On Wednesday, February 10, the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts passed Assembly Bill 558 and Assembly Bill 559 — two bills that, if passed by the full assembly, would have severe effects on gun owners in the state of Wisconsin.
AB 558 would expand the definition of “misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence” well beyond the scope of current federal law in order to create a new class of people who would be stripped of Second Amendment rights in Wisconsin.
The second bill, AB 559, is a blatant violation of Americans’ Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves. The bill would require an individual who is subject to a protective order to appear before a court and reveal all the firearms that he or she owns or possesses. It would also require people in this situation to turn the guns over either to a law enforcement agency or to a third party.
People in this situation would have no immunity from prosecution for the laws they might be forced to admit violating. Read more
Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews and practical how-to instructions. Subscriptions are the First Amendment way to stand up for your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside This Issue
• Editor Kevin Michalowski has some bits and pieces for you in his “Editor’s Shot” column. Click here to read it.
• Dan Shideler explains how fried chicken and a passion for wood and metal work helped one of the most talented gunsmiths in the country hone his craft.
Double feeds happen. Learn from NSSF’s Mark Thomas and Gunsite instructor Bob Whaley how to clear your AR-15 and get it ready for action when it happens to you. (NSSF Video)
Kenny Purdie and his wife, Linda, [of Virginia] who have owned and operated K&L Barbecue for 17 years, survived a harrowing robbery attempt and shootout with a gunman who accosted the couple in the garage of their home about 9 p.m.
After first confronting Linda Purdie, who yelled for her husband, the assailant jerked around and fired at Kenny Purdie, hitting him once in his left shoulder in a shot that broke his collarbone, said police and Steve Nugent, Kenny Purdie’s stepson.
Although wounded, Kenny Purdie — who holds a concealed-gun permit — grabbed a pistol from under the seat of his truck and returned fire, causing the intruder to flee, police and Nugent said.
“The one thing that I have learned from this incident is that Pop having that gun possibly saved the life of him and my mother,” Nugent said Monday. “If he wouldn’t have had that gun nearby, there’s no telling what would have happened after that.”
“Pop acted so fast,” Nugent added. “This all occurred probably within 20 or 30 seconds.” Read more
Gun Digest looks at the Charter Arms Pitbull – the world’s first rimless revolver, chambered in .40 S&W. It was one of the highlights of SHOT Show 2012 Media Day at the Range.
For years shooters have relied on the precision and accuracy of the Burris AR sight systems for military, tactical, home defense and hunting applications. Now there are two more optical options to choose from for the AR rifle platform with Burris’ introduction of the AR-132 and AR-536 sights.
“Our new AR sights are as rugged and versatile as the AR platforms they were designed to match,” stated Rob Siemers, general manager. “Our AR-332 sight is one of the most popular red dot sights on the market today, and with the addition of the AR-132 and AR-536 we’ve added more options and versatility for the professional and recreational shooter.”
Burris AR-132
For quick target acquisition or close-quarters shooting, the new 1X AR-132 is the ticket. Compact and lightweight with a choice of 4 MOA red or green dots, it is ideal for CQB situations. To make certain that the lighting is perfect for each situation, the AR-132 can be set to one of 10 levels of brightness. The AR-132’s low mounting system matches up perfectly with most AR configurations.
Bright, crisp images are essential in close-quarters-combat situations, therefore Burris has multi-coated all lenses with its proprietary lens coating. Add the integrated lens covers, three Picatinny rail segments, tethered windage and elevation caps, and you have the perfect close-quarter AR scope package.
Burris AR-536
The AR-536 is the new long-range sight for the AR platform, and it sets a new standard for performance of a tactical prism sight. With a 5X magnification, the AR-536 makes it easy to acquire targets at distances out to 600 yards, while the 36mm objective lens delivers bright, crisp images in most light conditions.
The new AR-536 features the unique Burris Ballistic/CQ illuminated reticle that can be adjusted to match the lighting condition day or night. For daylight operation, shooters can choose the black reticle for aiming out to 600 yards, or they can easily switch over to the red or green illumination, to match the ambient light and situation. The five different illuminations settings make it easy to match any and all light conditions.
Ruggedly built, the AR-536 is waterproof, fogproof and will standup to the punishing recoil and abuse of any AR user. The multi-coated lenses, adjustable diopter, integrated lens covers and three Picatinny rail segments make this the perfect companion to any AR. Also, by removing the bottom rail mount, this sight can be readily mounted to an AR carry handle. It is range-ready, straight out of the box.
Both the AR-132 and AR-536 come with a One-Year Warranty. They will be available at retailers in the second quarter of 2012 and will retail for $279 and $399, respectively.
Since my book “Own the Night” hit the bookstores in November of 09, (see featured bar to order on home page), I have observed continued improvement in lighting technology-which I predicted would continue unabated. One of those products is Streamlights TLR-2s weapon light. We call them weaponlights now because they aren’t just for pistols anymore! The same light that works well on your pistol will work well on your rifle, and take up a lot less room than most dedicated rifle lights. Streamlights TLR-2s is just such an example. The TLR specimens that I tested for the book (LED lights all) were very bright, at 135 lumens. The TLR-2s maintains this power output, but adds a red laser to the mix. Whats nice about this light is that the laser is added without a lot of complexity. First, the laser is located in a central position with the bore of the rifle or pistol (assuming you mount it that way on the rifle), which means you only have to worry about elevation and not windage. Second, the laser is operated off the same paddle switch. However under that ambidextrous paddle switch is a 3 position toggle switch that coordinates the light and laser. As you are looking at the rear of the light the postions are left for laser only, center for light only, and right for laser and light in combination. I will opt for laser and light both by the way. Again looking at the rear of the light, pushing up on the right side paddle gives you momentary on on either light/combination, and a double tap will give you a strobe. Push down and the light/laser locks on (no the laser doesn’t strobe. The setup for the left side paddle is directly opposite-lock on is up.
The TLR-2s, is going to get a workout on my duty Glock 31 (357 Sig) for tactical team use. I HIGHLY recommend any Streamlight Product.
Using a hard surface as an anvil for the rivet head, one can then use a roll pin punch to expand the rivet tip to secure the sling swivel to the front sight gas block.
When last we spoke, the examination of the two lower receivers from C3 Defense (www.c3defenseinc.com) had concluded and we had initiated the construction of the upper receiver for the economy rifle, with all the remaining parts from Del-Ton, Inc. (www.del-ton.com).
Having the completed upper in hand, we move on to installing the barrel. Make sure the upper receiver threads and the threads of the nut are completely clean and free of foreign objects, like burrs, dirt, grease, or blood.
BARREL
The most difficult chore here is to install the snap ring on the delta ring. While not absolutely required, snap ring pliers are very, very useful here. The barrel should have the serrated barrel nut already installed. Place the large angled aluminum delta ring around the rear of the barrel nut, with the small diameter facing forward.
The large weld spring can then be placed against the rear of the angled ring. The split snap ring is then placed on the nut and pushed home into the groove on the barrel nut. This compresses the weld spring, so that there is forward spring tension on the delta ring.
Then, simply insert the barrel into the upper receiver, making sure that the locator pin on the barrel extension makes its way into the notch on the top of the receiver. It should be a loose fit. If not, heat the receiver threads with a propane hand torch for about ten seconds and then it should slide right on.
Apply anti-seize in a liberal amount (liberal as in copious, not as in political) to the receiver threads and hand tighten the delta ring and nut to the receiver.
(Clockwise starting upper left) 1. Completing the delta ring assembly is much easier with a snap ring pliers. Use plenty of anti-seize to ensure the threads do not get galled and installation is smooth. 2. This nut is now “oomph” tight, at 30 foot pounds. It now just needs to be tightened until the next nut “scallop” is aligned with the gas tube hole in the upper receiver. 3. A firing pin makes a handy gauge for aligning the holes through the delta ring, spring and snap ring, nut, and receiver
Taketh up thy AR action wrench and matcheth thy wrench’s scallops to those of thy barrel nut. You will have to push the delta ring back in order to insert the wrench’s teeth fully into the nut’s teeth. Tighten. Use a torque wrench (if you have one) with your action wrench and tighten to about 30 foot pounds.
If you haven’t a torque wrench, give it a small “oomph.” Loosen and tighten again; then go further the necessary amount to align the next hole in the nut serration to the hole going through the upper receiver. It may be a little, it may be a lot. Generally, once it’s oomph tight, you can still go almost a full hole segment further if you have to. I should point out that 30 foot pounds is a lot lighter than you think. It’s effectively a minimum spec anyway. GAS TUBE
This is the trickiest part of the assembly of the upper. The end with the little knobby is the back end that goes into the receiver, and the end with the holes goes into the front sight gas block. With the upper in your vise, insert the back end through the barrel nut and into the upper receiver.
Adding the flash suppressor is simple. Place the crush washer with the wide end forward on the barrel threads and screw the device on. Use the large notch on the AR action wrench (DPMS model shown) to tighten. You have about one revolution worth in that crush washer, so don’t screw up.
You will have to rotate the tube so that the bend in it allows the front end to clear the front sight, though you may still have to flex it just a bit to do so (a small amount is okay). It should slide right in, and if it doesn’t, then take it back out and ensure that you can see all the way through the delta ring, weld spring, nut, and snap ring. All should be aligned so that the tube will pass through into the upper receiver.
HANDGUARD
Now all you do is install the two-piece handguard. Include your wife in the project by having her insert the handguard halves while you are pulling the delta ring back. It is a stout spring. Install the top half first (they are identical) making sure you have the front ears properly inserted into the front retaining ring, just behind the front sight tower, and around the gas tube.
Snap in the rear end, and then do the same for the bottom half. Push the delta ring forward to fully seat it on the handguard. You will probably feel a little play in the handguard, but very little, and this is correct. If you want to feel more manly, rejecting your wife’s assistance, get a handguard removal tool from Brownells. CHARGING HANDLE, BOLT, AND CARRIER
The charging handle, if not assembled already, involves simply putting the spring in the hole in the left side of the “T”, inserting the latch and stuffing the little roll pin in to retain it. Starting the pin before inserting the spring and latch, and retaining the latch with a punch will make things easy. Just drive the pin in and the punch will fall out.
The firing pin should move freely within the bolt bore and in the pin hole in the cam. Ensure that it does so prior to assembling the bolt/carrier assembly. Push the bolt into the carrier with the extractor on the right side.
The cam pin should then be inserted through the carrier and into the bolt and rotated ninety degrees so that the short sides of the pin’s top are pointed to the sides of the carrier. The firing pin then goes down the middle of the assembly from the rear and is retained by the little cotter style pin, which is inserted into the large chamfered hole on the left side of the carrier. Test the fit of the bolt by pulling it all the way forward and standing the assembly upright on the bolt face. It should not collapse.
Use a punch to align the hole in the gas tube with the hole in the gas block. Then tap in the roll pin to retain the tube.
If it does, and a new one should not, the gas rings should be replaced. It should also not require more than light force to move it. Too much friction, and difficulty moving, will prevent proper cycling and may be indicative of poorly manufactured parts. I know that’s subjective, but there is a feel to it, and in this regard, with new parts, you are very unlikely to encounter a problem.
The firing pin should move freely without restraint. Hold the assembly with the bolt pointing straight up, and flick the back of the firing pin.
If it doesn’t bounce up and down freely, then you probably have a problem with the bolt’s cam pin hole/cam pin interface, meaning you will likely need a different bolt as the hole is not properly sized or crimped. The firing pin should also only protrude through the bolt face when the bolt is entirely pushed into the carrier.
CONCLUSION
That’s the upper assembly. We’ll finish next month with the construction of the lower receiver. This was the basic assembly of the run-of-the-mill rifle. Of course, the deer rifle was significantly different. Since that goes onto a more upperclassmen type of assembly, I won’t go into great detail.
That upper was a JP Enterprises CTR-02 upper that I received and promptly took apart to have another feature from another company added. We’ll discuss that in our next excursion.
Whether you’re in the brainstorming phase of planning the future of your AR-15 and what it will become, or you’re already applying the finishing touches to your custom AR-15 creation, Gun Digest Guide to Customizing Your AR-15 by Kevin Muramatsu will help you wade through and understand the wide variety of available options for almost every imaginable variation. Though the array of AR accessories and customization options seems to constantly grow, turn to this book for an examination of the customization landscape and helpful recommendations for which options would work best for the growing population of AR owners.
The law, which goes into effect in less than two weeks, will allow people to carry firearms in parks located in states that permit the carrying of concealed weapons.
Coburn’s controversial amendment was included on a bill to put new restrictions on credit card companies. Here’s a quote from Coburn from last May:
“It’s not about guns. It’s about states’ rights — being able to determine what’s best for them. And it’s about the Second Amendment. It’s not about bureaucrats telling Americans when their rights are going to be taken away.”
And here is the press release about the law taking effect:
TUCSON, AZ. February 9, 2010 — Assault rifles on Mather Point overlooking the Grand Canyon? Handguns on the Filene Center concert lawn at Wolf Trap in the Washington, D.C. suburbs? Shotguns at Lamar River Valley in the backcountry at Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park?
These are just some of the things that Americans can reasonably expect to see in national parks across the U.S. as of February 22, 2010, when a dangerous new gun law will go into effect in our nation’s national park areas. To mark this unfortunate development, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR) is highlighting what visitors may soon experience in 11 representative national parks.
An amendment to the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009, authored by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), and promoted by the NRA, passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President on May 22 of last year, permits park visitors to possess firearms in national park areas consistent with the laws of the state in which the area is located.
This is a significant departure from long-established, common-sense gun regulations that allowed visitors to possess guns in parks only if they were stowed out of reach and unloaded. Read more
Now East Palo Alto has become a reluctant testing ground for a battle of constitutional amendments: one police officer’s ‘freedom of speech’ versus a group’s ‘right to bear arms.’
Area resident Adnan Shahab is an “open carry” advocate who frequently goes out in public displaying an unloaded gun on his belt.
Such activity is legal in California with certain restrictions, such as staying clear of schools. Shahab said he was offended by Facebook remarks posted by East Palo Alto detective Rod Tuason. Tuason published a comment that said he agreed with a friend that open carry advocates should come to Oakland, Richmond and East Palo Alto and — in an apparent joke — said officers should shoot the advocates.
“So it’s a little shocking and disappointing to hear that a sworn officer is basically so cavalier with violating a person’s second amendment rights and basically putting a bullet in them for doing absolutely nothing wrong,” said Shahab. Read more
FOREST, Miss. — A homeowner shot andkilled a teenager who allegedly kicked in his door, police said.
Two men, one of whom was armed with a .38-caliber pistol,kicked in the door and rushed into the home, police said.
The homeownershot Derrick Thickland, 17, once in the leg and twice in the chest, police said.
Thickland was allegedly armed with the gun, police said. Hewas pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The second man,Luis Pedro, ran from the home and Forest police found him a few minutes later hiding across the street, officials said.
Pedro admitted to policethat he and Thickland had gone to the home to commit armed robbery and when they kicked in the door, they were met with gunfire, police said. Read more
OKLAHOMA CITY – Three intruders fled from an Oklahoma City home this morning after being shot at by the home owner, police said.
The owner told police that he heard a noise at his front door around1:45 a.m. and opened the door. Three men armed with knives forced their way into the home in the 6400 block of South Phillips Avenue.
The intruders forced the residents into a back bedroom when thehomeowner shot one of the intruders. The intruders fled in a dark-colored SUV, police said.
Police said the homeowner said he recognized one of the suspects.Subsequently police arrested 30-year-old Eric Kutz as well as a 14-year-old male.
Alarm alerts man to attempt to steal the batteries from his golf cart.
WINTER HAVEN, Florida – Two would-be thieves didn’t count on a motion alarm and a gun-toting 70-year-old Winter Haven man when they tried to steal the batteries from his golf cart, according to Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Robert Rowley, of 28 Henry Drive in Winter Haven, awoke to the sound of a motion sensor alarm about 2:15 a.m. Monday.
When the alarm sounded, he grabbed his handgun and flashlight to investigate, sheriff’s reports said.
As he walked outside his home, he saw two men, who investigators said were trying to cut the cables to the battery packs on Rowley’s golf cart.
When he challenged them, one of the men began to walk in Rowley’s direction, he told investigators he tried to scare the men away by firing his gun.
Rowley fired three shots – once in the air, another at the ground and a third at the men’s truck as they tried to quickly get away.
Deputies were later called to Winter Haven Hospital for two men who showed up with gun shot wounds, reports said. Read more
A Modesto woman walked into her home this morning to find a suspected burglar and fired her gun at him before he fled the scene, authorities said.
Modesto police received a call at 11:21 a.m. of a possible burglary in process on Kingfield Drive, which is northeast of the intersection of East Orangeburg and Sunrise avenues.
“A female in her 40s came home to her residence and interrupted a burglary in process,” said Sgt. Rick Armendariz, a police spokesman. “She was able to arm herself and when she confronted the suspect, she feared for her safety.”
My new Ring’s Blue Gun arrived the other day. It is the Glock 17/22 clone. Now I can do holster evaluations and practice my draw and sight picture. True, the Blue Gun is not the exact weight of a fully loaded Glock 22, but is its the exact size and the detail is actually quite impressive. It even accepts weapon lights and so far has worked in all the holsters my real Glock fits into. I now own 1911 and Glock 17/22 Blue Guns. Meaning I have the two most popular pistol styles as far as holster tests are concerned.
Perhaps now I can begin to brush up on my weapon retention/weapon take-away drills. There is no substitute for repetitions and Rings products are durable, dependable and ready for training. If you don’t have one, get one. Check them out at www.blueguns.com.
Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews and practical how-to instructions. Subscriptions are the First Amendment way to stand up for your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside This Issue
Choosing the right load for cowboy action shooting just got easier, writes Dave Morelli.
Century International Arms’ CETME has a storied past and proves to be a solid shooter. Jerry Ahern takes a look.
Rifles: Harrington & Richardson
Shotguns: Lefever and Marlin
Handguns: Manhattan
NRA Update: Museum Pieces On Display
Precision Handloading: Final Factory Ammo Tests
Troubleshooting: The Savage Model 1912
Field Gun Review: The Handi-Rifle
Gunsmithing: Tale of Two ARs, Part III
Precision Marksmanship: Mounting Scopes the Right Way
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.
