Scott Wagner: Welcome to “In the Event…”

[imagebrowser id=81]

Patrick Sweeney performs a variety of AR-15 tactical gun tests. Can any of them stand up to this brutal AR-15 torture test?

Let’s be clear about this gun test right now. What I’m doing – putting a variety of AR-15s through five torture tests – you should not do. It is/was hazardous, abusive, potentially very expensive, and more than just a bit crazy. I took thousands of dollars worth of fine machinery and worked very hard to see just how far I could push it before something gave up. If, even after I recount this gun test and tell you to not do the same, you go and do it, don’t blame me. I told ya not to do it.

Gun Test #1: Buried Alive

I took each AR-15, loaded it, chambered a round, closed the ejection port door, dropped it on the ground and shoveled topsoil over it. I then picked it up, fired five rounds, left the ejection port door open, put it on Safe, dropped, shoveled and repeated.

In shoveling, I made certain to get a full shovel of dirt right onto the open ejection port (bolt closed on a loaded round) and to put two shovelfuls onto the forearm, to work their way down to the piston system, if any. Just to be thorough, I shoveled dirt onto the handguards of the DI-driven rifles, but I also did so with the full realization that it was pointless with them.

When empty, I changed magazines, left the ejection port door open and continued. Once I had gone through all three magazines I moved on to the next rifle.

AR-15 Torture Test Result: This proved spectacularly unimpressive, so I moved on to Test Two.

[imagebrowser id=91]

Gun Test #2: Sand Trap

My hope was that the sand would be a lot more abusive to the systems than the topsoil. My hopes for this AR-15 torture test proved to be unwarranted. They all shrugged off the sand just as they had the topsoil. Oh, there were differences.

For one, sand, propelled by the muzzle blast, is a lot harder and sharper than topsoil. I got to the point where I could tell you, just from the impact on my hands and arms, if a rifle had been dosed with topsoil or had been given a sand bath. And any rifle with a muzzle brake on it was a lot worse than just an A2 flash hider.

Also, the sand in the piston systems, I think, was pumping granules into the air. Not much, and it certainly wasn’t hindering the piston function, but I could feel sand on my hands coming from a direction not of the muzzle.

A brief aside here, on muzzle control and testing. Even though I was dropping rifles on the ground, I was careful to not let the muzzle get packed with dirt or sand. Well, careful at first. After a few “Oh what the heck, let’s see what happens” moments, I didn’t bother trying to keep dirt or sand out of the flash hider. What led me to that was a few episodes of dirt in the muzzle. In the process of carefully poking it out with a stick, I discovered that the dirt was only in the flash hider itself, and not down the bore. So, the next time the flash hider got dirt in it was when I said, “What the heck, let’s see….,” and pulled the trigger.

AR-15 Torture Test Result: Puff of dirt, bullet hits backstop, no apparent damage. So, while I didn’t go out of my way to be careful nor to deliberately pack dirt in the end, I didn’t worry about clumps of dirt or sand that I could see in the flash hider.

[imagebrowser id=101]

Gun Test #3: De-Grease the Pistons

The sand hadn’t gotten me anywhere in the previous AR-15 torture test, so I decided to pile on. Since most of the rifles were piston-driven, I figured I’d really create problems: I degreased the piston system. That way, they’d be running bare, dry metal on metal, and the sand could do more.

I used carb and choke cleaner to thoroughly degrease all the piston parts. I didn’t degrease the bolt, carrier and trigger mechanisms simply because of my earlier test. A properly set-up AR will run dry in the right conditions. But dry is not how it is meant to run. If I were to degrease it entirely, I’d have to (in the interest of proper scientific method) do three AR-15 torture tests: dry bolt and carrier, lubed piston; dry piston and lubed bolt; and both dry.

Again, there is only so much one experimenter can do, so I left that level of thoroughness to someone else. I also did not degrease the gas tubes of the DI guns. Once de-greased, they all got the sand tests all over again.

AR-15 Torture Test Result: How did it go? To summarize in one word: bo-ring.

[imagebrowser id=111]

Gun Test #4: Too Much Lube

Since the sand on dry piston systems had proven an utter failure (heck, all the AR-15 torture tests to this point was a failure, if the goal was to create malfunctions), I figured to go in the opposite direction: Too much lube.

My first attempt was ugly in the extreme. I figured I’d just pour 10W30 motor oil out of the bottle directly onto the piston system.

Oh that was awful. Bad decision. Not the thing to do. You see, there was no way to pour just through the holes in the railed handguard, oil oozed all over the handguard itself, and so I ended up with a piston-driven oily mess. Everything forward of the magazine well was a sloppy, oily mess, so much so that I didn’t want to fire it. I didn’t want to touch it, let alone let it splatter me with oil.

So, I used three cans of carb and choke cleaner getting that one rifle cleaned, plus a few vigorous swishing sessions in the club’s drainage pond (we call it the rice paddy), to get it un-obnoxioused. Once clean, I used a proper oil can, pumping oil into each piston system through the holes of the railed handguards, and gooped them up good.

Once gooped, they received the sand treatment again. Each got the five rounds, dropped, shoveled, five rounds and repeat. Each proved to be up to the task, grinding through the ammo, sand and my patience. I wore a facemask for this and an old shirt. I realized, from the sand splatter in tests two and three, that there was a lot of stuff flying about, and I didn’t want any in my eyes.

AR-15 Torture Test Result: In the continuing pattern, this was an utter failure, except to turn even more club members away from the range in agony, and add evidence to my lunacy.

[imagebrowser id=121]

Gun Test #5: Drown It

I retired to our “wet” range, the club’s Range #4, taking a plastic fifty-gallon drum along. I used a five-gallon bucket and soon had the drum filled with silty, scummy pond water. I then proceeded to wet-test each rifle.

For this test, I’d load each rifle and then dunk it, muzzle straight down, into the drum of water, right to the castle nut. I’d hold it there until the bubbles stopped (after a while, I just held it down to the count of three) then pulled it out.

Now, every training manual and any training Sergeant will tell you that if you dunk your rifle, you pull the charging handle back half the cartridge length to break the water seal and let the water drain out. What I did was pull the charging handle back enough to break open that seal, and let the water drain only for as long as it took me to cover the three steps between the drum and the firing line. Then I’d fire five rounds and repeat.

Back in the water, out, five rounds, repeat until three magazines were expended for each rifle. Man, did that get boring. And messy. I was splattered with oily, muddy, silty, scummy water such that even the dogs looked at me askance when I returned home. “Dad, where have you been?”

AR-15 Torture Test Conclusion: I ended the gun tests grubbier, wiser and with a greater respect for the AR-15. I hadn’t been able to make any of them malfunction, not once.

Introducing the MGA Banshee Tactical Rifle

By

-

May 18, 2012

The Banshee tactical rifle from MG Arms — The Banshee features a heavy taper fluted barrel and varmint-style, fully-adjustable fiberglass stock. (Click the image for a closer look.)

Based on years of experience with custom high-quality precision rifles, MG Arms announces the Banshee tactical rifle, aimed at military situations, police marksman, as well as numerous hunting applications. Its accuracy is impeccable under varying field conditions for engaging moving targets.

The Banshee, with its blueprinted Remington Action, is the perfect, tactical, long range-shooting rifle. It is available in 2 models:

* The Banshee, featuring a heavy taper fluted barrel and varmint-style, fully-adjustable fiberglass stock, starting at $3,295.

* The Banshee Lite, with a medium taper fluted barrel, is built with a varmint-style, light-weight custom fiberglass stock which is fitted to the customer’s length of pull, starting at $3,095.

Banshee-Lite from MG Arms — The Banshee Lite sports a medium taper fluted barrel and is built with a varmint-style, light-weight custom fiberglass stock that can be fitted to the operator’s length of pull. (Click the image for a closer look.)

Both models are manufactured with a cryogenically treated stainless steel barrel and meticulously assembled. The detachable magazine is available in 5 or 10 shot and more than thirty different calibers. Among many of the outstanding features are the tactical bolt handle, adjustable trigger set at 1-3 lbs., 20 MOA Picatinney scope base, custom bedded full length aluminum pillar block, and customers choice of textured stock finish and PTFE metal finish.

Renowned safari hunter Craig Boddington, who has used MG Arms rifles on a number of his worldwide hunts, enthusiastically proclaims “this custom gunsmith manages to combine accuracy with light weight manufacturing, which is a tough thing to do”. It was upon the recommendation of some of their current, satisfied customers that MG Arms decided to add the Banshee Rifles to their line up.

MG Arms of Houston, Texas, with its roots as a custom ammunition manufacturer, has built a solid reputation based on integrity and with a passion for producing only the finest in firearms for over 30 years. MGA’s dedication to precision engineering and the lifetime warranties (Infinity Guarantee) issued on all their firearms has earned them the trust and endorsements of many seasoned shooting and hunting experts.

MG Arms commitment to quality is uncompromising and The Banshee follows in this rich tradition of “simply the best” from a 100% Made in the USA custom gun builder.

For complete information, visit the MG Arms website.

Classic Guns: Thompson-Center Contender

By

Editor James Card

-

May 18, 2012

Ayoob’s first Contender, a 1970s model with T/C scope and elegant octagonal barrel.

In his just-released book, Greatest Handguns of the World, Volume 2, author Massad Ayoob includes the Thompson-Center Contender as one of the great firearms that made a difference in the handgunning world. At the end of the chapter, he makes a strong case for collecting Contenders and identifies “four eminently collectible variations of the Contender.”

Summarized as follows from the book:

1. The flat-side

“The original Contender was made with no photoengraving or etching on it, and many of us thought it more visually appealing than the guns that quickly followed it. There’s damn few of them around, and if you can find one, for heaven’s sake, rathole it away somewhere.”

2. The Eagle Contender

“Somewhere around serial 1638, a handful of Contender pistols were made with an experimental engraving pattern that replaced the second puma on the right side of the frame with a defiant-looking eagle. Up until then, the only critter on the Contender was the puma, the same animal they named their first scope after. According to Warren Center, only four to six eagle-sided Contenders were produced. A collector, however, assures us it’s closer to twenty-five.”

3. The NRA Contender

“In 1971, when the National Rifle Association hit its century mark, gunmakers across the country vied for the honor of producing the official NRA Centennial Commemorative Handguns. Thompson-Center got into the race, and ran a small series of specially engraved and gold-inlaid NRA Commemorative guns. There was a production holdup, however, and Warren Center told me sadly that by the time he got one ready for NRA to look at, they had already given the honor to Colt. Four or five NRA Commemorative Contenders were completed.”

4. The .45/.410

“The innocent folks at T/C brought this out for sportsmen in a classically sportsman-only gun, only to find that maybe-just- maybe it was in violation of the Federal Firearms Act and could be theoretically considered a sawed off shotgun. There has been no official ruling on the .45/.410, again because ATF is a pragmatic group with a lot of experts in it, and they know it’s not a threat, especially because the things are becoming collector’s items, are totally unsuited to criminal use, and are much more likely to repose in a safe deposit box where nobody’s gonna get at ‘em. If worse came to worse and some martinet got into ATF and made a negative ruling on it, the collector value would probably go up to the point where it would be worth the special $200 license to keep it anyway.”

Ayoob concludes, “Contenders are just starting to bloom as collectors’ pieces. Start now, catch ‘em in the bud, and you might just have the full blossom centerpiece of a fine collection in the next few years.”

Wayne van Zwoll Explains: Minute of Angle and Milliradian (Mil)

By

Wayne van Zwoll

-

May 16, 2012

1/4-minute clicks on scope — Most scope dials have 1/4-minute “clicks.” Now popular: graduations to match bullet arcs to distance.

Wayne van Zwoll explores scope reticles by defining the terms mil, milliradian and minute of angle.

Though shooters carry the terms as common coin, not everyone can define “minute of angle” and “mil” (milliradian).

Minute of Angle

A minute of angle, usually used as a measure of group size or shot dispersion, spans 1.047 inch at 100 yards. Call it an inch. But as it is an angular measurement, its value increases with distance.

At 200 yards, that 1-minute group spans 2.094 inches. OK, round it to 2.

At 50 yards, a 2-inch group is 4 minutes big. You can get away with approximations out to half a mile or so.

At 1,000 yards, a minute of angle is not 10 inches but about 10 1/2.

The derivation is thus: A circle of 100 yards radius has 360 degrees of roughly 60 inches per degree on its perimeter (total: 21,600 minutes).

While a hunting rifle that prints into 2 inches at 100 yards will keep all its bullets in deer vitals to 400 or beyond, most shooters these days want better. Some rifles are guaranteed to drill minute-of-angle groups; a few have a half-minute standard.

That’s very hard to ensure, even with the best of ammunition. Mainly that’s because ordinary shooters with very accurate rifles still punch ordinary groups. Benchrest competitors commonly shoot “in the twos,” meaning 2 to 3 tenths of an inch, or a quarter minute of angle.

Milliradian dots improve accuracy — Mil dots can help you estimate distance, and compensate for drop and wind drift at extreme range.

Milliradians (Mils)

The mil dot reticle gets a lot of attention these days. “Mil” has nothing to do with “military.” It is an abbreviation for milliradian, 1/6400 of a degree in angular measure. That’s 3.6 inches at 100 yards, or 3 feet at l,000 yards.

In a scope reticle, a mil is the space between (typically) 3/4-minute dots strung on a crosswire. To use this reticle as a rangefinder, you divide target height in mils at 100 yards by the number of vertical spaces subtending it. The result is range in hundreds of yards.

Example: A deer standing 3 feet at the shoulder (10 mils at 100 yards) appears in your scope to stand two dots high. Divide 2 into 10, and you come up with 5; the deer is 500 yards away.

You can also divide target size in yards (1, in this case) by the number of mils subtended (2) and multiply by 1,000 to get range in yards.

A mil dot reticle must be calibrated for a single magnification in a scope. For variable scopes, that’s typically the top magnification; some high-power sights are calibrated at other settings.

With a little practice, mil dots become easy to use. A mil dot reticle gives you a rangefinder and a way to compensate for holdover and wind drift, all in one image. For short shots, you can ignore the dots and use the reticle as a crosswire.

Video: Kelly McMillan Discusses Bank of America’s Anti-Gun Discrimination

By

-

May 16, 2012

In this video, National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) Executive Vice President Dudley Brown interviews Kelly McMillan about Bank of America's refusal to do business with his company. McMillan is the director of operations for McMillan Group International, a manufacturer of firearms and accessories.

For more background, click here to read Gun Digest‘s article on the McMillan-Bank of America controversy.

Source

Iowa Governor Branstad Rejects Lead Shot Ban for Dove Hunting

By

Brian McCombie

-

May 16, 2012

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has rescinded a rule against use of lead ammunition in dove hunts.

The Iowa Natural Resources Commission, a citizens' panel appointed by the governor, passed that rule last year, over claims that lead shot for dove hunting was, somehow, a threat to human health.

“That upset some hunters and some gun advocates. In response, the Legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee agreed in August – about a month before the new dove season – to postpone enactment of the rule,” the Des Moines Register reported. “The Iowa House this year passed a resolution to nullify the rule and allow lead shot, but the measure died in the Senate, where it was not called for a vote. Had the governor not stepped in, the ban could have become effective this fall.”

Of note, though, Branstad didn't rescind the no-lead rule over the human health issue.

“The determination of whether hunters should be forced to stop using traditional shot is something that should be decided by the Legislature, not by administrative fiat,” Branstad said, before signing an executive order lifting the ban.

“We support the governor's decision to do what we view is the right thing to protect the rights of Iowans,” said Jeff Burkett, president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition.

Source: Des Moines Register

Learn More About Non-Toxic Shot

Each state has different requirements about the uses of lead and non-toxic shot. Get educated about these important issues with the Gun Digest Book of Green Shooting. You'll have a better of understanding of when non-toxic shot is appropriate and when its required use is unnecessary.

Click here to order the Gun Digest Book of Green Shooting for only $3.

Video: How to Read Every Gun Digest Book Ever Published

By

-

May 16, 2012

The new Gun Digest eBooks site offers unlimited reading of more than 130 Gun Digest books dating back to 1944. Click here to check out Gun Digest eBooks.

More About Gun Digest eBooks

The motto of Gun Digest is “We Know Guns So You Know Guns,” and eBooks are one of the easiest, most affordable, and exciting ways to get to know your guns even better. Learn about collecting antique firearms, buying and selling modern guns, carrying concealed weapons, tactical weapons and how to use them, and military firearms of the past and present. Enjoy discovering new shooting techniques, and cleaning, repairing and gunsmithing to get the best performance from your guns.

Your subscription gives you full access to more than 130 Online Books—the best books in the Gun Digest library, including every Gun Digest Annual edition going back to 1944. Read any time online through your computer or Flash-enabled tablet.

Gun Digest the Magazine, May 21, 2012

By

-

May 16, 2012

Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.

Click here to download this issue as a PDF at GunDigestStore.com.

Inside This Issue

* Marianne Carniak continues the Accurizer Legacy

* Gun news from across the nation

* Fight back against bogus Gun Digest subscription scams

* Review: Winchester Model 24

* Trends of Values: Olympic Arms, Mossberg, Walther

* On Handguns: Springfield Armory's EMP

* Collector's Corner: Colt Hammerless Model 1903

Click here to subscribe to Gun Digest to keep up on the latest in the world of guns.

Did you receive a suspicious subscription offer? A bogus company is sending out Gun Digest subscription scams.

Gun Review: GA Precision M24

By

Corey Graff

-

May 15, 2012

A .470 inch 3-shot 100-yard group (center diamond) shot with the GA Precision M24. Photo by Corey Graff. — A .470 inch 3-shot 100-yard group (center diamond) shot with the GA Precision M24.

M24 Army Sniper Rifle: A Brief History

The excellent Leupold Mark 4 M3 scope utilizes the military 1 MOA elevation clicks. Click to enlarge.

The U.S. Army adopted the M24 in 1988 as they sought a centerpiece for their sniper program. Not your granddaddy’s Model 700, it was built on the Remington 700 Long Action with the original intent to chamber it in .30-06. There was also movement afoot, thanks to influence from Special Forces, to have the option to later re-chamber for .300 Win Mag. However, the lack of military grade .30-06 in the supply chain and the need to standardize meant most M24s were chambered in 7.62 NATO, which is how they tended to remain.

Today, if you’re a civilian shooter and want an M24 reproduction, you call George Gardner and the crew at the Missouri-based GA Precision.

The original Army M24s were designated the M24 SWS — or Sniper Weapon System — and could be readily identified from their distinctive front and rear sight post. The system came with a massive Hardigg case, which included a Leupold Mark 4 M3 10X scope, cleaning accessories and aperture-style sights. None of these are included with the GA Precision gun.

Today, the M24 has morphed into the XM2010 Enhanced Modular Sniper Weapon System, also produced by Remington. But I wanted the more basic 80s-era rifle, so GA Precision it was.

The GA Precision M24

I chose to make mine “sport scale” by adding a Leupold Mark 4 LR/T M3 3.5-10X40mm scope, which I have been able to verify was used by the Army on some M24s (though most utilized the Mark 4 fixed 10x). I also went with this variable power version because I specifically wanted the Tactical Milling Reticle (TMR), an option not available on the standard fixed power.

The standard 6-9-inch swivel Harris Bipod was installed with the added Phoenix Tactical Podclaws to improve purchase, reduce felt recoil and allow you to consistently “load the bipod.” They really grab, let me tell you. Also added was a KMW Pod-Loc, for added control on the bi-pod’s swivel feature.

The GA Precision M24 features the HS Precision M24 stock, with adjustable butt plate. A Triad Tactical Stock Pack provides correct height and added storage.

Shooting the GA Precision M24

The rifle shoots about as good as you’d expect a $3,300 rifle to shoot—near perfect. The gun weighs about 12 pounds with optics, and the HS Precision stock allows you to adjust length of pull for perfect eye relief. Trigger action is smooth and crisp but not excessively light – about 4 pounds.

The Leupold Mark 4 scope sits extremely low, thanks to high-quality steel rings and M24 base from Badger Ordnance. A Triad Tactical Stock Pack raises the eye to the perfect height.

The M24 was built on the Remington 700 Long Action, giving military armorers the option to rechamber the gun for .300 Win. Mag.

A 20-round initial barrel break-in was shot from the bench using .308 Win. Federal 175-grain BTHP Match. Groups were good to start with—about 1MOA—but as the barrel came to life those groups shrunk and shrunk, with the latest and best being about .370 inches at 100 yards. This is standard accuracy from GA Precision and why they’re considered the best.

Down on the shooting mat, the long action takes some getting used to. Be sure you rack that bolt all the way to the rear to get the next round or all you’ll hear is a “click” when you pull the trigger. While I could have ordered the gun with a short action, I was going for some degree of historical accuracy.

Stay tuned for more testing at extended ranges. In the meantime, my initial impression of the GA Precision US Army M-24 is that this is the king of the Model 700s — for the long-range shooter, or the military gun collector — truly the best of both worlds.

GA Precision US Army M-24 Specs

Caliber: 308 Win / 7.62 NATO / 300 Win Mag
Action: Remington 700 Long Action
Barrel Type: 1-11.25 Twist, 5R, Stainless Steel
Barrel Length: 24″
Stock: HS Precision, M-24 Stock
Trigger Guard: Steel M-24 Triggerguard
Finish: Matte Black

Are you sharpening CCW skills?

By

Kevin D. Michalowski

-

May 15, 2012

A day at the range plinking is fine, but remember, it is just plinking. “Training” involves practicing: drawing from the holster, clearing a cover garment, moving toward cover, engaging the target and conducting a combat scan after firing. You need to prepare. So I will help you by offering a steep discount on one of our most popular training titles. It's just my way of saying thanks for reading this little blog, and reminding you that carrying a gun for self-defense is something we all need to take very seriously.

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “If I was given eight hours to cut down a tree, I would spend the first six sharpening the ax.”

What are you doing to sharpen your ax? I suggest immersing yourself in the culture of self-defense. Think about it all the time. I'm not suggesting you become paranoid, but prepared. If you are always ready you never have to take time to get ready. And time is something you don't have in a deadly force situation. So, I'm suggesting you take time right now and dig deeper into your self-defense training program. I'll even give you a deal. click on the link below and you will get a special deal on one of our most popular handgun training titles. Defensive Handgun Skills, by David Fessenden will help you keep your edge… and the deal I'm offering you right now is even better than the one offered by that big online bookstore named after a South American river. So, click the link, buy the book and start sharpening your ax.

Click below to get your great discount

https://www.gundigeststore.com/defensive-handgun-skills

Look For The Perfect Fit

By

Kevin D. Michalowski

-

May 14, 2012

New! Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed Carry Pistols

Your concealed carry handgun should fit your hand. We can have long and drawn out debates about which make, model and caliber of handgun is the “best”, but the reality is that your pistol needs to fit. You will never really able to shoot your pistol to the best of your ability if the gun doesn't fit your hand. So you should try lots of pistols before you settle on the one that you will drop into your concealed carry holster and tote around all day.

As a rule, the first distal joint on your trigger finger should comfortably reach the trigger when you hold the pistol in a firing grip. Handguns, depending on their grip and grip angle can easily be too large or too small for your particular hand. So you have three options: you can get a different gun, get a different grip or get a gun with an adjustable grip.

Here is a short video we put together on the H&K P30. A great gun that offers plenty of options for getting the grip just right.

The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry

The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery

Effective Handgun Defense, A Comprehensive Guide to Concealed Carry

Find more resources atgundigeststore.com/tactical

Tactical Gear Spotlight: Nautilus Rotating Rail

By

-

May 14, 2012

Nautilus Rotating Rail for the AR-15 — The Nautilus Rotating Rail from Ballista Tactical. Click the image for a larger look.

Here's a quick look at the Nautilus Rotating Rail, a new offering from Ballista Tactical Systems.

The highlight of the product are two separate and adjustable rail systems. Both sections are comprised of four individual, Picatinny rails. These can be rotated 360 degrees in 45-degree increments in either direction. This “shift on the fly” technology opens up a whole new world of customization.

Installed Nautilus Rotating Rail — An installed Nautilus Rotating Rail.

Other features:

* Constructed of 6061 T6511 hard-anodized aluminum for strength and durability.

* Rail can be mounted to any AR-style platform.

* Innovative design allows for instant access to eight different accessories, in limitless configurations, at the touch of a button. This versatility offers benefits ranging from convenience to casualty prevention.

The Nautilus Rotating Rail is currently available in a 7-inch model and can be ordered from BallistaTactical.com. Demonstration and installation videos are also available on the website.

* For more AR-15 customization, be sure to check out this free AR-15 M16 Gas Piston Conversion Kit Primer Download from Gun Digest.

Classic Guns: LeFever Shotguns

By

Editor James Card

-

May 11, 2012

2

Daniel Myron LeFever might not be a name that many people are familiar with but he is marked in history as a great American inventor. If you have ever fired a modern side-by-side or over-and-under shotgun, you are the beneficiary of his innovation. His hard work allows you to close the breech of the shotgun and fire without having to cock back two cumbersome hammers to fire the shotgun.

He invented the hammerless shotgun in 1878.

LeFever was a gun maker his entire life (August 27, 1835 – October 29, 1906) but throughout his career he was troubled by a series of business partnerships that dissolved and forced him to start over. While reading about his life, I cannot help but think that he may have accomplished even greater innovations in gun making if his business life was more stable and steady rather than bouncing from one partnership to the next.

He started with his own gunshop making muzzle-loading rifles. Then he formed a partnership with James Ellis forming LeFever & Ellis. Then he hooked up with Francis Dangerfield and created Dangerfield & LeFever. After that, he formed Barber & LeFever with Lorenzo Barber. Then with John Nichols, they partnered as Nichols & LeFever. After this enterprise he went into business alone as LeFever Arms Company but then lost controlling interest of it. Later he formed the D. M. LeFever, Sons & Company with his three sons. LeFever die of stomach ulcer in 1906.

Ithaca bought out the LeFever Arms Company, used the LeFever innovations to make fine shotguns, and used the LeFever name to market a cheap shotgun having nothing to do with the LeFever design.

A tough life but his legacy remains in the shotgunning world. There is one group that honors LeFever’s accomplishments. The LeFever Arms Collectors Association is “dedicated to the study, collection, and preservation of Lefever firearms.” A noble endeavor, and they host the Uncle Dan LeFever Cup, an annual trap shoot where shooters must use LeFever guns. This year the Uncle Dan Cup will be held June 1-3 at Hausmann's Hidden Hollow in Friendsville, Pennsylvania.

In the 1966 edition of the Gun Digest annual (which can be viewed on a digitized three CD set), author Wallace Libisky describes the history of the technical design of LeFever guns.

“The British have long been recognized for the excellence of their side-by-side scatterguns. Names such as Purdey, Boss, Westley Richards, Greener, Holland & Holland and others are known the world over. From elsewhere in Europe, too, have come some fine examples of twin-tube artistry. But if the American double-gun buff tends to feel apologetic about this, he does so without full justification.

It is quite true, and most unfortunate, that our activity in the province of double-barreled guns has all but gone to complete decay, though there was a time when the race was keen, indeed. Back around the turn of the century, and even well before then, the building of the classic double gun was a flourishing facet of the U.S. arms industry. Moreover, it was about this time that the American-made double gun reached the pinnacle of its design. The products of the top makers were weapons that any shooter, regardless of his walk in life, could point to with pride.

To be certain, not all U.S-made doubles of yesteryear were masterpieces of design and workmanship. There were plenty of cheapies, particularly among the mail-order offerings, and they outnumbered by far the quality pieces. However, there were enough of the high-echelon doubles on hand to strongly emphasize the fact that these shores were not suffering from any lack of talent in the side-by-side field.

It is beyond the scope of this article to dwell on the causes contributing to the decline of the American-built double. Nor is it our intention to engage in verbal battle in respect to the relative merits of the several famous makes. But, by way of introduction, we would like to speculate that if there existed a hall of fame for paying homage to American arms makers, then surely the name of D. M. Lefever would rate high on the roster.

D. M. Lefever, who eventually became known in firearms circles as “Uncle Dan,” took his big step toward prominence in 1878 when he introduced the first hammerless breech-loading double gun built in America.”

Everyone Likes a Double Duty Holster

By

Kevin D. Michalowski

-

May 11, 2012