The act of pistol reloading is an overlooked issue in most training, but it is true that shooters are killed due to dropping magazines, shaking hands, placing the magazine in backwards and placing empty magazines back into the pistol.
The stress induced by a life-threatening situation causes shooters to do things that they would not otherwise do. Consistent and repeated training — properly performed — is needed to avoid such mistakes.
Here are four techniques to know and practice.
Use your index finger to position the magazine for correct insertion. And practice this consistently.
1. Develop a consistent method for carrying magazines in the ammunition pouches. All magazines should face down with the bullets facing forward and to the center of the body. Your pouches should properly secure your magazines during strenuous actions.
2. Never practice an administrative reload. On the initial load, perform a speed reload. Be slow and technically correct to begin with and speed will come, but it is critical to practice with proper technique so as not to practice bad habits into routine.
3. Know when to reload. When possible, perform the tactical reload; it is safer to reload with a round in the chamber to fire in an emergency. And you do not have to release the slide as when reloading from a slide lock. In a fight, reload when you can, not when you are forced to. Think tactically and ask yourself if you have the time and the opportunity to do it; if so, then perform a tactical reload.
4. Obtain the proper grip on the magazine to be loaded. This grip precludes the magazine being dropped or difficulty in placing the magazine into the pistol. Use the index finger to guide the magazine into the pistol. You must force yourself to shift focus momentarily to ensure you put the magazine into the magazine well correctly every time.
Practice these techniques under some type of stress. It may be through competitions, noise, after physical exercises—whatever gets your heart to pound—and you will then have to learn to calm yourself.
The import of military surplus firearms has slowed to a trickle, with only a handful of bolt-action rifles coming in. The ubiquitous Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 finally disappeared from wholesaler catalogs in late 2012.
From the re-election of Barack Obama and push for new gun control following the tragic Sandy Hook school shooting, to the United Nations push for small arms disarmament, there's no shortage of geopolitical and economic forces shaping trends in military gun collecting. Phillip Peterson, editor of the new Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, 7th Edition, gives his take on where things are heading.
The 2012 re-election of Barack Obama has basically extended the buyers market for firearms that had started when he was elected the first time, in 2008. Manufacturers continue to struggle to fill demand for new handguns and semi-automatic rifles.
AR-15 style rifles like this are still in demand following recent attempts to ban them.
After the mass shootings that took place in 2012, the administration and national media have been on a crusade for another “assault weapon” ban, and bans on high-capacity magazines. As we go to press it looks as though the bans have little chance of getting passed by the U.S. Congress. But the surge in demand continues.
The collectible firearms market has dropped a bit as many buyers are purchasing the new guns they fear are soon to be banned. As we gathered pricing data of realized prices from auctions, internet sales and some observed traffic at gun shows, it is clear that there has been a slight drift downward in the selling price of collectible military firearms. The biggest hit has been in what I call midrange collectibles in the $250 – $750 range.
My read on this is that the working-class segment of collectors and accumulators are the ones who have been affected the most by the economy. Fewer new collectors are entering the market and the more common items have fallen in price as the existing collectors already have them. There are fewer sales to “noncollector” buyers of old military guns who were buying those items in the past because they were cheap.
The import of military surplus firearms has slowed to a trickle, with only a handful of bolt-action rifles coming in. The ubiquitous Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 finally disappeared from wholesaler catalogs in late 2012.
These Russian rifles had been retailing for about $125 with a sling and bayonet. It does not take long for prices to climb once an item disappears from suppliers’ listings, and the 91-30s quickly have jumped to the $200 – $300 range. There are now no surplus rifles that can be bought for under $100, a threshold that has been approaching for several years.
With the United Nations pushing an international treaty limiting the small-arms trade, it is unlikely any new imports of military surplus will hit these shores. Poorer nations are being pressured to destroy surplus small arms and ammunition by granting them financial aid in exchange for destroying their old guns.
Because carrying a gun adds just one more complication to our already complex lives, carrying a gun in public is a fertile breeding ground for errors that can sometimes be embarrassing and sometimes prove very dangerous. Here are some tips for armed women.
Imagine that a friend makes a romantic “pass,” and instead of giving you a nice warm hug, gets a handful of your Glock Model 26.
A playful young child at the local playground dashes headlong into your hip and bellows in outrage, “Mommy! Your gun hurt my head!”
You stand to rise from a comfortable captain-style chair at a nice restaurant when your gun’s grips tangle in the chair arms, making a loud clacking sound, tipping the chair over and jerking the gun half out of its holster.
While the myriad stories about inadvertent breaches in concealment are instructional and funny to all but the embarrassed party, there are more serious errors of which you should be aware.
These usually center on a dropped gun or a dropped magazine, or rounds of ammunition that got loose and rolled around in a public place.
Carrying Concealed When Nature Calls
When carrying a gun in a belt holster, the question of how to secure it while using the toilet is quite a topic of contention. One school of thought calls for drawing the gun and setting it on the toilet tank, the tissue roll dispenser, or other flat surface.
This is probably functional at home and maybe even in a locked single restroom if you’re not too germ-phobic. This solution, however, is very iffy in restrooms with multiple stalls separated by metal dividers where one door slamming shakes the entire structure, and the toilets rarely have water tanks at all.
Here, some trainers recommend drawing the gun and stowing it in your purse, or even in the crotch of your trousers.
If the gun must come out of the holster at all, a safer solution, in my opinion, is the one offered by Kathy Jackson, author of The Cornered Cat(1) website, who recommends hanging your purse on the coat hook, opening it, and stowing the gun in the purse.
Since I have been carrying a gun for some two decades, I’ve honed my carry gear to such good equipment that I can hold the belt tight against my thigh and the gun and holster remain safely upright, even with the trousers lowered.
I prefer this option in restrooms, since it entails absolutely no gunhandling in a public place. My dear friend Vicki Farnam likes a purse holster for these circumstances, since, like my solution, it entails no gunhandling whatsoever.
The aspect of all this gun handing that troubles me greatly is that there is no safe gun direction in a public restroom or even a single restroom in a public building, and often a safe, bullet-stopping backstop is not available in the home restroom, either.
With respect to all the folks who recommend various places to stash your gun in a public restroom, I simply will not do it. When you draw the gun out of the safety of its holster and handle it, that loaded gun is pointing somewhere.
Inadvertent contact with the trigger can discharge it with very tragic results, since something important may be forward of the muzzle in the direction in which the gun points.
Again, good gear contributes much to avoiding a dangerous problem. A gun carried on a rigid belt in a holster that is molded to the shape of the gun will stay securely in the holster even when it is not in its normal, muzzle-down orientation on your waistband.
Close your gun-side hand around holster, belt and waistband while lowering your trousers.
If bathroom duties require both hands, squeeze the holster against the outside of your thigh until pulling your britches up.
Denim jeans sometimes have enough stiffness to do this alone, but with a softer fabric like wool gabardine, you can also buckle your belt around your thighs or knees to create the needed tension, if that proves necessary.
Yes, this takes some finesse, but it can be done. I’ve been doing it for years. That way the gun need never leave the security of the holster, where the covering over the trigger guard provides a considerable margin of safety against an unintentional and very dangerous discharge.
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Concealed Carry for Women, a new book by Gila Hayes. It takes a comprehensive approach for women who have decided to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense.Click Here to Get Your Copy
SAN FRANCISCO—In its Nov. 18 armor and gun auction, Bonhams is offering a Smith & Wesson No. 2 revolver owned by Wild Bill Hickok that was on him when he was murdered by Jack McCall in Deadwood in 1876.
Wild Bill Hickok (James Butler Hickok), 1837-1876, is one of the most iconic figures of the Old West. As a lawman, gunfighter and scout, his reputation as possibly the finest shot with a handgun was known far and wide.
On Aug. 2, 1876, while playing poker at the Number 10 Saloon in Deadwood, holding the infamous ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ of aces and eights, he was murdered by Jack McCall. Seth Bullock had arrived in Deadwood the previous day and was made sheriff shortly thereafter. As was common at the time, it is quite likely that the deceased Hickok’s effects were held by the sheriff’s office.
The revolver being offered by Bonhams (estimated at $300,000-$500,000) is a fascinating historic piece in .32 rimfire, with a 6-inch barrel, blued finish and varnished rosewood grips, and serial no. 29963.
It is on offer with an extensive file of documents backing its provenance, including photocopied reference works stating it is well known that Hickok was carrying a Smith & Wesson No. 2 when he was killed; a photocopy of pertinent pages from Ed McGivern’s book “Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting,” in which McGivern details his visit to Deadwood in 1932 to research Wild Bill’s guns, at which time he saw this gun and notes “The Willoth gun is quite generally established as being one of Wild Bill’s guns, and all reports seem to support such claim convincingly”; and photocopies of various documents about how the gun was passed down through the Willoth family of Deadwood to the present owner’s father.
Fluted barrel features an SR-556/Mini-14-style flash suppressor.
Round, smooth-sided Ruger Lightweight Adaptable handguard with flattop receiver features a Mil-Spec 1913 Picatinny rail.
Hogue® Monogrip® pistol grip* adds comfort when carrying or shooting.
Chrome-plated bolt and chrome-plated one-piece bolt carrier with oversized and radiused rear bearing surface.
Three 20-round MAGPUL PMAG magazines; soft-sided case; three finger-grooved rail covers.
Gun Digest has learned that Ruger has just released the details on its new Ruger SR-762, bringing the .308 Win./7.62 NATO cartridge to its SR-556 family of rifles. The SR-762 offers the downrange authority of the .308 cartridge in a two-stage, piston-driven rifle. Ruger says it runs cooler and cleaner than traditional gas-driven AR-style guns, a trend other AR makers have brought to the market as of late.
The SR-762 features the familiar and ergonomic AR-style platform. The .308 Win./7.62 NATO cartridge is well-known to our readers as an ideal hunting cartridge for medium- and large-sized game — as well as enhancing the capability of the AR-style platform in defensive or tactical roles.
Shooters will find lots to like about this rifle. For instance, it retains the features of Ruger's very popular SR-556 (5.56mm, .223) that will make it a solid performer among AR-style rifles. The SR-762's two-stage piston reportedly delivers a smooth power stroke to the one-piece bolt carrier, a feature known to reduce felt recoil and improve the rifle’s durability, according to Ruger.
Also interesting is its four-position gas regulator: It allows the shooter to tune the rifle to function reliably with a broad variety of ammunition and in varying environmental conditions.
A heavy contour, 16.12” chrome-lined, cold hammer forged barrel with a 1:10” twist features exterior fluting to minimize weight while promoting accuracy. Ruger supplies the rifle with its Lightweight Adaptable Handguard, bringing the SR-762 weight to just around 8.6 pounds.
Three 20-round Magpul PMAG magazines are provided with the gun. Folding backup iron sights, a Hogue Monogrip, Picatinny rail sections and rail covers add considerable value to the package for shooters wanting a ready-to-rock gun right our of the box. The six-position stock, sight adjustment tool, and a soft-sided carry case are icing on the cake.
The Ruger SR-762 has a suggested retail price of $2,195.
Stuff needs adjustments and has a way of breaking at the worse times—even guns. From the bench to the range, these are the tools for shooters that deserve a place in your range bag.
Leatherman Rail and Pump
Leatherman is rolled out two shooting-specific tools for shooters awhile back. The Rail (pictured above), designed for AR fans, includes a replaceable firearm disassembly punch, a carabiner tool, an oxygen tank wrench, a ¼-inch Hex bit driver, 3⁄8-inch open-end wrench and a front sight adjustment tool. A two-piece bit kit includes Phillips, Hex and Torx ends. For shotgun shooters, the Pump boasts a firearm disassembly punch, Hex bit driver, gut hook, choke tube wrench, ¼-inch box wrench, 8mm box wrench, 3⁄8-inch box wrench, scope adjustment tool and similar two-piece bit kit. ($45 for each; leatherman.com)
Multitasker Series3
Multitasker was the first to design a tool specifically for AR shooters and the Series3 takes their AR-centric approach to the next level. A CNC-machined plier head and fiber impregnated G10 scales on the handles combine with a castle nut spanner wrench, STD screwdriver for an ACOG mount, 3-inch drop point knife blade, a 3⁄8-inch box wrench, 1.2-inch Hex, a pin punch, a removable four-prong A2-style front sight adjustment tool, 8-32 male thread and 10 Hex bits to round out this rugged tool. ($190; multitaskertools.com)
CRKT Picatinny Tool
The tactically skeletonized and compact design of the AR-focused Picatinny Tool by CRKT is great for attaching or adjusting CTC sights and aid in the breakdown of ARs and semi-auto pistols for cleaning. It boasts a Hex wrench driver, an 8mm wrench, fold-out pin, bits in Phillips, Torx and Hex, a 2.8-inch fold-out serrated blade with a scraper edge and two CTC Allen tools. ($50; crkt.com)
Grace USA Gun Care Tool Set
A bench-worthy set of tools, made mobile-friendly in the zippered protective case they come in, the Grace USA Gun Care Tool Set comes with the company’s most popular sets of tools. The 17-piece set includes eight screwdrivers, eight brass punches from size 1⁄16 inch to 5⁄16 inch and Grace USA’s specially fabricated 8-ounce brass hammer. ($125; graceusaguntools.com)
Gerber eFECT Weapons Tool
The eFECT Weapons Tool is made specifically for working with and cleaning an AR-style rifle. It’s also compatible and interchangeable with Otis cleaning components such as brushes, scrapers, picks and rods. It includes an Otis nylon end brush, a patented Saf-T-Lock, a front sight pin tool (interchangeable from four to five pin), a flat driver scraper, a full-bladed scraper, an Otis curved pick and a punch. ($111; gerbergear.com)
Real Avid FINI
Compact and super useful by shotgunners and riflemen alike, the FINI fits choke tubes for six different gauges ranging from .410 to 10 gauge. The wrench uses a patent-pending step design to quickly and easily slide into the grooves of nearly any choke tube for quick removal and installation. It’s designed to withstand 50 pounds of torque. The slotted tip is also ideal for adjusting windage and elevation turrets on riflescopes. Totes easy by simply clipping on a keychain. ($13; realavid.com)
This article appeared in the June 6, 2013 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The question is constantly asked: Why do you want to carry a gun? Here are Massad Ayoob's 7 proven answers vindicating concealed carry.
Anybody interested in CCW needs this book! Great advice on the best concealed carry gear, clothing, and how to understand related handgun laws & regulations.
1. “Why do you carry a gun?”
Kathy Jackson said it best on her website (www.corneredcat.com): “I carry a gun because I can’t carry a policeman.”
2. “But aren’t you worried that if more people carry guns, more arguments will escalate into people being shot and killed?”
No. Responsible gun owners are too practical to worry about things that don’t happen.
3. “Why should a person who lives in a low crime area feel they had to carry a gun?”
Famed combat small arms instructor John Farnam said it best. He was teaching an officer survival class to rural police when one officer asked him, “Hey, how often do you think cops get killed around here, anyway?” Farnam’s reply was classic: “Same as anywhere. Just once.”
4. “Why can’t you face the fact that a study has proven that a gun in the home is 43 times more likely to kill a member of the household than a burglar?”
Probably because, being logical people, most of us who carry guns detest having to look at such fact-twisting exercises in sophistry.
5. “A review of strategy discussions on Internet gun boards reveals the fact that many people who are licensed to carry guns carry more than one. If this is not an indication of two-gun cowboy mentality, how else can it be explained?”
Firearms instructor and author David Kenik was once asked, “Why do you carry three guns?” He calmly replied, “Because four would be ostentatious.”
Ankle holsters allow business-casual dressers to be prepared at all times. Who could be against that?
6. “You bloodthirsty gun people only carry weapons because you want a chance to hurt or kill someone!”
On the contrary, we carry guns so we will be less likely to have to kill or cripple someone. It’s called “Peace Through Superior Firepower.”
7. “You don’t have any right to carry guns anyway! The Second Amendment is about the National Guard, not personal protection!”
The Bill of Rights was framed shortly after the American Revolution. A “National Guard” in the time of the revolution would have been Tories loyal to King George and duty-bound to crush the American patriots. Do you really think this was what the framers intended to empower and enable?
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from the new Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, 2nd Edition. For a detailed analysis of these answers and more reasons on why you should carry, don't wait to get your copy.
The Leatherwood CMR scope tested with the Les Baer Police Special AR-15.
The Leatherwood CMR (Close Medium Range) scope is tough, versatile and best of all, affordable. Giving it my Best AR-15 Optic for 2013 endorsement was an easy decision.
When Corbett Leatherwood insisted I take a look at his company’s CMR 1-4x scope (Close Medium Range), I admit it was an easy decision. That’s because I’d already reviewed the excellent Leatherwood ART M1000 scope, which turned out to be one hell of a quality product that did exactly what it promised.
The CMR (Close Medium Range) features a very fine reticle, allowing you to shoot very tight groups.
So I was eager to take a look at the CMR. And it did not disappoint.
But just to make sure the CMR wasn’t afforded any unfair leeway, we set the bar high and mounted it atop a Les Baer Police Special—arguably one of the finest AR-15 style guns on the market. If the broadside of the barn went untouched, it certainly wouldn’t be the fault of the gun.
Leatherwood CMR Review on the Bench
The Leatherwood CMR is a genuine 30mm scope, and the first thing you notice when you pick it up is how rugged it is. I’ve handled a great many scopes in this price range and have never seen one constructed this tough for under $400 dollars. That’s no joke.
The build quality on this thing seems on par with optics costing three or four times as much (it is matte black and uses what the company calls a Diamond Tuff14 coating). It’s hefty, at just over 16 ounces, and is about 10 inches in length.
The tube is a 24mm objective, and the power adjustment ring—1-4x—is glass smooth. The external turrets are both ½ MOA and the scope has a really neat ZRO-LOK System, enabling you to return to a rock-solid and easy-to-find zero after making on-the-fly adjustments in the field.
The CMR reticle is very versatile. It has 11 illumination settings, plus Night Vision or NV (to be mated with a separate night vision device). It’s intuitive and fast-pointing—thanks to a ring encircling a precision dot—which seems to enable the mind to naturally gravitate the dot to the target. The Mil-based ranging hash marks are icing on the cake.
Its built-in Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) for 5.56mm and 7.62mm are alone worth the price of admission. What all of these features add up to is one lightning-fast scope—ideal for tactical applications on any AR-15 or AR-10 style carbine, and equally useful on a heavy-caliber dangerous game rifle.
Shooting the Les Baer Police Special with Leatherwood CMR optic.
Leatherwood CMR at the Range
Any lingering reticence I might have harbored about sticking a scope that retails for $399.00 on a top-of-the-line AR-15 like the Les Baer flew out the window immediately when we shot the combination together.
Les Baer Police Special with Leatherwood CMR scope.
At the risk of gloating too much, it’s really not accurate to describe the CMR as a “value optic” because you don’t get any hint that any corners were cut in the making of it.
The scope’s 3-inch minimum eye relief gave a clear and instant field of view while shooting. And the clarity of the glass was superb, with no indication whatsoever of edge distortion.
It only took a few shots to acquire zero; the turrets were precise and had no discernible slack or sloppiness (plus you hear a very audible click when you adjust them, as yet another layer of verification when making quick adjustments).
The reticle’s fine lines are precise—allowing you to wring the most accuracy out of your gun (see photo for the little cluster groups we were able to shoot).
For faster 3-gun or tactical-style shooting, activating the illuminated reticle allows you to really get on target, and quick, against a myriad of varying background colors and lighting in a dynamic environment.
We banged away well into the late-summer afternoon, from close range out to one hundred yards. Both the Les Baer Police Special and Leatherwood CMR kept rounds on target, whether it was from the bench or shot off-hand. We shot slow. We shot fast. And the scope did its job without a hiccup. We shot slow. We shot fast. And the scope did its job without a hiccup.
In fact, this gun and scope combination is so good, so fast and so precise that I’d be remiss if I didn’t come clean about the fact that the equipment exceeded my skill level, and by a country mile. So unlike my ever-wanting shooting skills, I can’t imagine a single thing I’d improve about the Leatherwood CMR. It’s that good.
Gun Digestthe Magazine is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest the Magazine, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.
The author’s latest F-TR rifle on its first outing for load development. Notice the one-piece cleaning rod and the bore guide. The syringe near the ammo box is used to apply a special grease at various points on the bolt.
It takes a special rifle to be competitive in a 1,000 yard shoot. The F-Class rifle is up to the job.
Let’s say you’ve decided you want to shoot F-TR [F-Class Target Rifle – Editor], because you have a nice, heavy-barreled .223 or .308 rifle that shoots lights out, sub-MOA, all day long, as long as you do your part. You have a Harris bipod, and the rifle is topped by a 12X scope. I think that is an excellent idea, but probably for different reasons than you would expect.
The way I see it, you aren’t going to waste any money up front. Instead, you will show up at a competition and experience first-hand what it’s like. The good thing about using old Thor’s Hammer, or Daisy or whatever you call your rifle, is that you will observe a few things that will help you in your quest and not make you spend tons of money just to get to the first match. There will be plenty to learn and lots of time to upgrade your equipment, if you decide you want to continue.
Among the first observations you will make is that the targets are small and far away, so more scope magnification would be nice, and the reticle should not wipe out the 10- and X-rings. Also, the 15- or 20-round matches heat up the barrel, and you may experience point-of-impact shift, which can be disconcerting during a string. If you’re shooting LR [Long Range – Editor], you may be wondering if that miss was due to ammo, marksmanship, or conditions. It could be all three.
The author’s first F-TR rifle, an Armalite M15T with a 26-inch Krieger barrel, Magpul PRS stock, and Weaver T-36 scope on the Sinclair Gen2 bipod. That is a Bob Sled under the rifle, the best device for single load of an AR with 100-percent bolt open. There’s nothing worse than trying to cycle the action in prone position during a match.
I am currently on my third F-TR rifle, and while the first two where production rifles I’d had re-barreled with long, top of the line, heavy barrels, my most recent one was built to my exact specifications for long-range competition. My first rifle was an AR-15, to which I fitted a 26-inch Krieger Varmatch barrel with a .920-inch overall diameter (OD). I still use this rifle for MR [Mid-Range – Editor] competitions, using 80-grain bullets, and I have attained High Master at that distance with it. It is amazingly precise and just a joy to shoot. At long range, however, the 80-grain bullets are toys for the conditions. If the wind was calm they’re fine, but calm days are rare at long range.
My second rifle was an old Ruger M77, to which I had fitted a phenomenal 32-inch Broughton 7.9-contour barrel. I also changed the stock to a Boyd’s and the trigger to a Timney, so the only Ruger component left is the action. That rifle did very well for me, and I still keep it as my backup in big matches.
My current rifle is made up of premium components that were assembled by a competition gunsmith. The action is a Stolle Panda F-class, right-hand, right-bolt, micro-port and no ejector from Kelbly’s. The trigger is a Jewell, the one-ounce version with no safety and no bolt release. The stock is the laminate F-TR model from Precision Rifle and Tool, with the three-way adjustable buttplate and the Anschütz rail underneath the fore-end.
The author and his rifle with the NRA Whittington Center’s George Tubb range as backdrop.
Scope rings are from Kelbly’s and are mounted on the integrated 20 MOA rib on the receiver. The scope is a Nightforce NXS 12-42X56mm with 1/8 MOA adjustments and an NP-2DD reticle. The barrel is a Krieger 32-inch 1:11 twist stainless steel barrel with a medium-heavy Palma contour.
Designing an F-TR rifle is a budget game; you always want the heaviest, longest barrel you can get, but you are limited by the weight restrictions of the F-class game. The last thing you want is to show up at a big match and find out your rifle is over the 18.18-pound limit. Once you have all the component weights figured out (including the rifle, scope, rings, and the bipod), you can then play around with the barrel contour and length to get close to but not over the limit.
Know that fluting isn’t really a good idea, because it reduces the rigidity of the barrel, as well as the quantity of heat sink material (i.e., the barrel steel). I wanted the 32-inch length in order to get as much muzzle velocity as possible without having to go over maximum on my loads, and I was willing to sacrifice some contour (but no fluting). You do want the barrel bead blasted, because that really does promote cooling.
My target weight was 17 pounds, 12 ounces, so as to provide some leeway in case of a bad scale somewhere or a mistake in my calculations. As it is, the total rifle weigh comes to 17 pounds and 8.5 ounces. The stock is five pounds, including finish and pillar bedding; the action is 1.9; the trigger is 0.15; the rings are 0.25; the bipod is 1.96; the scope is 2.13; and the anti-cant device is 0.1-pound. The barrel worked out to be 6.15 pounds after chambering and prep.
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from the article “So You Want to Shoot F-Class?” appearing in the Gun Digest 2014 annual book.
Cincinnati, Ohio (August 15, 2013) – Starting with the inaugural 1944 edition, Gun Digest brand quickly set the standard for the story of the gun in all its forms and variations. Gun Digest 2014, the 68th Edition of “The World’s Greatest Gun Book”, continues that tradition of excellence as some of the best writers in the field share their knowledge and opinions on the firearms of past and present.
Regarded as the shooter’s number one resource worldwide, Gun Digest 2014 continues to serve its audience with in-depth articles about the world’s most fascinating guns, reports on the latest models, insights about collectibles and more. This latest edition, compiled by veteran firearms editor Jerry Lee, chronicles rifles, handguns, shotguns, tactical firearms, engraved and custom guns, ammunition and handloading, providing something for every fan to enjoy.
“The book always has a mix of stories about all types of firearms—hunting, military, competition, self defense—all types and categories,” Lee said. “What I really enjoy are the historic pieces. I mean, if you’re into guns, who doesn’t want to read about Teddy Roosevelt’s Winchesters, especially when it’s written by Paul Schreier of the National Firearms Museum?”
Firearms pieces like Schreier’s, Terry Wieland’s story on the great Mannlicher-Schoenauer, and John Taffin’s roundup of 50 years of custom Ruger Sixguns are what set Gun Digest 2014 apart from other firearms books. In addition, Gun Digest 2014 provides comprehensive coverage of today’s firearms. In its 150-plus page buyer’s guide, readers can find prices, specifications and photos of the newest guns on the market. Other departments provide reviews of the latest rifles, handguns and shotguns, related products like optics and ammunition, plus handy sources like complete ballistics tables and a manufacturer website directory.
Pick up “The World’s Greatest Gun Book” (product U2618) at gundigest.com, all major trade and specialty book stores, or as an ebook through most major vendors, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple.
Gun Digest 2014 by Jerry Lee, Gun Digest Books ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-3542-9 ∙ Price: $34.99 ∙ Paperback: 8.25 x 10.88
About Jerry Lee Jerry Lee served for many years as an editor with the Petersen Publishing group, covering titles such as Petersen's Handguns, Rifle Shooter, Wing & Shot and many others. In addition to Gun Digest, he is also the editor for the annual Standard Catalog of Firearms, and the annual Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices.
About Gun Digest Gun Digest is the world’s foremost authority on guns in print and online. In addition to Gun Digest the Magazine, the brand’s portfolio includes the Gun Digest Books line, Standard Catalog of Firearms, the GunDigest.com online community, and ecommerce specialty store, www.gundigeststore.com. For more information, visit gundigest.com, the Gun Digest Facebook page, www.facebook.com/gundigest, or follow on Twitter @gundigest. Gun Digest is an imprint of Gun Digest Media.
Patrick Sweeney Investigates Complexity of Glock in New Book
Cincinnati, Ohio (July 22, 2013) – People who know guns generally agree on two things about the Glock: they’re reliable firearms and they’re quite fun to shoot. Patrick Sweeney knows there’s more to it. In his new book Glock Deconstructed, Sweeney investigates the lengthy history of the development of the firearm, giving readers all the tools they need to get the full benefit out of their Glock’s performance.
“Behind the mysterious ebony polymer [of the Glock] there is a lot of engineering – technical, design, materials – information that you can’t know just by blasting ammo at the range,” Sweeney said. “The Glock pistol can be compared to the elephant being described by the blind men.”
Glock Deconstructed aims to take the cover off those blind eyes. Recognized as the most influential firearms design in the past 50 years, the Glock pistol is the overwhelming favorite for both law enforcement and personal protection. Sweeney provides a thorough guide to every Glock model, highlighting the Gen4 improvements. He also shares a roadmap of the emergence of a whole aftermarket industry.
For fans of the Glock, the more than 300 high-resolution photos included in Glock Deconstructed will serve as an illustrated how-to guide on maximizing the firearm. Sweeney’s research covers the wide array of available accessories, including some lesser known factory options introduced since 2008. Glock Deconstructed leaves readers with a newfound appreciate for the technology behind the machine and a vision for the future of their own Glock.
Glock Deconstructed by Patrick Sweeney, Gun Digest Books ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-3278-4 ∙ Price: $29.99 ∙ Paperback: 8.25 x 10.88
About Patrick Sweeney Patrick Sweeney is a certified master gunsmith, film consultant, certified armorer instructor for police departments nationwide, author of many Gun Digest Books' best-selling titles, and Handguns Editor for America's largest general-circulation shooting magazine, Guns & Ammo.
About Gun Digest Gun Digest is the world’s foremost authority on guns in print and online. In addition to Gun Digest the Magazine, the brand’s portfolio includes Gun Digest Books, Standard Catalog of Firearms, the GunDigest.com online community, and ecommerce specialty store, www.gundigeststore.com. For more information, visit gundigest.com, the Gun Digest Facebook page, www.facebook.com/gundigest, or follow on Twitter @gundigest. Gun Digest is a division of Gun Digest Media.
Cincinnati, Ohio (August 19, 2013) – When the semi-automatic pistol emerged in the early 20th century, revolvers took a back seat in military, home and personal defense. Revolver expert Grant Cunningham suggests it’s time to reconsider. In his new book, Defensive Revolver Fundamentals, Cunningham makes an informed and convincing case for the revolver as a personal defense firearm.
“Today, with most people using autoloaders, the use and operation of the revolver has become a bit of a lost art,” Cunningham says. “I committed myself many years ago to bringing that knowledge back to the revolver shooters of today.”
Defensive Revolver Fundamentals makes good on that promise. Due to the transition to semi-automatic pistols as the most popular concealed carry firearm, many defensive shooting instructors don’t really understand the complexities of the revolver and end up treating it as a low-capacity semi-auto, despite the fact that there are significant differences in the training. Cunningham, a certified Combat Focus® Shooting Instructor who has been teaching defense shooting since the mid-1990s, wrote Defensive Revolver Fundamentals to bring “use of the revolver as a defensive tool into the 21st century.”
The book aims to teach readers how to use the revolver to defend against a sudden, violent criminal attack. Cunningham details how the revolver’s benefits – the increased reliability, decreased maintenance demands, ammunition versatility, increased flexibility, etc. – should be cause to consider the firearm for personal protection. Defensive Revolver Fundamentals approaches defense from a real world perspective, offering advice to appropriately prepare for a plausible event in the private sector, rather than focusing on shooting in military or law enforcement scenarios.
“For this book, I started by looking at verifiable evidence of how attacks happen, at how science tells us we react to those events, and finally at techniques and training that work with those reactions and work against the attack,” Cunningham says.
Defensive Revolver Fundamentals by Grant Cunningham, Gun Digest Books ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-3695-2 ∙ Price: $22.99 ∙ Hardcover: 6 x 9
About Grant Cunningham Grant Cunningham is a renowned author, teacher and gunsmith noted for his particular expertise with the double-action revolver. In addition to his contributions to industry periodicals, he is also the author of The Gun Digest Book of the Revolver and Defensive Revolver Fundamentals. Cunningham also maintains The Revolver Liberation Alliance, a popular blog where he tackles a variety of shooting and self defense topics. For more information, please visit www.grantcunningham.com.
Cincinnati, Ohio (August 30, 2013) – These are the facts: A greater number of women now shoulder the sole responsibility of defending themselves and their family inside the home. More women are employed outside the home in equal or greater numbers than their male counterparts. Twenty-three percent of women now own a gun. In her new book, Concealed Carry for Women, respected firearms instructor Gila Hayes targets this growing demographic of concealed carry permit holders as she provides information on the law, shooting skills and unique challenges that female firearms users encounter.
Gila Hayes has been a concealed carry permit holder since the mid-1990s and she is leading the charge to change women’s perspective on concealed carry.
“Women are renowned for creative problem solving, so it has always amazed me if a lady expressed, ‘I can’t carry a gun because of…’ ‘because of the way I dress’ or ‘because I’m a mommy,” Hayes says. “If a woman’s motivation to carry a self-defense gun is great enough, she will find a way to do it! Concealed Carry for Women is full of ideas about how to do so safely, effectively and while maintaining a feminine appearance.”
Concealed Carry for Women dives into all aspects of concealed carry, paying particular attention to the various lifestyle demands for a range of women’s ages. First-time concealed carriers and interested women alike will get detailed advice on factors to consider when deciding to carry a firearm for self defense, a guide to the law and society’s unwritten rules, and the fundamentals of integrating a concealed handgun into every day life. Hayes takes her book one step further with her female-focused topics, including selecting holsters that work with the female figure and the dos and don’ts of concealed carry and women’s fashion.
“Here’s my bottom line: Reduce the pool of eligible victims and the number of women victimized by violent crime will drop,” Hayes says. “I have long believed that predatory victimization of women will only abate when individual women are fully capable of preventing violent crime at an individual level.”
Concealed Carry for Women by Gila Hayes, Gun Digest Books ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-3600-6 ∙ Price: $22.99 ∙ Paperback 6” x 9”
About Gila Hayes Gila Hayes has been a staff instructor for the Firearms Academy of Seattle since 1993, teaching gun safety and armed self defense in the handgun and shotgun programs and now works on the management side of the organization. She served as a reserve police officer between 1997 and 2007, where she was primarily tasked with providing firearms training. Hayes is one of three founding leaders of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc., an organization formed for the legal protection of Network members after using deadly force in self defense.
It’s probably one of the most contentious and misunderstood decisions in all of shooting: What’s the best type of gun, caliber and gauge to start a young shooter out so they learn good marksmanship skills, maintain the highest level of safety and develop a lifetime love for the shooting sports?
For hunting, many children begin with a .22 Long Rifle or .410 shotgun — the latter a disservice to the child unless all he will be hunting is squirrels or rabbits, said Kurt Derwort, a Virginia gunsmith, retired Navy armorer and Double Distinguished shooter.
The .410 load is so limited and its constriction is tight, so it’s a poor choice for ducks, deer or turkeys unless you expect the animal to always come within point-blank range. A 20-gauge shotgun offers the best blend of low recoil and lighter weight without severely handicapping downrange energy and knockdown.
For rifles, Derwort said a .22 is ideal for teaching the basics of trigger control and proper aiming technique. But when hunting anything beyond the smallest game, switching to a .243, 7mm-08 and even 7.62×39 or .308 is wise.
For shotgun actions, Derwort likes a pump because subsequent shots don’t automatically go to battery as they do in a semi-auto, yet the child can produce quick follow-up shots when required. For rifles, Derwort prefers a bolt action.
“A good bolt gun lets you cycle the rifle while it’s still on the bench … meaning the shooter doesn’t have to lift his head completely off the stock and lose sight of the target,” he said. Most important, be sure the gun fits. A good fit ensures a better stance and shooting form, which will reduce felt recoil and poor shooting results. Fortunately, today’s manufacturers boast a plethora of youth and compact models.
The quickest way to ruin a young shooter is to make their first forays into firing a gun scary, uncomfortable and pressure-filled. To ensure your son or daughter develops a love for your favorite activity, follow these tips from Derwort.
Keep it Fun
Don’t expect a child to shoot at paper for three hours as if they are preparing for combat. “You’ve got to keep it fun and interesting or you’re going to lose their interest,” he said.
Change up the types of targets you’re using to keep young shooters interested and having fun. Balloons are a great choice, as everyone loves to see stuff pop and explode. Derwort also likes charcoal briquettes.
Don’t Overgun a Young Shooter
If they have never fired a gun, every child should be started with a .22. The low-recoil and limited “bang” won’t frighten them as they are figuring out what shooting is about. Rimfires are usually smaller and lighter, so they are easier for small shooters to handle. The shooting skills they learn with the .22 are easily transferable to heavier-calibered centerfires or even shotguns.
A poor fitting shotgun will erode proper shooting stance and can actually increase the discomfort of felt recoil. Make sure a young shooter can reach the trigger without having to stretch his arm or alter the way his face and buttstock should align.
Don’t have a youth model and don’t want to cut a perfectly good stock to fit? Buy an inexpensive synthetic replacement stock, and put it on the gun.
Perfect Practice
It’s a blast to crank off rounds at targets, but although a little free rein is good, maintain some level of structure that allows children to see how well they are improving and becoming better shots. Always shoot from a rested position from a firm, safe rest to ensure good technique and proper aim.
Always be safe. Safety is paramount every time you’re near guns and particularly when handling them. Begin every session with children going over the tenets of safe gun handling: Keep the muzzle down range or safely pointed, keep the safety on until ready to shoot, keep fingers off the trigger until ready to shoot, and treat every firearm as if it were loaded at all times. Point out when they do something wrong, and make them take a time out from shooting when they slip up.
Remember, keep shooting sessions fun and safe. Offer encouragement and constructive advice instead of just repeatedly saying, “Don’t do this.” Have a good time, and lay the foundations for a lifetime of enjoyment.
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Here's a useful way to determine the accuracy of your rimfire .22 under field conditions.
Ed Matunas, writing on accuracy, takes to the field for a practical look at this subject. The field is the realm of exterior ballistics where wind, temperature, and light conditions make a world of difference along with firearm mechanics and shooter errors.
The machine-rest in the tunnel is not bothered by a lousy trigger pull, poor sights, a badly fitting stock or a shaky rest on a tree limb.
Matunas stresses Schiffelbein’s point of the need for adequate practice firing, stating: “Having fired countless tens of thousands of groups during more than forty-five years of extensive shooting has proven that a few groups can, in fact, be very misleading.”
Master overlay target reveals day-to-day changes in point of impact under field conditions.
Matunas proposes the use of a target overlay system at a distance commonly fired. He uses 100 yards. Depending on the quality of your rimfire rifle, you may wish to use 75 or 50 yards. The preferable distance is the one you use, or wish to use for hunting or target shooting. After selecting your load/ammunition for testing, precisely overlay two commercial, printed targets.
Shooting should be done at the pace normally used in the field or at a match. If you wish, 10-shot groups may be used. Fire your group. Next, overlay a new target on the first in precise alignment. After the barrel has cooled, fire a second group. Mark the bottom “master target” and preserve all. Testing is over for the day.
On another day, bring back the “master target,” overlay a new target and fire one group. Preserve both. Repeat this operation on different days until at least 25 shots have been fired. The greater the number of test-fires the more reliable your data. More data is always better. Fire at different times of day with varying light, breeze, humidity and so on to cover the variety of conditions under which you will shoot. Mark each new target with time of day and other relevant data. Save everything. When you finish you will have in your master target a composite group of at least five, five-shot groups from different days under “field” conditions.
This will give you a good idea of what to expect from a particular rifle and ammunition with your original sight setting. Individual targets reveal shifts of groups over the point of original impact. These may be caused by humidity warping a stock, lighting conditions affecting aim (most common with iron sights), or temperature variations.
On the issue of barrel cleaning, Matunas recommends doing or not doing what you would do under your normal shooting conditions. On the first shot from a cool barrel, that shot may strike higher. You may mark it on your individual targets. Check for average differences if they exist.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
The act of pistol reloading is an overlooked issue in most training, but it is true that shooters are killed due to dropping magazines, shaking hands, placing the magazine in backwards and placing empty magazines back into the pistol. 
