Armalite rolled out a new National Match version of its popular AR50 at SHOT Show 2011.
What do you do with what is arguably the most popular, affordable and accurate high-powered .50 caliber rifle in the world? If you're Armalite, you make it even better.
And that's what ArmaLite has done with its introduction of the AR-50A1 National Match, unveiled at the 2011 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The AR-50A1 National Match is similar to the standard AR-50A1 with some very important differences. The AR-50A1 NM is produced from selected components: The National Match’s 33 inch barrel is three inches longer than the standard AR-50A1’s barrel. The barrel has eight flutes. The flutes help with cooling and reduce unnecessary weight while maintaining accuracy-enhancing stiffness. The barrel has a 50 BMG Match chamber instead of a standard military chamber.
The result: sub MOA accuracy.
ArmaLite has also developed a “Skid System” for the AR-50A1 National Match. It’s meant for serious match use and comes standard, not as an expensive add-on. The ArmaLite Skid System provides parallel rests on the rifle that are parallel with the bore of the rifle so when it recoils it will recoil straight back. This has been requested by match shooters, some of whom have made their own. The front skid attaches to the slot in the forestock similar to the way bipod rails are attached. The rear skid attaches to the buttstock. Armalite developed the Skid System without modification to the AR-50A1’s original parts so the system can be used by shooters who already own an AR-50A1 and want to use their original stock with no modifications.
Looking for more reasons the AR-50A1 NM achieves sub-MOA accuracy? Here they are:
The heart of the rifle is its metallic stock-to-action interface. The patented V-Lock™ Bedding Wedge and V-Block Stock assure absolute strength and repeatability for superb accuracy. The aluminum stock reinforces the receiver like a bench-rest sleeve. It’s not just the bedding that improves accuracy. Independent testing has proven the AR-50A1 muzzle brake to be the best in the industry for both recoil control and accuracy. It scrapes away turbulent muzzle gasses and lets the bullet break into clean air for amazing accuracy.
The only question we have is, when can we get our hands on this beast?
Here's one more photo of the Armalite AR50 from the floor of SHOT Show 2011. Enjoy! (And stop drooling).
Gun Digest Store now offers thousands of high-quality items from Blackhawk! including this Glock holster with spare mag holder.
Gun Digest is resilient if nothing else, but one thing we're not is impervious to change. And sometimes change can be a good thing as we've now rolled out a massive one to our online store, gundigeststore.com.
In addition to thousands of firearm books, CD/DVDs and downloads, 4,500+ items from Blackhawk! were made available yesterday afternoon. As a result, now you can shop online for everything ranging from holsters to Warrior Wear clothing with secret pockets designed for concealed carry — plus mag pouches, shooting mats and slings.
This Universal SWIFT Sling is an example of the firearm accessories you'll find at gundigeststore.com.
Since 1944, Gun Digest has been recognized as the “World's Foremost Authority on Guns.” Readers the world over regard us as a trusted source for gun information, and we think you'll come to trust us as a source for your gun stuff, too.
Bottom line is it just made sense. For instance, consider some of the reasons we launched tacticalgearmag.com, an online social network for civilian self-defense advocates, law enforcement and military personnel. We did that not just to provide the very best online community gathering place of like-minded people. It was because we knew we had top shelf content — Tactical Gear Digital Magazine, articles, blogs, books, experts, online video — all of which would be ultimately useful for people like you.
Well, not only can we provide the best instruction in areas like concealed carry, with our wide selection of books from the industry's most knowledgeable authors, but we can also provide a convenient way to buy the gear you need to carry concealed … all in one stop.
It's like Facebook. Or Amazon.com. For gun owners.
Knowledge is power. But you still need the gear. Starting right now, you've come to the right place for both.
Carolyn McCarthy had this bill written and sitting on her desk waiting for the “suitable” tragedy that might help get it passed. Now, some idiot gave her the opportunity.
McCarthy wants to ban the manufacture and transfer of ALL magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. No grandfather clause, no cut off date… ban all of them. I'm thinking that could lead to outlawing possession as well and that means confiscation. And if they can confiscate magazines, all it takes is one more tragic event for them to push the next law through.
Write to your congressional representative today and voice your displeasure. Obama is no longer too busy with other problems to ignore gun control.
The fiercest gun-control advocate in Congress released the text of a bill she plans to introduce next week that would outlaw high-capacity magazines like the one a gunman used to shoot 20 people in a matter of seconds in Arizona this weekend.
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s (D-N.Y.) bill also goes further than than the assault weapon ban that expired in 2004, outlawing the sale or transfer of clips that hold more than ten rounds, even those obtained before the law takes effect, according to a copy of the bill obtained by POLITICO.
The bill closes a loophole in the expired assault weapon ban that let gun owners buy high-capacity magazines made before the ban took effect in 1994.
The bill carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
“The only purpose for the existence of these devices is to be able to shoot as many people as possible as quickly as possible,” McCarthy wrote in a letter to her colleagues that accompanied the bill. “There is no reason that these devices should be available to the general public.”
The largest GUN SHOW ever held in the Capitol District will be staged January 22-23, 2011 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, NY. Over 400 exhibitors and displays will be provided by our collectors and dealers from all over the northeastern United States and Canada.
Featured will be displays and sales tables of U.S. military arms, Colt Revolvers, high grade double barreled shotguns, Remingtons, muskets, Smith & Wesson, Kentucky rifles, gun parts & accessories, Indian items, Frontier & Western paraphernalia, Sharps, Springfields, Winchesters swords, bowie knives, powder horns, civilian and military weapons from all nations, custom-made and factory knives, military relics and equipment from before the Revolutionary War to present.
Cash or barter. Haggling for the very best deal possible is both expected and accepted. Old and unwanted guns gladly purchased by our collectors.
Admission is only $6.00 per day, children with parents free. $5.00 per day for senior citizens.
For more information contact: Sandy Ackerman Klinger 346 Paul Street Endicott, NY 13760
In January, a federal lawsuit was filed in South Dakota challenging a state law which prohibits non-US citizens from obtaining a concealed carry permit. That law, “was enacted in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, when states were looking for ways to tighten security and guard against future attacks, Secretary of State Jason Gant said,” according to the Rapid City Journal.
“It had tremendous support at that time to make sure only U.S. citizens were receiving the permits,” Gant said. “It had bipartisan support along with several other agencies.”
“At the time, Attorney General Mark Barnett, the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association, the South Dakota Sheriff's Association and the South Dakota Shooting Sports Association all supported the change. Gant said the measure passed without opposition or a dissenting vote at any level.”
But in the suit, one Wayne Smith argued, “that he should be allowed to receive a permit as protected by the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. Smith, of Sioux Falls, has been a lawful permanent resident since 1979 after moving to the United States from the United Kingdom.”
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1903-A4 Springfield Sniper
Field Gun Review: S&W 627
FN-49: A post-war semi-auto that saw the world
Gun shows, auctions and classifieds
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Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and 19 other people were gunned down at an Arizona Town Hall-style meeting. Now democrats are planning more gun control.
Democratic Rep. Carolyn McCarthy of New York plans to introduce legislation in the coming days that would limit access to the type of weaponry used to gun down Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and 19 other people.
Giffords remains in critical condition after 22-year-old alleged gunman Jared Loughner open fired at a town hall-style meeting at a Tuscon grocery store on Saturday. Twenty people were shot and six were killed. The shocking incident prompted the House of Representatives to call off this week's planned business and has spurred some lawmakers to propose some new laws related to the shooting, including McCarthy's proposals.
McCarthy today will officially announce she is working on a bill targeting the high-capacity ammunition clips the gunman allegedly used in the shooting, as Politico first reported.
“My staff is working on looking at the different legislation fixes that we might be able to do and we might be able to introduce as early as tomorrow,” she told Politico.
The congresswoman plans to discuss the legislation this week with Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, her staff confirms to CBSNews.com.
“We need to look at how this is going to work, to protect people, certainly citizens, and we have to look at what I can pass,” McCarthy said. “I don't want to give the NRA – excuse the pun – the ammunition to come at me either.” Read more
Judging from the industry stats I've seen lately, the concealable handgun market is chugging right along. (The sporting rifle and shotgun market are a bit flabby and the AR craze is cooling off, at least temporarily, if you care to know.) I'm not sure what's driving this surging interest in concealed-carry guns but suspect it's the spate of pro-gun court rulings that have been issued as well as the growing realization that citizens are primarily responsible for their own well-being. Whatever the reason, we've got a lot of first-time “concealed carriers” entering the gun market. That's a good thing, just on general principles.
It's been 30 years since I first acquired my carry permit, and guns are a big part of my personal and professional life. But I can still remember when I was a newbie. In those days, there weren't a lot of how-to guides that explained how to use a self-defense handgun: you had to read a schwad of magazine articles (still a good idea) or enroll in a defensive handgun class (also still a good idea).
For today's concealed-carry newbie, however, things are a lot easier. Besides having more options in guns, ammo, holsters and accessories than ever before, we've got excellent one-volume guides to concealed carry such as Defensive Handgun Skills by Dave Fessenden. Fessenden, a certified NRA Firearms Instructor, has cleared away all the clutter about concealed-carry handgun techniques and distilled a lifetime of experience into only 128 pages. He's given us what I think is the best how-to guide to carrying and deploying defensive revolvers and semi-autos — he doesn't overwhelm you with technical jargon or complex technical issues. For the concealed-carry beginner, it's a no-sweat introduction to the carry gun — and at only $11.55, it's about half the price of a large delivered pizza, even a crummy one. Check it out here. And keep shootin'!
The D & L Sports heavy duty magazine worked well with the Kimber magazine guide.
When it comes to the 1911 handgun I have been accused of being as nutty as a dump rodent. But then the mighty oak springs from a nut that held its ground! Thus we look at the Kimber Gold Combat 1911.
For those who do not embrace the 1911 let me task them to simply share the passion with a 1911 man. Go to the range, try a quality 1911, let a few rounds fly. Chances are you will agree that the 1911 is a great design. The first time I held a .45 something in the walnut grip said “friend.” Nothing has diminished that feeling in the intervening 35 years.
The Commander .45 rode with me through several difficulties. The concept is pretty simple when it comes to a good pistol. I do not pick the best until I test them all. I recognize performance. There is no better “go-anywhere, do-anything, anytime-anywhere” handgun than a good 1911.
Will Smith is getting the measure of the .45 in a fast pass at steel plates.
Today I often carry and shoot a thoroughly modern pistol that is among the best 1911 pistols I have ever handled. The Kimber Gold Combat is Kimber’s idea of a first-class combat pistol. The pistol is a consensus of the opinion and demand of a number of shooters- Kimber simply made it happen. I have been around the block with the 1911, built 1911 handguns, disassembled the pistols in detail, and fitted barrels, safety levers and triggers. I don’t mind admitting that I made a few mistakes and learned along the way, but it has been a long time since I made a mistake. I know how a 1911 is supposed to be fitted.
Appearance is one thing. Some feel the 1911 is ugly. But the ones who call her “old ugly” or “old slabslides” often do so with real affection. Someone out of the fold had best keep their derogatory comments to themselves.
The 1911 does best what a fighting pistol does and that is deliver a heavy blow accurately and quickly. The pistol’s balance is ideal. After trying the modern polymer pistols I find them slide heavy. I tend to pull the muzzle low and hit low. The 1911 is well balanced. The pistol is both reliable in action and robust in service. It takes a great amount of abuse to knock a 1911 out of the game. The trigger offers straight-to-the-rear single action compression. The 1911 is often clean and crisp from the factory but with a minimum of effort the trigger may be polished to a high degree of smoothness. My recommendation is to fire the piece until it smoothes up.
Let’s touch a little on longevity. I have seen so many 1911 handguns at the 20,000 round count I have lost count. I own a number myself. I have sources in the military that tell me that they are using World War II era frames and slides with well over 100,000 rounds on them.
These figures are reasonable to low when you consider the training that goes into producing a special team operator. As a young peace officer beginning in 1978 I often fired 500 rounds a month and when I had time to load ammunition, it was not usual to fire 500 rounds in a week. I believed in quantity and I learned to shoot the hard way with little formal instruction. I can not help but wonder if I had used but a single pistol could a 1911 have taken the several hundred thousand rounds I have spread about a battery of pistols? The answer is probably yes.
After years of use and thousands of rounds of ammunition the Kimber .45 is none the worse for wear.
A Modern 1911
Getting back to the Kimber Gold Combat; the controls are properly fitted. The safety locks crisply into the slide with a good indent. The trigger is smooth and breaks at an ideal 5 pounds with no creep or over travel. The grip safety releases the trigger about halfway to full compression. The slide runs smoothly across the frame. The Kimber achieves good fit through tight tolerances. It is not so tight as to present a difficulty in break-in or to produce malfunctions but such tight fit reduces eccentric wear. There is no perceptible play in the slide. Don’t believe that overly tight fitting is required for first-class practical accuracy. The Kimber is tight but not so tight that lint, dirt or other material may cause it to tie up.
Among the first modifications to the 1911 was to modify and lengthen the dust cover in the 1911A1 in order to protect the mechanism from foreign matter. The balance between reliability and accuracy must favor reliability. The pistol is a Gold Combat, remember? For makers who understand the balance compromise is not necessary. If you understand the three-point pedestal method of barrel fit then you know what I mean. It is necessary to pay for care in fit and the Gold Combat costs a bit more than other pistols.
Consistency of construction pays off big dividends in longevity. The barrel returns to the same place after each shot. This limits slop and eccentric wear. The extractor picks up the extractor groove exactly the same for every cartridge. The ejector doesn’t deviate. When you wonder what you are paying for when the price edging close to $1,500 you have to understand some things. When you begin with a false premise you cannot reach an accurate conclusion. Sloppy is sloppy. Precision properly executed means long life for the handgun. In short, you get what you pay for and in this case you are paying for precision and performance.
The Gold Match has all of the features we could ask for but the fit is most important. The pistol features forward cocking serrations. Take them or leave them they are a feature of tactical-grade 1911 handguns. The pistol also features excellent high-visibility sights with Meprolight self-luminous Tritium inserts. These bold clear sights are ideal for all-around use. The pistol features an ambidextrous safety design dissimilar to any other Kimber in my collection. The beavertail safety subtly lowers the bore axis as well as making the pistol more comfortable in firing +P loads. The grips are high quality checkered rosewood. They are reminiscent of the classic double diamond checkered pattern.
There is also a very well done checkered front strap. Formerly found only on top of the line custom handguns, the Kimber custom shop has done a fine job with these serrations. Some feel that a checkered front strap is uncomfortable during a long firing session or a 1,000 round training course. My reply is, “Wear gloves.” The Kimber also features a magazine guide. While we are not likely to be caught in a running gun battle, the magazine guide is a plus during administrative handling and in range practice. The pistol also features a full-length guide rod. While controversial, the FLGR is an aid in certain situations. Just one of these situations is in firing off a barricade. If you bump the slide the FLGR will prevent the pistol from being knocked out of battery.
The proof of a good gun is in the firing. This report comes after many months and thousands of rounds of ammunition. For the majority of range outings and during training I have used the Oregon Trail 230-grain Laser Cast bullet over enough Titegroup powder for 830 fps. In using this load for economy and others for testing, the pistol has never failed to feed, chamber, fire or eject. Practical accuracy off hand has been excellent. The Kimber is a fast pistol on target and it tracks well when engaging multiple targets. There is nothing like a Government Model for this type of work.
The Haugen Handgun Leather crossdraw holster offers excellent fit and finish and good design, all we may ask.
I have also tested a number of personal defense and service loads. A number of new loadings have proven their mettle in the Kimber. Winchester’s new 230-grain Bonded Core load was adopted for service by the FBI and naturally we were all greedily wanting to test this one. The load demonstrates excellent quality control and a good balance of expansion and penetration. Another load has given me pause and a bit of a surprise. Black Hills has introduced a 185-grain +P load using the Barnes all copper TAC bullet. This is a brilliantly accurate loading and one that has proven completely reliable in feeding. There is little excuse for not carrying first rate ammo in your .45 as there is much available.
There are few handguns as consistently accurate as the Kimber Gold Combat. Like all quality handguns, the Gold Combat prefers one load to the other but the results are often very consistent. The only handgun I own as consistently accurate is a target pistol with a stylized Gold Cup on the slide. Enough said on the subject of accuracy. If you would like to own a well made 1911 that will challenge any shooter to perform at his highest level this is the pistol.
Leather
Since I have tested this handgun during the winter months, I adopted a crossdraw holster for under the jacket carry; the Huntington Wedge from Haugen Handgun Leather. Maker, Jerry Evans, has given excellent service for several years. When seated or driving the crossdraw is more accessible than any other and a very versatile design. The Haugen holster is a quality type with much to recommend.
This is a great combination, worthy of protecting all that you hold dear. If you carry a gun for defense, many have said you should always carry the best gun you can afford. The Kimber Gold Combat falls into that category.
This article appeared in the December 6, 2010 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
There has been a lot of talk here recently about the proper use of your weapons and your readiness to fight. But there is a flip side to all that: Professional communication. More often than not you will want to use your brains and your verbal skills to defuse a situation. I proclaim often that I would rather talk for 20 minutes than fight for two. And that's the way it should be.
Good communicators can talk a situation down and bring people back from the edge of violence. Bad communicators can push people over the edge and make things worse. If you have not take a professional police communications class like Verbal Judo or something similar, sign up for one. It can help
But remember, words sometimes fail. And how do you know when you are done talking? Use the acronym police use:
D Danger
O Overriding concern
N No Progress
E Escape
If there is clear danger, move to a position of tactical advantage, retrieve a weapon and get ready for action. Shift your verbalization to giving commands.
Overriding concerns can be just about anything that puts you into a bad situation or makes the situation more dangerous. If the hair on the back of your neck stands up, believe it.
No progress… well, while you are talking you should also be looking for escape routes, other dangers, cover, anything that can give you an advantage. Talking works, right up until it doesn't. Be aware.
Unless you are on duty and the person you are talking to is wanted, escape is your friend. If you are operating in a civilian capacity and a person decides to flee… let the person go. If you are required by law and believe you can do so safely, well, then use the appropriate level of force to stop the escape and make the lawful arrest.
This site may be about gear… but your best tool is your brain.
The folks at Ruger have just alerted us to a new polymer pistol called the Ruger LC9, which is similar to the popular Ruger LCP (.380 auto), but offered in 9mm. Ruger says this is the “Next Handgun You Must Own!” so let's see what all the fuss is about.
This highly requested pistol was developed through Ruger’s Voice of the Customer program and incorporates the features and rugged reliability desired by Ruger customers.
The LC9 has a 3.12” barrel, is 6.0” long and 4.5” tall, making for a very compact 9mm pistol. The LC9 is impressively narrow at a mere .90” wide, and weighs only 17.1 ounces with an empty magazine. Featuring a black polymer (glass-filled nylon) frame and black alloy steel slide and barrel, the lightweight, full-featured Ruger LC9 offers the versatility and capability of the popular 9mm cartridge in a highly compact, reliable, and user-friendly pistol.
“On the heels of the overwhelming and on-going success of the LCP®, customers repeatedly requested a lightweight, compact 9mm pistol. Frankly, they wanted an LCP chambered in 9mm,” said Ruger CEO Michael Fifer. “Delivering an American-made, compact 9mm that provides the same legendary Ruger reliability as the award-winning LCP, LCR® and SR9® became our focus. Meeting customer expectations is our goal and key to Ruger’s continuing success,” Fifer continued.
The LC9 is a double-action-only, hammer-fired, locked-breech pistol with a smooth trigger pull. Control and confident handling of the Ruger LC9 are accomplished through reduced recoil and aggressive frame checkering for a positive grip in all conditions. The Ruger LC9 features smooth “melted” edges for ease of holstering, carrying and drawing.
One seven-round, single-column magazine is provided with each LC9 pistol. The magazine’s standard flat buttplate aids concealability, while the provided finger grip extension buttplate offers an option to shooters who prefer a longer grip surface with more hand-to-pistol contact. Seven-round magazines, holsters and other accessories are available for purchase at ShopRuger.com.
The wider rear aperture of the dovetailed, low-profile, two-dot rear sight aids quick acquisition of the single-dot, dovetailed front sight. This high-visibility, three-dot sight system provides fast, positive sight alignment.
The slide locks open on an empty magazine and the external slide stop is easy to reach and manipulate for positive firearm functioning. A single-sided manual safety and a magazine disconnect are additional features of the Ruger LC9. A California-approved loaded chamber indicator allows for immediate visual and tactile confirmation that the chamber is loaded. A pivoting external extractor provides reliable extraction of the 9mm cases.
For more information on the Ruger LC9, or to learn more about the extensive line of Ruger firearms, visit www.Ruger.com.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has proposed that it be given emergency authority for six months, beginning January 5, to require about 8,500 firearms dealers along the border with Mexico “to alert authorities when they sell within five consecutive business days two or more semiautomatic rifles greater than .22 caliber with detachable magazines.” A Washington Post story reporting on the BATFE proposal described that definition as being applicable to “so-called assault weapons,” but it would also apply to many rifles that have never been labeled with that term.
The reporting requirement will apparently be imposed under the “authority” the BATFE has used in the past to demand reporting of other types of transactions from certain limited groups of dealers over the past 10 years, but the new proposal is far broader than any previous use of this authority. Of course, there's no law today that prevents dealers from reporting suspicious transactions (or attempted transactions) to the BATFE, and dealers often do so. The BATFE is also free to inspect dealers' sales records—either for annual compliance inspections or during a criminal investigation.
NRA-ILA’s chief lobbyist, Chris Cox, denounced the attempt to establish a registry of Americans who purchase semi-automatic rifles that gun control supporters ultimately want to see banned. “This administration does not have the guts to build a wall, but they do have the audacity to blame and register gun owners for Mexico's problems,” Cox told the Post. “NRA supports legitimate efforts to stop criminal activity, but we will not stand idle while our Second Amendment is sacrificed for politics.”
The Post says “The plan by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revives a proposal that has languished at the Justice Department and in the Obama administration for several months,” and that the gist of the plan was proposed by Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) last year. In its August 2009 Blueprint for Federal Action on Guns, MAIG indeed proposed that “ATF should identify the long guns most linked to crime and require dealers to report multiple sales of such guns.”
The idea must have appealed to the BATFE, because in June of this year Congress’ Government Accountability Office released a report noting that BATFE officials had claimed that U.S. efforts to stop the smuggling of firearms to Mexico are hindered by “a lack of required background checks for private firearms sales, and limitations on reporting requirements for multiple sales.”
Curiously, in September, a draft of the Department of Justice’s Inspector General’s Office’s unfavorable review of BATFE’s Project Gunrunner, established to combat the trafficking of firearms to Mexico, didn’t mention multiple sales at all. But the final version of the review, released in November, mentions “multiple sales” 43 times and says “the lack of a reporting requirement for multiple sales of long guns – which have become the cartels’ weapons of choice – hinders ATF’s ability to disrupt the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico.”
Whether BATFE intends its plan as another expansion of its oft-criticized firearm sales record tracing empire, or to lay the groundwork for legislation or regulations restricting “assault weapon” sales, or to fatten the files the agency keeps at its National Tracing Center in West Virginia remains to be seen. And the legality of requiring sales reports on any long guns is also in doubt. When the Congress specifically imposed multiple sales reporting on handguns only, it implicitly stated its intention that the same requirement not apply to sales of long guns.
However, it is crystal clear that some in the Obama Administration agree with those who believe the answer to crime is always more gun control. In September, MAIG blamed crime in states that have “strong” gun laws, on states that don’t have the same laws. And ever since President Obama took office, gun control supporters have been blaming Mexico’s crime problem on America’s gun laws.
The fact that Mexico’s multi-billion dollar drug cartels have machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, and other potent weaponry you cannot buy in the United States is, to gun control supporters, irrelevant. The fact that most of the cartels’ guns have never been on this side of the U.S. border is, as far as they are concerned, a trifling inconvenience. The fact that the cartels will never have enough “assault weapons” or any other guns from the U.S. to hand out to all the Mexican policemen, soldiers and politicians on their payrolls, is, in their view, an unimportant detail. And the fact that the murder rate in the United States is at a 45-year low, while crime in Mexico is through the roof (the murder rate in Juarez is 115 times higher than in El Paso) is, they would certainly say, a contradiction best ignored.
To read the BATFE's Federal Register notice about the plan, and for information on how to send your comments, click here (https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-31761.pdf). Comments about the proposal will be accepted for two months; if you choose to comment, please state your firm but polite opposition to the plan.
Needless to say, the NRA will not only comment, but take whatever other action is appropriate to block this sweeping expansion of federal recordkeeping on gun owners. Stay tuned.
All the details are not yet public, but one thing is true: In an ECQ fight for a weapon, bad things can happen and any bad guy can get lucky against the best officer. This officer died in a struggle for a weapon. Keep that in mind and make sure you do what you need to in order to stay alive.
Simply titled the Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Tactical Rifles, this new soft cover book offers values, specifications, photos and histories of the more common — and many lesser-known — tactical rifles on the market. The grading scale lists prices in MSRP or NIB (New In Box) and EXC. (Excellent), V.G. (Very Good), and GOOD (Good).
One of the things you immediately notice about the Buyer's Guide that sets it apart from other pricing or value books on the market is the high quality photography, including a nice full color middle section called the Gallery of Tactical Rifles.
Can you imagine a book about tactical firearms without photos? Let's face it, while a book of this type is virtually mandatory for anyone seriously looking to buy or sell tactical guns, one containing only pages and pages of listings and numbers wouldn't be any fun to look at (in fact, it'd be downright painful on the eyes).
Not so with this book. Each page takes you on a delightful little adventure down the yellow brick road (via alphabetical listing by manufacture) of guns from Russia, Europe and America.
The Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Tactical Rifles features specifications, current values, hundreds of illustrations, histories and more.
Peterson gives tips on how to get the most use out of the Buyer's Guide with a detailed explanation of condition ratings. He also explains that, by “tactical rifles,” he means:
For the purposes of this book it is a semi-automatic rifle or pistol that accepts detachable magazines that hold over 20 rounds of ammunition. A few, such as the Barrett M-82 .50 Cal. rifle and the SVD Draganov Sniper rifle, which have 10-round magazines, are included as they certainly need to be in such a guide.
Given how the term “tactical” is slapped onto just about anything these days — including pens and wristwatches — Peterson explains the decision to limit the book's scope to mostly semi-automatics.
There are some things that carry a tactical label that are not covered in this work. That would include shotguns, bolt action rifles and conventional handguns with rails for attaching lasers or optical sights. Such firearms are certainly “tactical” in nature, but since even some revolvers now have tactical rails built into them, we just had to draw the line somewhere.
But I'm glad to see the editors didn't hold too rigidly to that doctrine, because in the Gallery of Guns you can lay your eyes on a nice full color image of Armalite's .50A1, which is indeed a bolt action single shot.
Finally, the book's intro includes a very concise and useful history on these fascinating arms, with Peterson discussing The Classics, Ban Era Guns, The New Boom, Heavy Iron and Home Gunsmithing.
There's a lot to consider when buying a tactical rifle. This book will be your guide. Buy it now
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
