tube and features rubber-armored, tethered turret caps. And the sight includes a rugged one-piece cantilever mount and flip-up lens caps to protect the optic during transport.
The optic can also be quickly and easily added to almost any firearm. The CQTS is compatible with both Picatinny rails or Weaver-style bases.
This is not the first red-dot sight Bushnell’s has produced. The CQTS is probably most closely related to the TRS-25 HiRise AR optic. But the new red-dot sight comes in at a bit higher price point than the relatively inexpensive cousin with an MSRP of $349.
If, however, the optic is anything like the rest of the Elite Tactical line it is certain to earn its keep.
Recommended AR-15 Resources
Thinking about buying an AR-15 or decking yours out with all the bells and whistles? Then you need the Gun Digest Book of the AR-15 Series Set! Author and gunsmith Patrick Sweeney gives you an in depth look at the modern sporting rifle, helping you get a grasp on all of the AR's iterations, accessories and advancements. Make sure you get everything you want out of your AR-15 with this series. For more resources on guns, shooting and gun collecting check out GunDigestStore.com.
CCW practitioners have made the Ruger LCP in .380 ACP the top carry handgun at the Lebanon Gun Shop this past winter. But it is not the only concealed carry handgun that has won favor. The Smith & Wesson J Frame .38 revolver has moved quickly, as well.
With the general difficulty in getting many calibers of ammunition, reloading equipment and supplies have gone strong. Hodgdon’s Varget Smokeless Powder has been especially in demand, at $189 per 8-pound jug. Customers have been buying up .223/5.56mm reloading components, especially bullets and primers.
Speaking of which, while the AR surge is over, Lebanon’s owner David Wilson noted customer interest has remained strong in AR platform rifles, just not at “surge” prices. The DPMS Panther Oracle went on sale here for $679, and the rifles are moved out fast.
“What we have seen since the surge in sales ended this summer is a return to more normal seasonal trends,” Wilson said. “However, sales are still about 10-percent higher, month to month, compared to last year.”
Music, banking, games – there's an app for nearly everything. Shooters haven't been left out in the cold. There are plenty of gun apps out there that turn smartphones into nifty shooting, reloading and general gun tools.
It’s no small statement smartphones fill a large role in our lives nowadays.
They have become our entertainment centers, mobile banks and occasionally, well, phones. But do these omnipresent gadgets have a place in the shooting world? You’re dang Skippy they do!
In fact, Google Play and iTunes are chalked full of more gun apps than you can shake a M1A at. There are game calls for hunters, timers for competitive shooters and cadre of other apps for every stripe of gun enthusiast.
The market is crowded, so much so an article about what is available could easily become a directory. Therefore, the following list is hardly exhaustive. It’s more like a few apps I’ve found handy on my iPhone and have passed one big test – they’re free or nearly so.
iStrelok
I got this ballistics calculator when it was still free, but to be honest I would shell out the $4.99 it now costs. The app is not as extensive as other calculators out there, but it has one feature that beats out most – its wind direction adjustment.
The interface is laid out on a clock face, all the shooter has to do is estimate where the wind is coming from relative to their 12 o’clock. It is very intuitive, it is more sensitive to this variable than most calculators and it is easily programed in the field. The app has a bunch of other bells and whistles, but this one feature makes the app one of the most practical and cost effective out there.
Bullet Drop
If you’re too cheap to shell out five bucks (I don't blame you), there are still options in ballistics calculators. Bullet Drop – the first calculator I tried – is a solid one. The app is plain vanilla with nothing but numbers for input and output. But the data it churns out is invaluable, giving shooters a fairly detailed ballistic table.
The table goes out to 1000 yards and is broken down in 50-yard increments. The bullet’s path can be expressed in inches, minutes of angle or mils. The table also details velocity, energy and drift. The drawback of the app is inputting variables can be a bit arduous, making it less practical as a field tool.
RCBS Reloading Calculator
Reloading not only allows shooters to keep tight reigns on their ammunition’s performance, but also its costs. RCBS’s Reloading Calculator is wiz at projecting costs for projects. The free app breaks down the expenses of a specific cartridge per 1000, 50, 20 and single rounds.
Certainly, for individuals that turn out few rounds yearly the app might be of marginal utility. But for high-volume reloaders/shooters the calculator is a gem, giving them a quick and simple way to compare and contrast the costs of different components in seconds.
Gun Values by Gun Digest
You didn’t think you’d get away without me talking about Gun Digest’s app, Gun Values by Gun Digest, did you? Well, you thought wrong, because the app is slick. Where else can you find an updated list of gun shows from around the county and a gun values all in one?
The handiest aspect of the app is the ability to search prices on a particular gun while at a show or store. A smartphone is a heck of a lot easier to tote around than the Standard Catalog of Firearms – a couple thousand-page reference. If you love to snoop for the best firearms deals, this app is worth its subscription rate — starting at $4.99.
Free Shot Timer
I wish I could boast that I’m a competitive shooter. Alas, maybe someday. Even without IDPA match involved, there is a lot to be said about having a shot timer. It can be a dynamite tool for general training.
Where I’ve found the Free Shot Timer app the handiest is pistol shooting, adding a layer of pressure. Quickly and accurately placing shots are important defensive skills. This app allows shooters to add exactly this aspect to their training, without investing $100-pluse for a shot timer.
Here are a few apps I’ve yet to try, but seem intriguing.
Gunbroker – App is exactly what it sounds like, the mobile version of the popular online gun auction.
Revolvr – Interesting app that facilitates gun accessory trades and sales.
Concealed Carry 50 State Guide – App gives state-specific information about concealed carry laws, including where your license has reciprocity.
Inteliscope – App turns smartphone into a tactical optic, we've covered the system here and here.
Gunstruction – AR15.com allows you to build an AR from the ground up on your smartphone. Another one of our writers gave it a day in court.
Where to Shoot – NSSF’s app that helps you find the nearest shooting range.
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.
