Jerry Miculek is best known for his speed shooting, but he slows it down a bit to make this clip. Miculek gets behind a Barrett .50 caliber, throws some armor-piercing rounds down range and shows the capability of the rifle. Steel plates, concrete blocks and watermelons are no match!
There are a great many over the past half century who have taken their first shots with the .22-caliber rifle. But the 10/22 is far from a novice’s gun. Its steadiness, versatility and ease of use have made it the first choice for every stripe of shooter – from plinkers to preppers.
In celebration of the unique rifle’s 50th Anniversary, Ruger is holding a design contest, asking the 10/22’s ample fan base to trick out the gun in every conceivable fashion. And trick out they have.
Above is just a taste of the incredible effort these craftsmen have poured into their works — one of 10 finalist from some 1,000-plus entries. Check out the rest of the finalist at Ruger’s contest site. While you’re there vote for your favorite – you have until noon ET, Nov. 1 to cast your ballot.
The winning designer will receive a production version of their rifle, a trip to the Newport, NH plant to watch the production run, and $5,000 to be used toward the purchase of Ruger products. The remaining nine finalists will each receive a standard catalog Ruger firearm of their choice.
For 2013, Radians leaned on its long experience making safety gear for law enforcement and first responders to create a comfortable, functional set of shooting gloves. The palms are crafted from goatskin to blend softness and durability, while the mesh backs allow perspiration vapor to escape. Elastic wrists secure via a hook-and-loop strap for a nonbinding, customizable fit. ($20; radians.com)
Good shooting glasses don’t have to look like they stepped straight out of shop class. These stylish specs feature lightweight nylon frames that Wiley X claims are virtually indestructible. The shatterproof lenses also stand up to hard use and are ANSI-certified to withstand the impact of a .25-inch steel BB impacting at 150 fps. The lenses also swap out easily, so you can go from clear to shaded as conditions dictate. Prescription lenses are also available. ($95; wileyx.com)
Finding a range rest that works well with ARs, bolt guns and pistols just got a lot easier with the introduction of the SightBloc. Crafted from ballistic rubber to offer three different shooting heights, allows the shooter to quickly and easily get on target with just a flip of the block. Made for all-weather use, the recycled rubber is rot, sun and water-resistant meaning you can leave on your home range all season long. ($50; inrangesupplies.com)
Some folks like cleaning guns, but me, I hate it. But I do love this new universal cleaning kit. The rubber tips make cleaning easier, with just a simple, pull-through motion that wipes the bore clean in just a few steps. The 32-piece kit accommodates everything from a .22 all the way up to 12-gauge to cover nearly all rifles, handguns and shotguns. It also includes a bottle each of Rem Oil and All-In Bore Cleaner. The carrying case doubles as a range bag. ($80; remington.com)
Inspired by professional massage chairs, this collapsible shooting bench features an adjustable seat that leans forward allowing the shooter to rest against an ergonomically designed sternum pad, putting him at just the right angle for an accurate shot. Cabela’s also claims the set-up helps the shooter better absorb felt recoil when shooting heavy calibers or sighting in a shotgun stuffed with magnum turkey loads. Bench and platform are constructed from ABS plastic with a powder-coated steel frame. ($280; cabelas.com)
A good set of electronic muffs, like these from Howard Leight, not only help save your hearing, but also increase range safety by allowing the wearer to clearly hear range instructions and commands. Each slim-cut housing is fitted with a stereo microphone controlled by a single volume control knob. Active-response circuitry within the muffs amplifies voice and ambient sounds, yet instantly shuts off at 82 decibels to protect the shooter’s hearing. Runs on standard AAA batteries. ($55; howardleight.com)
There are a lot of quality bench bags on the market, but few as distinctive as these made from top-grain bison leather. These bags blend the toughness to resist wear with a soft hand that cradles your firearm with care. Even the vegetable-tanning process is designed with fine guns in mind as it won’t corrode bluing like cheaper, chromium-tanned leather bags do. An easy-pour spout makes filling or emptying these bags with sand, beans or other media a breeze. ($60; benchmasterusa.com)
Sometimes you don’t want to call attention to yourself, which calls for equipment from Blackhawk’s new Diversion line of gun cases, backpacks and bags. Designed to look more like something you’d carry to the gym, the Range Bag features a fold-out front flap with removable pistol rug. Inside the large compartment utilizes removable dividers to organize ammo, eye protection and muffs. Two end pockets have hidden handgun compartments, and the whole package is wrapped in sporty colors that don’t scream, “I’m carrying a gun!” ($150; blackhawk.com)
The official targets of very popular 3-Gun Nation now feature Birchwood Casey’s Dirty Bird splattering, hi-visibility technology. Each hit within the 17¼-inch target circle reveals a white splatter-mark for instant feedback to both the shooter and the range master. A red 8-inch circle within a circle represents the primary or A zone, while the remaining black ring is the B zone, which requires two hits for a pass. It’s worth noting these targets are nonadhesive. ($13/per five targets; birchwoodcasey.com)
This auto-resetting target delivers an immediate answer to the question “Did I hit it?” With every hit, the 10-inch steel target swings backward, causing a bright orange polycarbonate panel to pop-up for visual confirmation. As the target falls back into place, the orange cue disappears and you’re ready to fire again. Great for the home range or competitive shooting, it’s designed to work past 400 yards when shooting a .223 and has been competition-proven to activate well beyond that, though the company suggests having a spotter to confirm hits at longer ranges. ($427; mgmtargets.com)
This article appeared in the May 12, 2013 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The choice of defensive calibers was also much different then. It was determined not only by the petite size of the typical handgun, but also because high-powered antibiotics had not yet become widely available, and someone shot with anything, even a .22, had a good chance of getting a serious infection and heading to their last roundup.
It is within this cultural context that we assess the Colt Model 1903 semi-automatic. It is a typical example of the period’s armament that, even today, fits Gun Digest’s honored definition of “One Good Gun.”
The M-1903 was designed by none other than John M. Browning and is the culmination of a series of pistols launched in 1896. Browning gave Colt the exclusive right to manufacture pistols of his design and market them, not only in the United States, but in Great Britain and Ireland, as well.
A similar agreement was executed between Browning and Belgium’s Fabrique Nationale (FN), in 1897, for Europe, but excluded the three countries noted above. The understanding was that Colt would make locked-breech guns and FN would manufacture blowback guns.
While this convoluted arrangement evolved into several models on both sides of the pond in .32, 9mm and .38 calibers, this geographical manufacturing dichotomy would later become significant in the popularity of the M-1903.
By 1900, Colt needed a sales success and petitioned Browning to allow them to make a blowback design. FN had introduced the .32 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) cartridge, in 1899, in its 1899/1900 pistol. Browning acquiesced, cut a very lucrative deal with Colt, and slightly modified the gun’s design.
Thus, in 1902, Colt started production of the Colt Automatic Pistol, Pocket Model (factory designation Model M). The gun went on sale in August of that year and was a huge hit. It was also called the Hammerless Pocket Model; of course, it wasn’t truly hammerless, as the hammer was simply concealed in the frame.
The M-1903 has a manual safety on the left side of the frame and was the first gun to be offered with a grip safety. Edges and corners were rounded and smoothed so that it was indeed easy to slip into one’s pocket, hence the model’s moniker.
The Colt M-1903 is a marvel of simplicity. It is a straight blowback, single-action design with a fixed barrel, and operation is simple forward. A loaded magazine holding up to eight rounds is inserted into the butt, the slide then retracted and released. This cocks the internal hammer, chambers a round from the magazine and then the arm is ready to fire. The manual safety can be applied at this point for pocket or holster carry.
Upon firing, the slide moves back, the fired case is ejected, and what Colt called the “retractor spring” on its guide beneath the barrel returns the slide into battery, stripping the next cartridge in line off the top of the single-stack magazine. The slide does not remain locked open after the last shot.
Disassembly is likewise easy and straightforward. Remove the magazine and make sure the chamber is empty. Pull the slide back to cock the hammer and release.
Move the slide back until the takedown arrow on the left front of the slide is even with the front edge of the frame, and rotate the barrel to the left. The slide with the barrel can then be pulled forward and off the frame, and then the retractor spring and its guide may be removed, if desired.
To remove the barrel from the frame, turn it back to its original position and pull the barrel out of the slide. Reassembly is basically in the reverse order, but you have to turn the barrel ever so slightly to get the slide back far enough to lock the barrel lugs into their corresponding cuts in the frame.
I stumbled across my Model 1903 via a multi-item trade with a good friend who always seems to have something interesting with which to tempt the unsuspecting gun writer. Being a handloader at heart, the deal clincher was that the gun came with a huge jar containing hundreds of once-fired .32 ACP cases!
While my M-1903 is a quaint little gun, it’s obviously somewhat of an amalgamation. Five major variations (some say four) of the M-1903 were made over its production life from 1903 to 1946, with a total of about 572,215 .32s produced.
In 1908, a version chambered for the .380 ACP was introduced, known as the Model 1908. This resulted in the production of another 138,010 guns. (M-1908s in .380 could be easily converted to .32 ACP, but not vice versa.)
My .32 ACP is a “Type III” specimen, made from 1910 to 1926, with some 363,046 guns being produced in that period. The Type III guns eliminated the barrel bushing and magazine safety of earlier versions. The minutiae of the numerous design changes over all the production periods have delighted Colt collectors for decades.
My gun’s magazine is original, marked “CAL 32 COLT,” but its spring has lost its zip and the last round or two sometimes fails to feed. Not to worry. If a gun has a spring problem, there’s only one place to call: Wolff Gun Springs.
This company makes every spring for the M1903 (and M1908), so I ordered a “Pistol Service Pak” (stock no. 69082). In addition to a five-percent extra-power magazine spring, this kit includes recoil, firing pin and extractor springs. I installed the magazine spring, and presto, the little gun now functions as good as new. (I’ll get to the other springs later.)
The serial number of my gun is 430501, indicating it was made in 1923. It has been nicely refinished with a uniform satin Parkerized finish reminiscent of Type V military guns. Might this mean that it was factory-refinished during the military production period? I don’t know, but it’s an interesting historical speculation on the “if this gun could talk” theme.
A hint of very light pitting is barely visible under the new finish at the right front of the slide and at the top of the frame above the trigger guard.
The rifling is pretty sharp, but the bore is a bit frosty. There is a slight bulge in the barrel about mid-way; obviously, at some point there was a barrel obstruction (perhaps a stuck bullet?), when a round was fired. Thankfully, functioning and accuracy seem unaffected. I have searched for a new replacement barrel, but to no avail.
In addition to the finish, my pistol’s stocks are not original. Guns made in 1923 had checkered hard rubber stocks. In 1924, they were changed to checkered walnut with medallions, one on each side, featuring the rampant colts oriented so that they faced forward on both sides.
In other words, there were two different medallions. In 1926, one medallion was used on both panels, so that the colts face left making them face the opposite way from each other side. This dates the stocks on my gun to that year or later.
While virtually all cartridges for semi-auto pistols are rimless, the .32 ACP (known in Europe as the 7.65 Browning Short), a truly unique round, is actually semi-rimmed. What rim there is, is a puny protrusion only .021-inch larger in diameter than the case ahead of the extractor groove.
Nevertheless, the round headspaces on the case mouth, just as do other semi-auto rounds. A curious quirk is that, with its tiny rim, the .32 ACP can actually be fired in most .32 revolvers, in a pinch.
Ballistics of the .32 ACP are lackluster. The standard 71-grain FMJ bullet at a nominal 900 fps produces only 129 ft.-lbs. of energy. To put this in perspective, at handgun velocities, the 40-grain .22 LR has about 72 ft.-lbs., the 50-grain .22 WMR has 126, and the .25 ACP (ironically, introduced three years after the .32 ACP) has 64 ft.-lbs. of muzzle energy. However, remember the earlier admonition about infection? You still didn’t want to get shot with any of them—and still don’t today!
S.A.A.M.I. maximum average pressure (MAP) for the .32 ACP is only 20,500 psi, out of deference to the relatively weak blowback pistols that are more than 100 years old. The round must still see some use, as almost all the major manufacturers make factory loads, including the traditional 71-grain FMJ bullet, plus some new expanding types from Federal, Speer and Hornady. I gathered up as many of these rounds as I could and headed to the range.
The little M-1903 is really fun to shoot, mild of voice and recoil is downright pleasant. Groups were fired at 10 yards and were in the 2½- to 3-inch range. Never mind that the point of impact and point of aim didn’t exactly coincide. At this defensive distance, it was well within minute-of-bad-guy.
Velocities of the 71-grain loads are rated at 900 to 905 fps, but only the Aquila ammo (which does not list a velocity on packaging) beat this, at 920 fps. The Winchester, CCI Blazer as well as Federal American Eagle 71-grain loads were 869, 848 and 822 fps, respectively. Hornady’s 60-grain XTP-HP, rated at 1,000 fps, clocked 851 fps. This dropped muzzle energy to 96 ft.-lbs. The Federal HydraShok fared a little better at 888 fps and 114 ft.-lbs. Be aware, however, that some guns refuse to cycle with these lightweight bullets, so, if you decide to use them, be sure and check for reliability with them.
Actually, if a stalwart citizen carries a .32 ACP pistol for personal defense these days, a good argument can be made for the use of ammo with 71-grain FMJ bullets. Penetration would be considerably better than the 60- and 65-grain hollowpoints, and, at these pedestrian velocities, their expansion may be a sometimes thing. Lastly, and although this is a minor point, the muzzle energy of the FMJ loads is about 12 percent greater than with the HPs.
The .32 ACP is one of the most popular cartridges ever designed and, even today, new pistol models chambered for it are available. But the little gun still does what it was designed to do and continues to command considerable interest from shooters, collectors and historians alike.
In the M-1903 and the .32 ACP, we have a classic example from an era that had a different approach and mindset to the concepts of personal safety. Thus, as long as law-abiding citizens are allowed to defend themselves with firearms against law-breakers, the Colt M-1903 will maintain its status as One Good Gun.
Colt Model 1903 Specifications
Model: Colt Pocket Hammerless Model 1903
Type: Internal hammer, semi-automatic, single-action pistol, blowback
Patent Dates: April 20, 1897; December 22, 1903
Year of Manufacture: 1923, Model M, Type III (mfg. 1910-1923)
Caliber: .32 Automatic Colt Pistol (7.65mm Browning)
Capacity: 8+1
Barrel length: 3¾
Overall length: 6¾ inches
Overall width: ¾-inch
Overall height: 4½ inches
Weight: 24 ounces (with empty magazine)
Safeties: Slide lock safety, disconnector safety, and grip safety
Sights: Fixed
Finish: Bright blue or Parkerized, depending on model
Stocks: Checkered hard rubber or checkered walnut
Manufacturer: Colt Patent Firearms Mgf. Co., Hartford, Conn., U.S.A.
This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest 2014 Annual Book
Essential Equipment
The process of handloading is quite simple: the cartridge case must be resized, primed and trimmed to required length, then a measured powder charge is inserted into the case and the projectile seated.
The best way to accomplish this is with a reloading press and dies of the proper caliber. You will need the press, with a proper sized shell holder, the dies for the selected caliber, lubrication for the cases before sizing, a priming tool (either on the press or stand-alone), a case trimmer and measuring gauge for case length and a dependable, accurate powder scale.
One of your first purchases should be a handloading manual from either a bullet or powder manufacturer, such as Hornady, Nosler or Hodgdon, or a handloading equipment manufacturer, such as RCBS. Having a book you can reference on the bench (and it should be on the bench, every time you are handloading) is the smartest move you can make and the best guarantee for safety.
Get Organized
You will need a proper place to do your handloading, away from distractions and a place you can keep organized to store your equipment and components to cut down on the confusion factor. If you do sloppy work in a sloppy place, you will get sloppy handloads that could be dangerous. Be smart, be organized and be safe.
The key to good, safe handloads is having a place where you can dependably and with precision replicate each loaded cartridge. And, of paramount importance is keeping good records of your work. Start a load diary and keep it up to date, without fail, every time you hit the bench, and keep this diary on the bench when you are working; trust nothing to memory, check twice and do it right the first time.
Understanding the Process
Once setup is complete and you have inspected your cases for flaws, lubricate a case, being careful to keep the lubrication off of the shoulder of the case and out of the primer pocket; a bit of powdered graphite in the case mouth will ease the expander ball of the die into the case neck. Run the case into the sizing die completely, and if you are priming with a primer arm on the press, prime the case as you bring it out of the size die.
Wipe off the excess lubricant and measure the resized case with your case length gauge; trim if necessary, and if trimmed, chamfer the case mouth to accept the bullet.
Once your cases are sized and primed, you may switch dies and insert the bullet seating die into the press. Weigh a powder charge for the bullet/caliber you are loading (from the load manual) and charge the case. Set the bullet seater plug to the proper depth for the cartridge you are loading, either by using a properly loaded cartridge or by trial and error, easing the bullet down into the case mouth until you reach the depth you are looking for. Then lock the seater plug in place.
Place handloads in marked containers, showing the date loaded, component brands, powder charge and bullet weight.
Editor's note, this story originally appeared in the May 20, 2013 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Recommended Reloading Resources
The first time I shot the .17 HMR cartridge, I was so enamored with it that I didn’t quit until I had fired more than a brick of ammo… one shot at a time through a Thompson/Center Contender rifle.
In three days of hunting, I shot a pickup load of jack rabbits, skunks, coyotes and even a couple of wild turkeys. When a crow flew by 80 yards away in the desolate area, I couldn’t resist but to slide the crosshairs in front of the crow and squeeze the trigger.
My first reaction to the explosion of black feathers was to shout the obligatory “Did you see that!” Instead, I promptly handed the gun to another writer and said that I was finished shooting for the afternoon. I know to quit when I’m ahead.
Initially, Bill Alexander, the company owner and chief engineer, sent me his first production .17 HMR. He predicted correctly that I would find a bug or two in the early design (that’s long since been fixed), and that we would work through to address them.
Initial conversations about the .17 HMR topic with Alexander, opened my eyes to several things related to this cartridge and the guns that shoot them. With a well-established reputation for building AR rifles in .50 Beowulf and 6.5 Grendel, I was curious as to why he would want to chamber his new rifle in .17 HMR.
When Hornady developed the .17 HMR, they worked with Ruger and Marlin to seek the fastest rimfire cartridge that could produce accurate reliability and economic manufacturing. Some of their parameters included performance beyond that of the .22 WMR in trajectory and velocity and be less susceptible to wind drift.
Similar noise levels were to be maintained, as well as operating at the same case pressure. Frangible bullets that weren’t as susceptible to ricochet also were specified. All of this was packaged in a cartridge that was designed to shoot less than a minute of angle or better. A lesser-known requirement was that the cartridge should produce between 23,000 and 29,000 copper units of pressure (CUP).
Several companies initially chambered their rifles for the new cartridge, but the .17 HMR’s pressure and thin case didn’t adapt too well. Some stronger semi-auto designs seem to be withstanding the pressure, but Remington was quick to issue a recall of their bolt-action Model 597s chambered in .17 HMR. Others followed suit.
“The AR is so massively overbuilt that it just keeps on ticking,” Alexander said, “whereas a 597 blows up.”
Along came Alexander Arms with a new AR in .17 HMR. Since I was the recipient of the first test rifle released from the factory, my assignment was to ferret out any bugs or create them through hard use and abuse. I had previously learned the cartridge’s limitations on game, so I focused on what it would take to put the little AR out of action.
I acquired a supply of CCI, Hornady and Winchester .17 HMR ammo. My experience with .17 centerfire rifles has taught me that accuracy suffers when the bore gets dirty. As few as 20 shots can warrant a cleaning to keep accuracy up to standards.
Gumming up a semi-auto action would be rather easy, so I wanted to learn just how many rounds it would take to bring shooting to a halt. If I had a cartridge case fail, I wanted to learn what would happen as well. To say that I abused the Alexander Arms .17 HMR falls far short of what I did. I ran this rifle hot and kept pouring the rounds downrange. Along the way, I found out what happens when a case ruptures.
It doesn’t take long to heat this rifle up. Firing the 17-grain Hornady loads across a Shooting Crony, my first 10 rounds averaged 2,654 fps. The next 10 rounds climbed in velocity to an average of 2,678 fps, and by the time I ran the third magazine full through the chronograph it averaged 2,703 fps.
As best as I can determine, the chamber acts as a heat sink, and when a round gets chambered it heats up quickly. When the hammer drops on a heated case, velocities and pressures rise. It didn’t help that my shooting sessions were conducted on days that the temperature hovered around 100 degrees, either.
After 300 rounds down range as fast as I could fire, loads and change magazines, the gun was both dirty and hot. Case heads started blowing on the case rim on at least three rounds.
It “stove piped” the blown cases and the gun spewed smoke through the ejection port. Several magazines later, I had a full-blown case rupture that lodged a bullet in the barrel. The magazine suffered from the experience, but I didn’t.
The plastic on the magazine’s feed lips took a beating, which reduced the feeding reliability of the magazine. Pieces of the magazine also fell in the trigger well preventing the trigger disconnector from working properly. Removing the debris quickly solved the problem.
The extractor took a beating, too. It was bent up and locked the bolt back. A quick field stripping got the magazine well insert out of the gun. Some minor surgery with a Gerber multi-tool bent the extractor back into position. Since I didn’t have a .17-caliber cleaning rod at the range, I had to wait to dislodge it from the barrel.
Shortly thereafter, I called Alexander to report mission accomplished: rifle wrecked. He was ready to make a house call, inspect the rifle, fix it or bring another one to abuse. And wreck it we did. The day Alexander arrived we went to the range and ran the gun fast, hot and dirty.
We got the gun to repeat its cartridge failures without any major mishaps. Blown cases had the penchant for bending the ejector bar, but he fixed it on the rangeww with a pair of pliers. When the round count got to approximately 450 without cleaning, case extraction and feeding became so sluggish that it was reduced to a single-shot.
After a thorough cleaning, the little rifle produced some admirable groups. At 100 yards, it was capable of keeping five shots under an inch. The gun’s favorite load was Hornady’s 20-grain load, which produced a five-shot group as small as 0.442-inch.
Subsequent to my testing, Alexander incorporated a couple of design changes to improve performance. The extractor claw, ejector and magazines were tweaked, and today’s production rifle runs flawlessly.
A three-day ground squirrel shoot in Oregon last spring with another Alexander Arms .17 HMR proved it. The gun digested more than 1,200 rounds without a hiccup, only needing a scrubbing after 300 rounds or so.
The .17 HMR is a hot number that’s a lot of fun to shoot. Wrap an Alexander Arms AR around it and you’ll have a tack-driving rifle that will handle anything that the cartridge is capable of tackling.
Alexander Arms .17 HMR
Caliber: .17 HMR
Action Type: semi-auto
Receiver:
N/A
Barrel:
18-in. stainless, button-rifled 1:10 twist with straight flutes
Magazine:
10-round AR-style (2)
Trigger:
Mil-spec Ar-15 trigger, 7-pound pull
Sights:
Picatinny rail for mounting optics
Stock: G10 composite, non-vented, mid-length, free-floating tube handguard, six-position adjustable stock
Weight:
6.88 lbs.
Overall Length: 37 1/8 in.
Accessories:
six-vent A1 flash hider,
soft carry bag
Suggested Retail Price: $1,110
Website: alexanderarms.com
Editor's Note: This article appeared in the May 20, 2013 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Marksmen attempting to gun down one of the nation's most prominent rifle titles will take aim from a different firing line this coming summer.
The NRA has moved the Smallbore Rifle Championship to the Chief Wa-Ke-De Range in Bristol, Ind., for the next two years. It's a rare circumstance in the history of the event marking only the third and fourth times in more than 100 years the smallbore title is set to be decided away from Camp Perry, Ohio.
The venue change for the smallbore championship is temporary, prompted by Camp Perry gearing up to stage a competition known as the America’s Cup of rifle shooting in 2015.
The range will host the first World PALMA Rifle Championships since 2011, drawing some of the globe’s top shots to Ohio for the long-range competition. It will also mark the first PALMA championship held on American soil since 1992, when New Mexico's Whittington's Center hosted the event.
The smallbore championship's early move is to give Camp Perry the opportunity to stage a dry run before the actual PALMA match the following summer.
Chief Wa-Ke-De Range is three hours west of historic Camp Perry and is well suited to the smallbore championship, according to the NRA blog. The range is nestled in a large grove of trees and features a 100-point asphalt covered firing line and ample wind protection.
The geographic change is the most blatant, but is not the only one the July 14-25 competition will undergo.
For the first time the National Metric and Conventional Smallbore Rifle Championships will be combine and will feature a 3-Position Championship and a Prone Championship. Also, team matches will be “paper matches” with the scores coming from the individual events. Previously, team matches were shot after the individual events. Additionally, an overall team champion will be presented in each of the four championships.
Finally, International Postal Team events like the Drew Cup and Randle Cup will be shot after the Conventional Championships. Registration opens on April 1, 2014.
The Smallbore Rifle Championship Tournament Program will be posted on March 3 at the NRA’s Competitive Shooting website. There will be no special squadding. Entries are limited to 200 competitors for the Metric Position and Prone Championships and 300 competitors for the Conventional 3-Position and Conventional Prone Championships.
Editor's note, the NRAblog.com was the source for this story.
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In the tactical community, and in 3-gun events, flip-up iron sights became en vogue—out of the way when you didn’t need them, there in a flash when you did.
As Open shooters have known for some time, putting the secondary sighting system in a usable position is much more advantageous to the shooter. Today there are several different makes and models of sights hanging on seemingly every position in which one can be hung on an AR-15.
Barry Dueck’s Rapid Transition Sight (RTS) has become one of the more popular secondary iron sight systems in 3-gun. Dueck, a veteran of the Marine Corps and top 3-gun competitor, used his combined experience and took the old A2-stype sight from the M16 family, developed a mount to handle it at 45 degrees—just as Open shooters do with optics—and the RTS was born.
Because he used a military aperture and front sight post, the RTS is capable of accurate fire to surprisingly extended ranges.
So, while the RTS is intended for use hosing closing-range targets, should the primary optic go down over any distance, shooters are still in the game with the RTS.
“A must-have for 3-gun shooting,” said Practical Shooting Academy’s Keith Garcia, a law enforcement officer and two-time 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off winner. “The best back-up sight available anywhere. These sights are so sturdy I put a second set on my SWAT entry rifle.”
At a retail price around $550, the Samson Manufacturing Rifle Upgrade Kit is touted to contain everything a shooter needs to get their rifle match ready.
The kit contains a 15-inch Evolution Rail, Quick Flip Front and Rear Sights, Enhanced Low Profile Gas Block, Evolution QD sling point, and Samson Field Survivor tool.
For all the hype over AR-style rifles in recent years, ask any gun shop owner and it’s handguns—ones made for carrying concealed specifically—that continue to drive the hyper-powered firearms market.
Fun and easy to shoot and even easier to keep hidden from prying eyes or tipping your hand to would-be thugs, these six new and recent models on the scene are worth a serious look next time you’re in the market for a defensive sidearm.
Running with the interest in a soft-shooting carry gun, Ruger’s LC380 morphs the company’s popular LC9 design into a .380-caliber package. This 6-inch long, 17-ounce lightweight is only 4 inches tall and less than an inch wide. It holds 7+1 rounds that cycle through an alloy steel slide and barrel and one-piece glass-filled nylon grip frame. Features include a high-visibility three-dot sight, checkered grips, a finger grip extension floorplate for a lengthened hold and a number of safety features including an internal lock, manual safety, a magazine safety and loaded chamber indicator. The finish is blued. ($449; ruger.com)
Compact in size, yet still full of Kahr’s top line features, the CM9 is a compact 9mm semi-auto made with a black polymer frame and matte stainless steel slide. The frame boasts 4140 steel inserts molded inside to aid in its durability for many rounds of shooting. The 3-inch barrel and .9-inch width aids in the gun’s compactness as does its 4-inch barrel and 14-ounce unloaded weight. It holds six rounds in the mag plus one in the pipe. Kahr’s smooth-double action only trigger aids rapid firing. The hammerless design allows for a higher grip for less felt recoil. Drift adjustable, white bar-dot combat sights round out the package of this well-designed semi-auto. ($517; kahr.com)
Designed for carry, Taurus melted both the slide and poly-overmolded steel frame to produce nonsnagging contours to the semi-auto. The polymer pistol is available in 9mm or .40 caliber with a progressive single-action/double-action trigger, 3-dot low-profile sights, ambidextrous thumb rests, finger indexing memory pads on the grips for a quick, consistent hold that will aid rapid aiming and target acquisition and a Picatinny rail beneath the front of the barrel for lights or lasers. The G2 is a cool looking piece that holds 12 rounds in the 9mm configuration and 10 rounds in the .40. Overall length is 6.2 inches, height is 5.1 inches and the width is 1.2 inches. It comes at an unbeatable price, too. ($349; taurususa.com)
Sleek lines and ergonomic contours define the M2’s appearance as a tapered slide and textured grip dresses out this striker-fired semi-auto available in 9mm or .40 S&W. The gun is light at 21 ounces and fits nicely in the hand with an overall length of 7.1 inches. Performance is enhanced with the Quick Defense Trigger that is precocked and set to deliver a constant pull at 5.6 pounds. The 9mm version holds 15 rounds, the .40 caliber model, 11. Additional features include three grip back straps for a custom-like fit, three safeties, an ambidextrous-friendly mag release and 3-dot metal sights. ($599-$699; waltherusa.com)
This year, Bersa rolled out their first polymer frame handgun in the form of the BP9 and packed it with features to appeal to the concealed-carry shooter. The 9mm BP9 is striker fired and features an ambidextrous magazine release, Picatinny rail, polygonal rifling, loaded chamber indicator, micro-polished bore, integral locking system and 3-dot low-profile sighting system for rapid aiming. The magazine holds eight rounds. The BP9 tips the scales at 21.5 ounces and is 6.35 inches long and just short of 5 inches tall. It comes in three color schemes including an all-matte finish, a duo-tone model with a matte frame and nickel slide and another duo-tone model with an olive drab frame and matte slide (pictured). ($444-$455; bersa.com)
While some debate the effectiveness of the .380 in delivering adequate knockdown power, the compact size and manageable recoil make it a popular carry option. The recent releases of .380 models such as the Colt .380 Mustang Pocketlite underscores that. The Mustang boasts a nickeled aluminum alloy receiver, brushed stainless steel slide and barrel, all machined from solid bar stock. Even with a loaded mag of six rounds, the gun tips the scales at less than a pound. Empty, it weighs a mere 12.5 ounces. Overall length of the Mustang is 5.5 inches making this the perfect pocket pistol. Additional features include high-profile sights, a commander-style hammer, standard safety lock, lowered ejection port and aluminum trigger. ($599; coltsmfg.com)
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from the June 30, 2013 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
What's your favorite small carry pistol? Log in below and leave a comment!
Recommended resources for concealed carry:
The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry 2nd Edition
The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery
Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Handguns
Find more resources at gundigeststore.com/tactical
Gun Digest takes the safe handling of firearms seriously. The topic is first and foremost in any subject our writers touch upon – whether it is handloading, concealed carry or any other conceivable matter.
There are times, however, the improper use of firearms can be instructive. Jody Putnam provides one such instance. The former Mountain City, Tenn., police officer demonstrated the negative ramifications of unholstering a gun without taking account if the situation called for deadly force.
Putnam drew and fired his sidearm in a Dollar General store, in addition to discharging a goodly amount of pepper spray, according to a report by WJHL-TV News. What set off the officer’s hair trigger? A squirrel.
Certainly had Putnam run afoul an armed robber or similar villain his response might have been warranted. But thumbing off rounds at a discount-minded Appalachian brushy tail in public, that’s a whole different story.
And it was a tale that not only rightly raised the ire of the property owner and shoppers, but also the town of Mountain City and its police department. The municipality was quick to yank the officer’s badge after his lapse in judgment.
As you can watch above, the TV station’s report is long on the incident’s particulars and the city’s response. But one detail was omitted, whether Putnam got his man – err, I mean mammal – before being fired.
Editor's note, WJHL-TV News was the source for this story
Recommended Handgun Resources
Gun Digest's Guide to Handgun Marksmanship
1. The .577 T-Rex (Yeah, that's gonna smart). Next Video
Staying on target at the NRA’s National Rifle and Pistol Championship is no easy task. It’s even trickier from three positions.
Amy Fister, however, proved she was the hot shot at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio no matter if she was standing, kneeling or prone. The high school senior captured the NRA 3-Position Rifle High Woman Title with ease.
The Kutztown, Pa., teen scored 2374 – 140x (good for 7th overall) and came away with three titles: High Woman with Metallic Sights, High Civilian with Metallic Sights and High Woman Overall.
The win left Fister ecstatic and relieved, given her history with the championship.
“Last year I was close, but not close enough,” Fister said. “I guess this year it was my time.”
Fister’s final score made her accomplishments appear easy, in actuality her titles were anything but simple. In addition to the challenges inherent to 3-position shooting, she also had some other obstacles to overcome.
One of her most testing moments came halfway through the match, just before shooting prone. Fister placed her target down range, but staggered by dehydration and fatigue she momentarily believed it was gone.
“I was delusional, seeing things,” Fister said. “After setting up my target, it wasn’t there. I started chasing down the target guy for another one. It was interesting and little bit scary.”
Fister’s accomplishments at Camp Perry are impressive in their own rights, but are made more striking given she is relatively new to competitive shooting. Following her older sister Valerie's footsteps in the sport, she picked up the shooting in 2010 when she turned 14-years-old.
Despite being a bit green when it comes to drilling bull’s eyes, Fister has had a long history with shooting in general. She was a regular in her father’s deer and goose blinds during hunting season.
“Deer and goose, that’s what we went for,” she said. “I go out deer hunting whenever I can, but it cuts into my shooting time. You’ve got to find a happy medium.”
Shooting time has become increasingly important to Fister, who has earned a shooting scholarship to the University of Memphis. But her ambitions don’t stop with the Tigers.
Fister has her eyes on Rio De Janeiro and perhaps Olympic gold.
“Now the goal is to be part of the Olympic Rifle Team in 2016,” she said. “Problem is that I don’t want my scores to drop and I don’t want my grades to drop.”
Editor's note, the NRAblog.com was the source for this article
Recommended Rifle Resources
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.
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.
This article is an excerpt from the book Tactical Pistol Shooting, Your Guide to Tactics that Work, 2nd Edition.
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.
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.
