Mr. Ringenberg, a technology consultant, is one of the state’s nearly 300,000 handgun permit holders who have recently seen their rights greatly expanded by a new law — one of the nation’s first — that allows them to carry loaded firearms into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.
“If someone’s sticking a gun in my face, I’m not relying on their charity to keep me alive,” said Mr. Ringenberg, 30, who said he carries the gun for personal protection when he is not at work.
Gun rights advocates like Mr. Ringenberg may applaud the new law, but many customers, waiters and restaurateurs here are dismayed by the decision. Read more
The 2010 election cycle is already being predicted by most political insiders as a huge win for Republican candidates. If true, it will mean a “lame duck” congressional session following November 2nd, whereby a large number of House members with a D following their name have absolutely nothing to lose. If you don’t think that can have far-reaching ramifications in terms of 2nd Amendment issues, think again.
Democrats are considering cramming as many as 20 pieces of legislation into the lame-duck session they plan to hold after the Nov. 2 election.
The array of bills competing for floor time shows the sense of urgency among Democratic lawmakers to act before the start of the 112th Congress, when Republicans are expected to control more seats in the Senate and House.
If properly motivated, even this slow-moving House has the potential to ram through legislation that the majority of Americans are opposed to. Remember Obamacare? That was pushed through when they believed they were keeping their jobs; imagine what happens when they no longer care.
As the end of the article states: “If Congress returns to Washington the week after the election and works right up until Christmas, it would have six weeks to pass legislation…” From EPA regulations to Chinese currency manipulations, the final days of 2010 could prove to be very turbulent, especially considering recent losses by the Democrats.
For instance, the DISCLOSE Act — one vehemently opposed by NAGR — was recently shot down. Do you think that fact is stopping its supporters? They are just going to use bureaucrats to get what they want, any way they can. Read more
In the story on the link… a driver saw a truck matching the description of one believed used in an abduction. He saw a little girl in the truck and he took action… What would you do? Are you ready to get involved in something like this?
Vihtavuori N350 is a slow pistol powder for medium to large calibers. It is also suitable for shotshells.
Modern reloading powders are divided into three basic types on the basis of their use. These are pistol, shotgun, and rifle powders. But for the beginning reloader, these are but a starting point in selecting the right powder for the desired load.
Reloading powders for pistols are generally of the fast-burning double-base type for use in short-barreled guns. Shotgun powders are also fast burning and double-base, designed to burn completely under low pressures. Rifle powders are generally slower burning to accelerate a rifle bullet down a long barrel with maximum velocity while producing minimum pressures.
In point of fact, many reloading powders for pistol use are quite suitable for shotguns and vice versa. Some slower burning pistol and shotgun powders will also work well for reduced velocity rifle loadings, where a light bullet and light powder charge are used.
Before buying a quantity of powder, it is a good idea to consult one or more reloading guides to see what is offered and what looks to be the best selection for your particular gun or guns. Then, buy a small can to develop your loads. If that powder proves suitable for your uses, it’s a good idea to go ahead and buy larger amounts.
Winchester has replaced metal powder cans with its new plastic packaging, which keeps volatiles in and moisture out of the powder inside.
Storage and Handling of Reloading Powders
Modern powders are almost completely gelatinized, making them less affected by dampness. In fact, a sample of Laflin & Rand (later Hercules, now Alliant) Unique powder was placed in storage under water in 1899 to test its viability. It was last tested in 1996. It will be tested again in this century when it is expected to continue performing as well as when it was made.
As smokeless powders deteriorate, they generate small amounts of nitric acid. Stabilizers are added to these powders to absorb acid byproduct. Most reloading powders have fifty or more years of life before the stabilizers are used up and nitric acid begins to leach out of the nitrocellulose, leaving plain cellulose and reducing the efficiency of the powder. Occasionally powder will deteriorate owing to acid residue that was not properly washed out in the manufacturing process. Such powder will take on an unpleasant acidic smell and a brown dust looking very like rust will appear in the powder.
Powder in this condition will not shoot well, giving poor ignition and low power. It should be disposed of. Metal cans containing powder will sometimes rust on the interior, producing a very similar-appearing dust, but without the characteristic odor. This does not harm the powder and can be removed by dumping the powder on a flat piece of bed sheet, spreading it evenly, and gently blowing off the dust.
The powder should then be placed in another container. An empty plastic powder bottle is good so long as it is clearly marked as to what it is. It is a good idea to mark containers of powder with the date of purchase and then use the oldest first. Opened containers of powder should be checked at least every year for signs of rust or deterioration if they are not being used. Sealed containers should be left sealed until they are to be used. Alcohols and occasionally camphor are added to stabilize burning characteristics. Powder containers should be kept tightly closed to keep these volatile additives from evaporating into the air.
Smokeless powder is quite safe to handle because it is not sensitive to shock. The main caution that must be taken is to keep it from open flame or heat. It will ignite above 400 degrees F. Shelf storage is suitable, preferably on a second floor where temperatures remain most stable. Powder should never be stored in heavy closed metal containers that could act as bombs in case of a fire. Never have more than one container of powder open at a time. If there is a fire this – hopefully – limits it to one can.
IMR powder was formerly DuPont, then later branded IMR, and now has been acquired by Hodgdon.
Smokeless powder is toxic if ingested because the nitroglycerin component causes heart irregularity. British soldiers in WWI chewed smokeless powder from rifle cartridges to cause a brief though severe illness to get off the line, until medical authorities discovered this practice. Children have a tendency to taste things; smokeless powder should not be one of them.
Loading Density
Various combinations of bullets and powder charges can be assembled to achieve the same velocity. Some are going to be more accurate than others. Various manuals will often indicate loads that gave the best accuracy in particular guns. This is usually the best place to start developing a load, although such a combination will not necessarily be the best performer in your gun.
Generally speaking, when selecting a powder there are a few rules of thumb worth following. Larger-capacity rifle cartridges, with heavy bullets, generally perform best with slow-burning powders. For best accuracy, a powder charge that fills the case with little or no air space tends to give better accuracy than a small charge that can shift position in the case. Shooters using reduced loads, particularly in rifles, get better results by tipping the barrel skyward before each shot to position the powder to the rear of the case.
Approach Compressed loads with extreme caution.
This can also be achieved by using wads or wads plus fillers to fill up the space, but the results are usually not as good. A filler wad should never be placed over the powder with an air space between it and the bullet. The space must be filled entirely. If there is a space, the wad will come slamming against the base of the bullet with enough force to make a bulged ring in the case and often in the chamber of the gun!
Compressed Loads
Never compress powder in a cartridge case unless such a load is recommended in a reloading manual. Compressed loads should never be more than 10 percent above the case capacity. A compression of more than this often leads to lower than desired velocities. If the compression is excessive it can actually bulge the case or cause the case to stretch in the loading process, resulting in a cartridge that is oversize or too long and will jam the gun.
This article is an excerpt from ABCs of Reloading, 8th Edition.
A clean-burning powder with applications for 12-, 20- and 28-gauge target and field loads, IMR’s SR 7625 is also viable for handgun loads.
One hears about several types of shotshell pressure, but for handloading there is only one pressure that you truly need to understand, service pressure.
SAAMI has organized US gun manufacturers to adhere to a set of standards for service pressure, and all modern models of guns made in the US are proofed or tested to make sure they withstand these pressures.
Service pressure is predicated on the diameter of the bore (its gauge) and the length of the chamber (in inches). It is understood that the standard gives you a tiny bit of leeway to make a mistake in handloading. If you exceed the service pressure with a load delivering 10 or even 100 fps greater than load data suggests is correct, your load will probably perform just fine and your gun will be safe. For your own sake though, you should consider the service pressure to be an inflexible ceiling.
By saying that service pressure gives you some leeway, I mean that it is purposefully fudged. SAAMI does not discuss this “fudge factor” in public, but it is perhaps as little as 10- to as much as 25-percent above the advertised service pressure. Still, this number is much lower than what is called “proof pressure.”
Alliant’s Herco is a popular and versatile shotshell reloading powder, along with Green Dot and Red Dot.
Proofing is an electro-mechanical process of testing barrels to be sure that they will withstand normal shooting for hunting or competition. It involves firing super-hot, high-pressure shells (heavy shot and slow-burning powders) and then measuring their effects in a barrel. Normally, manufacturers test shotguns with one or two proof rounds and then carefully examine the barrels for damage. You may be certain that any modern barrel has been carefully proofed to keep you safe, keep your pellets in the vicinity of the target and minimize the possibility that any shooter will be injured.
After proofing, barrels are customarily stamped with a particular indentation that indicates they have been tested. Proof stamps are the kind of minutiae that fascinates students of shotgunning, in part because the stamps of foreign “proof houses” are interesting for their variety and intrinsic history. Americans, who are typically more casual with their sense of tradition, commonly neglect such attention to detail preferring instead to concentrate on the shooting characteristics of their guns and loads as tools rather than heirlooms, means to an end rather than the end in itself.
Chances are that you will never see a shell marked for proofing, but if you do, it will bear a conspicuous label (“Danger – High Pressure”) and may, in addition, be clearly marked as a proof load. If you do see such a shell, do NOT attempt to fire it through your personal gun. A proof load generates pressures far in excess of the accepted service pressure.
If you are shooting a 12-gauge Remington 1100 chambered for 2-3/4-inch shells, the maximum SAAMI service pressure standard is 11,500 psi. The SAAMI proof pressure for this popular gas gun on the other hand is achieved with a load of 1-1/2-ounces of shot and measures between 19,000 psi and 20,500 psi, practically twice the service pressure. Not only would repeated firing of that level of pressure damage your gun, but its recoil would probably knock you off your feet.
If your reloading press breaks, you can build loads by hand … with the right measuring devices, that is. A 1-1/8-ounce load of #8s will be about 460 pellets. You can count those. You can also use hand dippers to check the throw of your loads.
SOME SHOTSHELL PRESSURE PROBLEMS
Loss of pressure during the burning cycle diminishes any chance of a complete and efficient powder burn. The result is shot pellets without the energy or velocity you normally expect and a greater build-up of crud in your barrel.
A small interruption could be a collapsed gas seal, for example. Inconsistent pressures and velocities are the clues that your load components may be breaking down. Irregularities in the pressure curve, perhaps caused by a component shift, reduce the effectiveness of the propellant burn because compression momentarily slackens.
These unpredictable component shifts have several identifiable origins: weak cushion sections in wads, weak seals or worn-out hulls with poor crimps.
Many substandard loads sound fine when they are fired, but compared to a more perfect load, actually produce inferior velocity and energy delivery. If your load experiences a loss of pressure, even a minute loss, pellets may be getting out there, but not with the speed and energy you expect.
It may surprise you to learn that shotshells are designed to operate at the low end of the powder-pressure spectrum. All powders, particularly those that burn slowly, are sensitive to compression and with improper or leaky containment, burning will inevitably be less than complete. It is also true that a lighter than average load may reduce your chamber pressure to a point where the proper burning cycle cannot be concluded.
What do you do when you pull the trigger on a reload and the gun seems to fire, but without its customary authoritative kick? You may have an obstruction in the barrel caused by a faulty load. Stop immediately and, with the barrel pointed downrange, perform a visual inspection. It is possible that the wad has lodged inside. If you fire another round behind and into it, the resulting traffic jam in the bore can cause a permanently ruptured barrel and could hurt you and those around you.
Cold weather can be a problem for a slow burning powder in a hunting load and, depending on the temperature, will affect your hotter-burning target loads as well.
FIRE IN THE HOLE! So, what happens when you pull the trigger? The powder is ignited. It begins combining furiously with its own oxygen to create an ever-expanding column of ultra-hot gas, but at a constant pressure (for maximum pellet velocity), and that column takes up an increasing volume of space. This is what pushes the shot out toward the flying pigeon. When the shotcup leaves the barrel, air resistance causes it to fall away within about 10 yards, and the speeding shot rushes on toward its intended target, although its velocity begins to diminish immediately upon exiting the barrel.
The column of hot gas is engineered to balance the burning powder with the expanding volume. Hence, powders are grouped by “burn rates.” If all of the powder burns before the shot passes the forcing cone, the shot may begin slowing down inside the barrel and that, obviously, is not going to give you the perfect solution to any shooting problem. Here are the generally accepted guidelines, but remember that engineers develop loads for practically every possible combination and circumstance, so these are only “rules of thumb”:
Lightweight loads with moderate velocity, typically target and small game loads, fall into a faster burning powder category. (Example: Introduced in 1992, Hodgdon’s Clays “produces soft, smooth recoil, ultra clean burning, mild muzzle report and excellent patterns.”)
Heavier hunting loads, which typically have greater velocities, predominantly use slow-burning powders. (Example: Introduced 85 years ago, Alliant’s Herco is a “proven powder for heavy shotshell loads.”)
Load your 12-gauge with Hodgdon’s Clays and Titewad, especially for target and light field reloads. Clays and Titewad are also rated for competition pistol reloads in the 45 ACP and 38 Special.
Powder burn rates are important. Many hunters endure the foulest, coldest weather to hunt deer or waterfowl, and our Canadian cousins revel in organizing sporting clays events when orange birds show up remarkably well against mounds of snow and ice. With an already slow-burning powder, low temperatures can cause a problem on a frigid morning in a Maryland duck blind.
We know that cold retards ignition and causes powder to burn slower. To optimize your shotgun’s performance in these conditions, you need specially constructed loads perhaps upgrading to a medium burn rate powder. You may also want to consider using heavier loads and new hulls for stronger crimps. Hot primers are more likely to cause good powder ignition in cold weather because they were developed for just such a situation.
This is precisely why handloading is such a virtuous pastime for shotgunners. It allows us to craft loads for conditions, and to laugh at our over-the-counter buying cousins. Different recipes will give you different results and you can load differently for hot days than for cold days. (To be honest, even experienced shotgunners usually cannot perceive any difference in their load performance as temperature changes, but they are aware that there is a difference.).
Although they do for the most part list velocities for over-the-counter shells, ammunition companies do not publish pressures for their commercial loads in either their catalogs or on their Internet sites. Ammo manufacturers are often stingy about revealing the amount of powder in loads as well, preferring simply to list that number (that number being the relatively archaic “drams equivalent”) as “max.” Of course, there may be a good reason for this.
This article is an excerpt from Reloading for Shotgunners, 5th Edition. Click here to learn more or get your copy.
I just finished the annual firearms inventory at Casa de la Michalowski and the results are disturbing. I have more guns than I need, but fewer than I want. It is this kind of imbalance that can cause panic buying, impulse shopping and generally upset the delicate monetary balance required to pay all the bills, buy all the ammo and enjoy time at the range. Something must be done.
On another note, recent scenario-based training at the Sheriff's Department left me on both sides of what our firearms instructor called a $h&t sandwich. First, as a bad guy, I got to hide inside a shed that none on the team thought to clear as they moved to assist a “downed officer.” From my stealthy hide I was able to put three Force-on-Force rounds into the back of the incident commander before he realized things had gone south. Thus was his pain penalty for failing to look inside a door.
Minutes later I was the IC on a “hostage” situation that went from bad to worse. As the aggressor released her hostage the victim appeared to follow my commands as I directed him to me and my safe cover. Without provocation he produced a pistol and started throwing shots my way. I was caught alongside a wall with no cover between me and the shooter, all I could do was get small and keep firing.
There is nothing better than SBT and painful pellets to remind you how quickly things can happen. If you get the chance to participate, even if you have to pay for it, get involved in some force-on-force training.
Even though the exact same bill, sponsored by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), had been defeated just two months ago and was unlikely to pass, anti-gun Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) brought it up for another vote to “stir up” his left-wing base.
Instead of protecting the most important type of speech protected by the First Amendment — political speech — with this bill Congress attempted to force groups like GOA to “disclose” the names of donors in certain political advertisements.
Since Gun Owners of America will never disclose its membership lists to the federal government, it could be prohibited from running radio or TV ads exposing a federal candidate's voting record in the weeks leading up to an election. Read more
An inside look at the history and manufacturing process of barrel making at McGowen Barrel.
A McGowen machinist guides a drill on a manual lathe.
Back in the post World War II years there was a boom in barrel making. Prior to the war, there were very few barrel makers outside of the big manufacturers like Winchester. However, after the war, names like P.O. Ackley, Atkinson & Marquart, Bliss Titus, Bill Sukalle, and Harry McGowen all became known for high-quality barrels.
Most of these names have since passed into history and young shooters would not recognize them. With a possible exception, Harry McGowen was about thirty years old when he started out in the barrel-making business in 1959. He continued making barrels all those years and earned a good reputation for accuracy. In 2007, Harry decided that he would prefer to scale back, so he sold the business. Harry continues his gunsmithing activities in Illinois.
McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC was formed in 2007. Retaining the storied name was essential in communicating to the shooting public respect for the traditions of customer service and accuracy that kept McGowen in business for nearly half a century. With that spirit in mind, the new management set about the task of improving on the tooling and machines purchased from Harry.
Upon arrival in Kalispell, MT, the Pratt & Whitney gundrills and reamers were cleaned and repaired to deliver premium accuracy. A computer numerically controlled (CNC) lathe was added to improve quality and delivery time in contouring barrels. Then a Haas VF-4 machining center was added, allowing the company to offer fluted, octagon (8 sided), and dodecagon (12 sided) configurations. The quality of finish that the CNC mill delivers is far superior to that of a manual machine and greatly reduces the time needed to hand finish a barrel.
An endmill, guided by a CNC machining center, cuts a slot in a McGowen barrel.
Barrels from McGowen are currently all button rifled, but starting in 2011 cut rifled barrels will become a standard offering as well. Calibers and twists already cover an impressive range from .17 to .50 caliber in a wide variety of twist rates, all displayed on the company website. “Imagine the possibilities when we add cut rifling to our offerings,” the company said. “Few companies offer both button and cut rifled barrels.”
Like most barrel makers, McGowen also offers barrel fitting services in-house. “It’s surprising how many shooters request the installation of barrels,” said Dan Wynne, head of sales. “The most common reason clients give is that there is no competent gunsmith in their hometown. So we fit, chamber and finish barrels (including bluing) for most actions.”
Most businesses have to deal with a tough economy these days; McGowen is not immune to this problem. Fred Zeglin is the Operations Manager for McGowen and, when asked about how the economy has affected the company he said, “Business is steady for us, but we have looked close at what we can do to remain competitive in hard times. One major issue with clients is always delivery time. We have taken steps to shorten the delivery times for our barrels and we have been rewarded with more orders as a result. Obviously, we will continue to look for ways to improve our product and our services.”
Some of the newest additions to the product line at McGowen are Ruger 10-22 drop-in barrels. They make them all in .920-inch diameter; plane, fluted, stainless, blue, and a new contour with a triangular shape that no other company is offering at this time. For some time now Savage pre-fit barrels have been in the line-up at McGowen, too. What makes them special is the variety of contours and calibers you can order. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet designed just for Savage lovers. How about a .224 Texas Trophy Hunter, a 6.5 x 47 Lapua or .338 Edge?
McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC is combining the best of the old with the best of the new to offer a premium quality barrel to the shooting public. All McGowen barrels are stress relieved, hand lapped and checked for dimensional accuracy.
Bright glass (here in a Leupold) can salvage a hunt when your only shot comes in dim light!
Aimpoint
Since its start in 1974, Aimpoint has worked to offer the best red dot sights. Early on, that was easy, because red dot sights were then new. In fact, Gunnar Sandberg’s first “single-point sight” had no optical tunnel. You couldn’t look through this sight; you looked into the tube with one eye while your other registered a dot superimposed on the target. Sandberg refined the device and founded Aimpoint to produce it.
Hunters liked the illuminated dot, suspended in a wide field they could see from almost any place behind the sight. The front lens of a modern Aimpoint is a compound glass that corrects for parallax – unlike most red dot sights, whose reflective paths shift with eye position. Aimpoint’s doublet brings the dot to your eye in a line parallel with the sight’s optical axis, so you hit where you see the dot, even when your eye is off-axis. A 1x Aimpoint gives you unlimited eye relief too. Advanced circuitry on the newest models reduces power demand. Batteries last up to 50,000 hours with a mid-level brightness setting.
This Weaver Grand Slam scope, one in a big stable of fine variables, tops a Tikka T3 rifle.
The lightest of Aimpoint’s 9000 series weighs just 6.5 ounces. Each windage and elevation click moves point of impact 13mm at 100 meters. The newest Hunter series comprises four models: long and short tubes, 34mm and 30mm in diameter. They all feature 1x images, 2-minute dots, half-minute clicks. A 12-position dial lets you fine-tune dot intensity – low for dim light, high under sunny skies. One CR-2032 battery lasts five years if you never turn the sight off! Hunter sights are waterproof. Fully multi-coated lenses (43mm up front on the 30mm sight, 47mm on the 34mm tube) deliver a sharp image, and as with all Aimpoints, the internal design gives you unlimited eye relief with zero parallax.
Sturdy enough for military use, Aimpoints have been adopted by armed forces in the U.S. and France. They serve sportsmen in forty countries. One of every ten moose hunters using optical sights in Sweden carries an Aimpoint. I’ve killed moose with these optics in dark timber, then shot golf-ball-size groups on paper at 100 yards. The company’s line includes a Micro H1, ideal for bows and handguns. (Aimpoint.com.)
Alpen
A young optics company, Alpen has surprised everyone over the last few years with “great buy” credits from such venerable sources as Outdoor Life. While 2010 brings only a few new products to the catalog, many established optics in the Alpen line deserve another look. In short-summary fashion, then:
The Rainier 20-60×80 spotting scope accommodates a camera adapter for photography at long range. AR riflescopes for air guns were designed to endure double-shuffle recoil. Carriage-class Rainier binoculars now come in 8×32 and 10×32 versions that are 20 percent lighter than the 42mm originals but still wear BAK4 lenses, phase-corrected coatings, a locking diopter dial and twist-out eyecups. The AlpenPro Porro series includes an 8×30 that’s ideal for the woods. Alpen’s energetic Vickie Gardner is busy “scrambling to fill back-orders from 2009!” Why? “Alpen offers great value; the riflescopes and binoculars truly are great buys.”
Also, some 2009 introductions were premature; stock didn’t arrive until late in the year. Wings binoculars, for example. Choose 8×42 or 10×42, with ED glass as an option. The 8×42 has impressed me in the field; so has a new Apex rifle-scope on a bolt-gun in the rack. The four Apex sights just cataloged include three with turret-mounted parallax dial and new bullet-drop-compensating reticle. “We’ve also upgraded our 20-60×80 spotting scope with a fine-focus knob,” says Vickie. Shift focus quickly with the standard dial, then refine the image with this new adjustment. (Alpenoutdoors.com.)
Barrett
While Barrett is known for its 50-caliber rifles, it also markets an optic that helps shooters hit at long range. The Barrett Optical Ranging System – BORS – is a sight attachment, a 13-ounce device you pair with a scope. It incorporates a small ranging computer powered by a CR-123 lithium battery. There’s a liquid crystal display with a four-button keypad. Factory-installed cartridge tables tailored to your loads enable the computer to deliver precise holds for long-distance shooting. The BORS includes an elevation knob and a knob adapter. A set of steel rings mounts the unit to any M1913 rail and are secured with hex nuts that endure the beating from Barrett rifles in .50 BMG. Press the 6-o’clock power button, and you’re ready to engineer a shot. The screen shows your zero or sight-in range and indicates any cant (tipping of the rifle), which at long range can cause you to miss.
To determine range, you specify target size, then move the horizontal wire of your reticle from top to bottom on the target. The range appears in yards or meters. Now you can use the elevation knob to dial the range. The BORS unit must know your load, of course. You provided that data earlier; the unit stores it as a ballistics table. It can hold up to 100 tables for instant access. At the end of this process – which takes longer to explain than to do – you can hold dead-on at any range. The BORS automatically compensates for vertical shot angles. You can adjust the scope for up to 90 degrees of inclination and declination, in increments of 2 degrees. Temperature and barometric pressure come on-screen when you press the 9-o’clock button. If the battery dies, you can use the scope as if the electronics were not there. Paired with a Leupold Mark 4 LR/Tactical 4.5-14×50 scope, the BORS unit on my Barrett rifle shrugs off the .50’s blast and recoil. (Barrettrifles.com.)
Burris
When variables started to gain traction with hunters, the 3-9x became the logical leader. Not only did 3x afford fast sighting; 9x was all you needed for any big game – and even coyotes at long range. The three-times power range seemed adequate. As shooters chased power, though, four-times magnification appeared, in 3-12x and 4-16x 30mm scopes. Burris was among the first with six-times magnification. Its 2-12x scope is surely versatile! Like the Euro Diamond and Black Diamond lines, both Six Series sights (40mm and 50mm up front) feature 30mm tubes and 4 inches of eye relief. Signature Select and Fullfield II models have 1-inch tubes.
The Fullfield II 6×40 and 3-9×40 have impressed me as fine values – also the 2-7×35. Burris Ballisic Plex and Ballistic Mil-Dot reticles are available in the Euro Diamond and Black Diamond scopes, and the Signature Select and Fullfield II lines. Illuminated reticles define the Fullfield II LRS scopes, which have flat battery housings on the turret. Fullfield 30s (3-9×40 and 3.5-10×50) feature 30mm tubes at affordable prices. The biggest news at Burris in 2010 is the Eliminator, a programmable laser range-finding scope. You enter the ballistic path of your cartridge (drop figures at 500 yards, with a 100- or 200-yard zero) to get instant reads for correct hold when you see game. The sight (at its core a 4-12×42 LaserScope) tells you the exact distance. You get accurate data to 800 yards on reflective objects, 550 on deer and elk. At 26 ounces, the Eliminator is heavy, but not burdensome.
If long shooting isn’t a priority, compact scopes should be. Burris’ 1-inch Timberline series, from 4×20 to 4.5-14×32 AO, fills this slot. The firm recently improved its 1.6-ounce reflex-style red dot sight: FastFire II is now waterproof. Battery-saver mode extends the life of the lithium CR2032 battery to five years. FastFire mounts fit popular lever rifles; a mounting plate slipped between receiver and buttstock on repeating shotguns gives you SpeedBead. I tried this sight on a Remington 1100; the clay targets suffered that day! The company also lists a 1x, 5-ounce tube-style red dot sight, the 135. Like many optics firms, Burris has grown its tactical line. Fullfield II Tactical scopes and Fullfield TAC30 variables (3-9×40, 3.5-10×50 and 4.5-14×42) have been joined by a 3x AR-332 prism sight, and an AR-Tripler, which you place on a pivot mount behind a red dot sight for extra magnification. Binoculars and spotting scopes complete the extensive Burris line. (Burrisoptics.com.)
Bushnell
AR-style rifles have become the rage. AR-specific scopes like this Bushnell have followed.
Last year the Elite 6500-series rifle-scopes – 2.5-16×42, 2.5-16×50 and 4.5-30×50 – introduced Bushnell fans to nearly-seven-times magnification, the broadest range in the industry. (I’ve since seen a scope with 10-times magnification. It wasn’t a Bushnell, and at the top third of its range the image was noticeably soft.) The 6500 Elite still impresses me, now with the DOA (Dead On Accurate) reticle. It has the spaced bars common to many reticles. Minute-of-angle dots mark intersections with the bottom wire. DOA can also be ordered on Elite 3200 and Trophy sights.
The Elite 4200 employs standard and lighted reticles. In this series, the 3-9×40, 2.5-10×40 and 4-16×40 appeal to me. I’ve found the images sharp and bright; you can also mount these scopes low. Target knobs and side-focus dials appear on selected Elite scopes, like the 6-24×40. For hunters on a budget, Bushnell has up-graded the Trophy series. Trophy XLT scopes feature fully multi-coated lenses, fast-focus eyepiece, even flip-up lens caps. I like the 2-6×32, but there are alternatives, up to 6-18×50. Bushnell’s 4-12x laser range-finding rifle-scope complements a long line of hand-held laser instruments.
For 2010, ED Prime glass and RainGuard HD coatings improve Bushnell’s top-end Elite 8×42 and 10×42 binoculars. A step down in price, you’ll find new Legend 8×36 and 10×36 binoculars. At 21 ounces, these roof-prism glasses are an ideal size for the trail. My pick: the 8×36, with its 4 1/2mm exit pupil. It has many Elite features, including ED glass and RainGuard. An Excursion spotting scope, with folded light path, comes in 15-45×60 and 20-60×80 versions.
And there’s a new15-45x spotting scope compact enough to slip into a backpack. Dual-speed focus on this Legend HD allows for coarse and fine focusing, quickly. Bushnell’s most field-worthy laser range-finder may be the Scout 1000 with ARC, technology that takes shot angle into account so you get corrected distance for accurate shooting at steep vertical angles. Single-button control makes this 6 1/2-ounce range-finder easy to use with one hand. In bow mode, it reads between 5 and 100 yards. Rifle mode sets it for 100 to 800 yards. (Bushnell.com.)
This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest 2011. Click here to get your full copy!
It was 1973 when Gale McMillan started producing stocks for his own use in benchrest competition. He soon started making them for other shooters as well. Today, the company has evolved to a high quality stock and custom rifle manufacturer that carries a well-known and respected brand name in both the hunting and tactical communities. Their tactical rifles are equipped to meet the specialized needs of the law enforcement and military operator.
A quick look at the TAC series of rifles shows they are well thought out and built with every advantage for a tactical mission. This summer I had the opportunity to check out theTAC-308, a rifle designed for urban tactical scenarios. McMillan’s ads on this rifle say “A designated marksman is a surgeon. This is your scalpel.” Well, this rifle is one of the sharpest scalpels on the table. As I took the rifle out of the padded case I could feel it was properly weighted with good balance. On any precision rifle I always check the chamber and the bolt on this TAC-308 fit nicely into the customG-30 McMillan receiver.
The rifle specifications are much like you would expect of a precision instrument. The rifle is available with either the hinged floor plate or detachable box magazine. There are pros and cons to each and I like that the option is available to whatever your mission dictates. On this rifle the magazines fit perfectly against an extended mag release that sits right in front of the robust trigger guard.
The McMillan TAC-308 comes with an adjustable stock. The cheekpiece is also adjustable.
It can be manipulated without moving the grip hand and the magazine falls free. Both five- and 10-round magazines are available. I did not shoot with a 10-rounder so I don’t know if it would be a problem while prone shooting.
The 20-inch barrel is fitted nicely to the receiver and the muzzle is threaded for suppressed fire and fitted with a protective cap. The machining is so precise the line disappears when the cap is screwed in tight. The bore is hand-lapped stainless steel.
This rifle has a powder coat finish that seems tough as nails. It is a compact little gun but don’t let the short barrel deceive you; we were shooting the rifle at 1000 yards and easily hitting the center of the gong. Part of this was made possible by the phenomenal trigger. It tripped at just under3 pounds and was very crisp with no travel. The trigger pull is adjustable, but I could get along with it as it came from the factory.
The barreled action rests in one of McMillan’s A-5 stocks. The cheek piece and length of pull are adjustable to give you a repeatable sight picture every time. This stock has the flatbottom hook for steadying with the off hand and a slightly fattened pistol grip. It, along with the forearm is stippled for good grip in all weather. The stock is of that famous McMillan construction and the action is pillar-bedded for a rock-solid fit. The forearm of the stock has a three-rail system out infront of the scope on top and on each side for necessities such as night vision equipment that your mission requires.
The McMillan came with a US Optics scope.
This demo rifle came equipped with a U.S. Optics 3.5- to 17-powerscope. This was my first experience with a U.S. Optics scope but it was a pleasant one. The scope was crystal clear and the reticle was much like others I have used with MOA hold off lines at the center of the crosshairs. I really liked the elevation turret, which could be adjusted for massive elevation quickly. It is a much bigger turret than found on most scopes and one turn at ½ MOA divisions get you there in a hurry. The windage knob has ¼ MOA graduation and is marked right or left. That was different than I was familiar with but I could see it becoming easily adapted to. McMillan also packages their tactical kits with Leupold Mark 4 scopes if you so desire.
I started out shooting the TAC with Black Hills Gold ammo in180-grain Nosler AccuTip bullets. I also had some Federal Premium with 168-grain HPBT bullets and some Lake City 173-grainmatch ammo. One of the problems with a professional’s rifle is that most of the time the operator is limited by the type of factory loads designated by the agency.. Working up the best load is not an option. Luckily there are many good choices out there so finding a good working load is possible.
I started out, where any rifleman does, shooting 100-yard groups. The first groups out of the rifle were shot with the Federal Premium ammo and were sub-minute right off the bat. I did notice some tightening of the groups after the barrel was fouled a bit which is normal. The 173-grain Lake City also shot great groups and I ran the rifle out to 300 yards to get a feel for the trajectory. The groups were in the one half minute range at 300 yards. The Black Hills ammo in the 180-grain configuration shot at the same POA (point of aim) as the Federal and Lake City stuff at 100 yards and dropped negligibly from the other ammo’s zero. With some numbers from the chronograph I had the info I needed to make a trajectory chart. Time to take it out to the longer stuff.
The TAC-308 comes with an accessory rail mounted on the A-5 stock for night optics.
I recently set up a long-range gong on a friend’s property and at the time I didn’t know how challenging it was going to be. It has a barely noticeable incline, about 3 degrees, but the shot crosses two draws right about where they come together into one and sometimes the wind is tricky. The first shot was at 725yards. At first there wasn’t any wind flags up and I wasn’t aware of the varying cross wind as the stiff sagebrush doesn’t move much in light wind. Within a few shots I was hitting the gong at will. My spotter (Matt) could see the hits and they were all on center. The next day the elevation was fine but the wind had picked up and after shooting a different rifle with no success, I walked out and set some wind flags. I was planning on doing this anyway and it really is a waste of ammo if you do not estimate wind properly at long ranges.
What an eye-opener it was to see the wind direction and speed at different distances to the target. I warmed up with my Remington700 in .308 and had the elevation correct immediately. In three shots I was hitting the gong dead center even with the wind. This was with my reload that I worked up for this rifle with 175-grain Sierra HPBT Match King bullet. I used the Lake City stuff for the 725-yard shots and continued using it in theTAC-308 for the 1000-yard test. The fourth shot at 1,000 was on the gong and with slight adjustments in the wind speed the gong had a rough time from then on.
The wind changed speed constantly from shot to shot. It was slight but enough to throw the shot to one side or the other on the gong or sometimes completely off the gong. The graduated center hairs in the US Optics scope really came in handy here. Matt was reading the wind for me and with a quick check of the flags he could give me the correction and I compensated using the reticle. It was fast for the changing conditions and proved quite accurate.
The McMillan TAC 308 definitely passed the test in my mind. It is a compact, high-quality rifle that is easy to handle and puts the pill on the target with a variety of ammo out to 1,000 yards. It would have been welcome on any of the capers that had me sitting on a hot rooftop for hours at a time.
The three new S&W shotguns used to shoot clay birds as well as hunt with during the quail/pheasant hunts. From top: Elite Gold, Elite Silver, and Model 1012 semiauto.
There's more than handguns at Smith & Wesson. In this gun review, the author takes a look at the Smith & Wesson Elite Gold Side-by-Side, Elite Silver Over-Under, and the since discontinued 1000 Series semi-auto.
Smith & Wesson: great semiauto handguns and revolvers! That’s the knee-jerk reaction made by most anyone who shoots but today, that assumption needs to expanded upon.
When it comes to rifles, they offer what I feel are some of the best semiautos for defense or varmint control, the M&P15 and the M&P15 PC chambered in .223 Remington/5.56 mm NATO. Of course, S&W Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: SWHC) has acquired Thompson/Center Arms, which adds T/C’s superb single shot rifles, handguns, slug guns, black powder arms, semiauto rimfire rifles and the new Icon bolt action rifle to S&W’s burgeoning product line.
But – shotguns? Yes, shotguns. For those of us old enough to have been interested in firearms in the 1970s, from 1972 until 1984 Smith & Wesson marketed pump and semi-auto shotguns that were manufactured by Howa in Japan. I fired one of these in a round of skeet years ago and that was all the experience I had with them.
Then at the 2007 SHOT Show in Orlando, Florida, at the writer shoot-out the day before the show, writers and guests all had the opportunity to fire the three new shotguns that now carry the Smith & Wesson name. Three years of work went into the market research for these shotguns; by not rushing the introduction, Smith & Wesson management did it right and covered all bases with a side-by-side, an over-under and a gas-operated semi-auto shotgun, all geared to the shooting sports and hunting.
Here is what these S&W shotguns are all about.
Elite Gold Side-By-Side
This type of shotgun, in years past, has been referred to as a “double-barrel,” which is a name that stuck long before over-and-under doubles became popular. As a kid, I remember the old Stevens Model 311 or Fox doubles which were working guns that were used and used hard, with little worry about dings and scratches. (One SXS – i.e., side-by-side – that I used for a round of skeet and did worry about scratching was a friend’s Winchester Model 21.)
Then came a market shift which saw affordable bread-and-butter doubles being eliminated and classics being retired. The double seemed to fade from the sporting community. Today, I have a new-found respect for fine guns which was strengthened through my hands-on-experience with the Smith & Wesson Elite Gold 2.75-inch and 3-inch side-by-side. I found this double to be both a work of art as well as quite functional in the field. It is also easy to carry, weighing in at around 6.5 lbs. in 20 gauge.
What also stands out is its hand-cut checkering (at 24 lines per inch) and engraving, which covers about 25% of the receiver. Its barrels are either 26 or 28 inches with the overall length being 43.5 or 45.5 inches, respectively. When the Elite Gold was introduced, the triggers were single, which I prefer. New in 2008 was the option for either of two styles of double triggers for the same price as the single-trigger version. For chokes, you have a IC/Mod bores. For those who appreciate a high-quality, well-figured piece of wood, the Elite Gold is available with an English or Prince of Wales stock of AAA grade Turkish Walnut. What is also obvious on the Elite Gold it is the precise metal to wood fit. This is only possible on firearms that are not run-of-the-mill, since fitting takes time and, as you know, time is money.
Due to balance and handling qualities, all of these shotguns pointed naturally. This is a positive quality in any shotgun.
Elite Silver Over-Under
Back in my skeet shooting days when I shot competition, my Browning Superposed Diana had one frame/forend and four gauges of barrels, all balanced exactly. Due to this, they all swung and pointed the same and that became the action type I became accustomed to from thousands of rounds being fired in competition. This is probably why today I shoot an over-under the best.
Being a 12 gauge, the S & W Elite Silver weighs 7.6 to 7.8 pounds and is available with 2-3/4- or 3-inch chambers and 28 or 30 inch barrels. (Alas, the 26-inch length was discontinued in 2008.) There are five choke options: Cylinder, which is for skeet and sporting clays or grouse; Improved Cylinder; Modified; Improved Modified; and Full for those long shots.
S&W Elite Silver 12 gauge over-under. (S&W photo)
This newly-designed Elite Silver shares many of the same custom design features as found on the Elite Gold series side-by-side and are also crafted with hand-engraved receivers finished in a bone-charcoal case hardening. Such a finish provides for a distinctive appearance as well as protection for the receiver.
An Elite Series Extra!
We have all heard of lifetime warranties that expire at the end of the original owner’s tenure. Smith & Wesson, again taking what many manufacturers had and expanding on it, did it again by coming up with their “Heirloom” warranty: with each purchase of an Elite Series shotgun, you get a lifetime warranty and then, when you pass either of these shotguns to whomever, your heir also has the same warranty protection you originally did. In my experience, a company who does this is one who obviously has the confidence that their product will continue on, trouble-free, into the next generation and then some.
When it comes to cost, the Elite Series models average $2,380 for either the side-by-side Gold or the over/under Silver, which is a lot less than I would have expected. With either purchase you get a fine, classic shotgun that is well-made, functional, practical and a work of art.
1000 Series Semiautos
[Editor’s Note: As this edition was going to press, Gun Digest learned that S&W’s 1000-Series semiauto shotguns have been discontinued. However, some will no doubt linger at retail for some time, so we present the following information for its historical value. -DMS.]
The 1000 Series semiautomatic in 12 gauge. As of 2010, this series of shotguns has been dropped from the S&W line-up but can occasionally be found in dealers’ gun racks. (S&W photo)
The Models 1012 Super (3-1/2-inch magnum), 1012 (2.75- or 3-inch 12 gauge) and 1020 (2.75- or 3-inch 20 gauge) gas-operated semi-automatics were designed for rough use and display excellent built-in handling characteristics.
Point, shoot, and the target goes down! Barrel lengths are 24, 26, and 28 inches as well as a 30-incher with TruGlo sights and ventilated rib. Five different choke tubes and a wrench are also included.
Weight of the 20 gauge, again depending on barrel length (24 or 26 inches) and stock material (wood versus synthetic) runs from 5.5 to 6.1 lbs. Overall lengths begin at 43.0 and go all the way to 50.5 inches for the 30-inch-barreled version that was discontinued in 2008. In 12 gauge, the weights vary from 6.3 to 7.5 lbs. with overall lengths from 45 to 51 inches – again, the latter for the 30-inch-barreled flavor.
Magazine capacity also varies, with the 12 gauge magnum holding 3 + 1 and the standard version 4 + 1. In the 20 gauge, it is 4 + 1 for all variations. The price of these shotguns in 2008 varied between $644 to around $735 in 20 gauge and is now slightly higher, primarily because of the falling dollar. The 12 gauge versions averaged between $644 for the 1012 to $882 for the 1012 Super – again, a bit more than that today because of the weak dollar.
This bird, flushed by the dog, appeared to go straight up. Author shot, and he was then on his way down. This is why it was good to have someone with a camera who was not hunting.
Field Testing: An Oklahoma Quail Hunt
A hunt to field-test these new shotguns was held for a few writers and personnel from Smith & Wesson/Blue Heron Communications at the famed Selman Ranch in Oklahoma. This is a 14,000-acre ranch located in the northwest part of that state, and it’s quite famous. In fact, there was even a book written about this ranch’s history. This book, The Buffalo Creek Chronicles, by Lantzy and House, tells how the Selman family carved out a living on this land, one rich in game throughout its sagebrush-covered rolling hills.
As we arrived and drove into the ranch area, in certain ways it was like going back in time. As a kid, I remember my grandmother’s farm and the machinery of the day, now all gone. It was good to see a lot of the equipment of our past still onsite, reminding us of the jobs it had once accomplished. Then it was time to check in, head to the main house to eat dinner, and then hit the sack in preparation for two days of shooting.
The following morning, we woke up to a great breakfast to begin the day. Then we were directed to a shooting area about a half mile away where Colie Selman, the staff and our group set up clay target throwers to give us all practical experience with the new shotguns.
I did shoot all of these at the SHOT Show but now we could shoot all we desired and fire at targets not confined to “straightaways” but angled or, to add difficulty, launched right off the ground as a quail flies. After a few hours of shooting, we broke up into two groups and with dogs and a skilled handler in tow, it was off to try our luck. After a few hours of hunting, we met for lunch and in the afternoon, we went out to other areas to hunt some more.
When flushed, grouse move and move fast, and here is when a shotgun that fits and naturally swings as the Elite Silver does is necessary to consistently point, shoot and drop that bird. I really appreciated the S&W over-under, an action type I have always done my best with.
The next day, we had the option to go back to quail areas or try fields with pheasants. I opted for the pheasants. Again, the dogs were great and their pointing gave the hunters a few seconds to switch mental gears so to be ready for that flush that would happen any second. When it did happen, the birds’ flight patterns were not as fast as the quails’ but seemed to be more erratic. Again, this is where a shotgun that naturally points greatly helped me harvest that bird.
What made a lasting impression on me with these three shotguns, especially the semi-autos, was that even when filthy, they simply did not malfunction. During all that shooting – and gun writers have never been known for being over-protective with test guns – the S&W shotguns continued to work flawlessly. Even though I at times have a mental block with any side-by-side shotgun, the Elite Gold 20 gauge was a pleasure to carry and shoot.
With over-under and semi-autos admittedly being my preference, I was not disappointed with the Elite Silver over/under or the Series 1000 semiautos. The 12-gauge models I shot were on the heavy side but, being so well balanced, they made swinging and point shooting feel natural. When you’re hunting and a bird goes up, the shotgun should be shouldered and fired almost instinctively. If your alignment is good, the bird falls out of the sky. When this consistently happens, at least part of the credit should go to the shotgun – and credit is certainly due to the new S&W shotguns.
What was also interesting was that none of the S&W shotguns was a favorite of everyone. Some preferred the 20 gauge side-by-side, others the over-under and others the semi-auto, which just goes to show you that love is ever in the eye of the beholder. It also means that there is something for everyone from Smith & Wesson.
Entering the shotgun market was an adventurous step for a company whose expertise was, and still is, handguns. Yet it was that adventurous attitude that drove S&W to apply for new patents and to build a plant in Turkey dedicated entirely to ensuring the quality of these new shotguns.
The new ArmaLite AR-10(T) chambered in .260 Remington features a 22” stainless steel Match barrel and National Match trigger that perfectly complement the flat shooting, ultra-accurate .260 Remington Cartridge.
The AR-10(T) in .260 is a hunter’s dream for game as small as bobcats and big game. Marksmen will value its deadon accuracy in match shooting. The .260 is especially suited to younger or novice shooters because of its low recoil.ArmaLite’s customers have been asking for this rifle. Now, it’s here for the 2010-2011 hunting season. See your ArmaLite dealer for details.
About: ArmaLite has one of the broadest product lines in the firearms industry. We manufacture and sell semiautomatic rifles in a variety of calibers including 5.56mm and 7.62mm, long range super-accurate bolt action rifles in calibers including .308 Winchester, 300 Winchester, 338 Lapua, and 50 BMG, and classic 9mm pistols. Visit: www.armalite.com
High Bridge Arms, located in San Francisco’s Mission district, “will be allowed to continue operating after shutting down when its permit expired in February,” the San Francisco Examiner reported. “The business has been around for more than a half-century, but in recent years has been targeted by anti-gun activists in a city with a history of snubbing the Second Amendment.
In 2005, voters approved a law that would ban handgun sales within city limits, an initiative that was later nullified by the courts.”
Anti’s made many claims against the gun shop, including that it made the neighborhood unsafe, attracted criminals, and was an “anachronism.” In the end, though, it appeared common sense prevailed.
“Sgt. Bill Coggan, who made the decision regarding the permit, called High Bridge Arms a well-run business, and said there was no evidence the shop attracted crime or that any weapons bought at the store were used in a crime,” the Examiner noted.
We need you to call both your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, right now! Demand that they vote against any version of the DISCLOSE Act.
In the name of “openness” Reid and arch-gun hater Chuck Schumer (D-NY) want to silence grassroots activists like you and me.
They say they want to “shine light” on our “dealings” in order to restrain our “undue” influence on politics.
In reality, they’re only interested in protecting their reelections and hiding their anti-freedom voting records.
You and I cannot let them succeed in these dirty tricks.
In the past, the hard work and thousands of emails and phone calls from National Association for Gun Rights members like you stalled the anti-free speech DISCLOSE Act.
I’m afraid Harry Reid’s shady, backroom dealings may have sealed the passage of the DISCLOSE ACT. Read more
State Representative Mike Harmon of Danville, who's also a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, says he wants to accomplish two things with his bill… restore freedoms and make concealed carry available to those who can't afford the 60-70 dollars it costs to take the class and get the permit. Some say there are other costs to consider, too. Guns aren't cheap and if you want to buy one of these and carry it out in your purse or put it in your car's console, you have to spend more money and get some training. Kentucky Police like it that way.
Lt. Col. Spike Jones, Covington Police: “We haven't had a lot of problems with concealed carry permit people here in the Commonwealth and I think it has to do with the training they undergo to get the permit.”
But what if just about everyone on the street could carry concealed? Now police know if a car they pull over is registered to someone who also can carry a concealed weapon.
“I think without the appropriate training and qualification, I would agree it does compromise our safety as police officers.”
The bill is the brainchild of State Representative Mike Harmon of Danville. If it passes, Kentucky would become only the fourth state that allows concealed carry without a permit. Read more
Sometimes you feel like popping the cork on a fresh bottle of cheap champagne, while letting Duke Ellington and his orchestra supply some Mood Indigo. Other times you feel like falling out of your chair. And then there are those times you have to do both. That's what happened recently when I learned that AMT had announced it had begun production of the .44 Auto Mag Model 180, only in a new incarnation called the AMT .44 Kodiak. For a handgunner, this is really big news.
As an admirer of the original Auto Mag — the illustrious semi-automatics that were designed for big and dangerous game hunting, the precursors to the Desert Eagle and LAR Grizzly — and as one truly baffled by how the concept never caught on, I have to say this seems like a golden opportunity. It’s like getting a chance to step back in time and shake Teddy Roosevelt’s hand. Or take a ride with Donald Douglas in the first commercial flight of a twin-engine DC-3. It puts a person in a sentimental mood, and makes you want to do something spontaneous, like drop $5600 on a new firearm.
There are plenty of things that make the Auto Mag a dreamy proposition for handgunners. The powerful magnum is like a cross between a Colt Python — with its 70s era vented rib, and a Luger – with its deeply-angled handle, which I’d hazard a guess makes it very comfortable to shoot. Its lines are sleek, even by contemporary standards.
It seems there are 400 castings left over from the by-gone days of the AMT Auto Mag Model 180 (were these all stored in someone’s closet all these years?). The company will use 50 of them for R&D, they say, and the rest will be manufactured as new firearms, renamed the .44 AMP Kodiak. There are two versions slated for manufacture: The stainless version with a price tag of $5600 and a parkerized one going for the low, low price of $3100, available fall of 2010 according to the website. I know what you’re thinking: That’s a lot of model 870s. Of course it is, but as one ages, the tool becomes just as important to the overall experience as the final downed game. Besides, you could wear a pinstriped suit to your deer stand, and as long as you have this pistol with you it will make perfect sense.
Now, I don’t mind admitting that I am pontificating somewhat about the Auto Mag pistol, having never pulled the trigger on one or even held one in my hands (complicating this further for me is the inner battle raging in my mind, where Elmer Keith is pistol whipping me with his ivory-gripped Smith & Wesson, and the blows are painful indeed). But, I've also never handled an authentic 1903 Springfield topped with an USMC-marked Unertl scope, either. Maybe my distance from these things is bolstering an unrealistic fantasy, but I'm fairly certain that, should the occasion ever arise, getting my mukluks on either would result in truly happy feelings — like the afterglow one experiences the moment you realize the IRS audit letter in your mailbox was intended for your neighbor, not you.
As AMT announces it will begin production, the Firearms Blog reports that Wildey, another big bore autoloader popularized in the 1970s, has ceased production.
Introduced in the early 1960s by Harry Sanford, the .44 Auto Mag just never found wide enough market appeal to maintain a viable business, and I don’t know why. There are reports of the pistols not feeding reliably. However, I’m not so sure about those reports — at least I don’t want to believe them; they sure don’t support my Auto Mag fantasy — and yet still for the life of me, I can’t figure out why the .44 Auto Mag went extinct. But just like Spielberg’s movie Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA becomes the catalyst for scientists to hatch an island of prehistoric monsters into a nightmarish theme park, the Auto Mag people have resurrected the big bore creation (hopefully with a more cheerful end result) and they did so up in Kodiak, Alaska, a place that is both hellish and beautiful. And thank God it’s Made in the USA, might I add.
It’s also an appropriate headquarters for a semi-auto .44-caliber magnum, a place where a defensive gun use might be foisted upon you by thugs or big brown bears. Down in the lower 48, where people have less menacing critters to deal with, there is a silly debate over whether the 9mm is a smart concealed carry caliber for criminal work. I don’t hear any sounds on that issue coming from Kodiak. As AMT says proudly on their site, “The Auto Mag has never been a production autoloader for punching paper. The Kodiak is no different. The Kodiak is a Bear Killer.”
The Auto Mag won’t be cheap, though. As mentioned above, the $5600 price tag might put this pistol out of reach for all but the most diehard — some say deranged — handgun hunters. If you’ve watched the online firearm auctions and the used markets, you know that original AMT Auto Mag Model 180s are desirable as collectible arms, fetching $3000 and more consistently, and they are very rare indeed. But for the gun owner who simply has to have a classy little slice of firearm history with which to kill big stuff, the AMT Kodiak makes the list. At this time, .44 auto mag ammo availability remains a lingering question mark.
A similar autoloader, the Wildey, built around the proprietary .45 Wildey and .475 Wildey Magnum cartridges, likewise underwent rocky ups and downs — into production with high hopes and suddenly out of business in the next breath. Tough-guy actor Charles Bronson is widely accredited with propelling interest in the Wildey, after he used the hand-canon to blow holes the size of Mack trucks into street thugs in the 1970s vigilante flick Death Wish 3. On the silver screen there are certain moments that get remembered, reflective of that culture. What makes the Bronson movie so amusing is that, ballistically speaking, the .475 Wildey Magnum is designed to de-spine a Cape Buffalo, so its use on a street punk at close range is, to put it mildly, overkill. In similar fashion, the AMT Auto Mag 180, which was built around the only slightly-less impressive .44 Auto Mag cartridge — a rimless .44 magnum — took the idea of righteous violence to new levels in Clint Eastwood's film, Sudden Impact.
According to The Firearms Blog, “Wildey Guns, makers of the gas operated Wildly pistol, appear to have gone out of business sometime within the past year. Their phone has a message saying that they have ‘suspended operations,’ emails sent to them are bouncing and their website was last updated in August of last year.”
I’m sad to hear this, because the Wildey invokes similar emotions to the AMT. But I’m sure I’ll get over it come deer season, just in time to get my hands on one of these new Kodiak .44s. But, given the cost of ammo, the suit may have to wait.
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.
Mr. Ringenberg, a technology consultant, is one of the state’s nearly 300,000 handgun permit holders who have recently seen their rights greatly expanded by a new law — one of the nation’s first — that allows them to carry loaded firearms into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.
The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry
