 A classic handgun deserves a great holster. And sometimes, you just need something that looks sharp; something black-leather cool, like Samuel L. Jackson had in Shaft.Bring on the Gould & Goodrich B800-194 Gold Line holster. This open-top two-slot holster is the epitome of form and function. Classic styling and top-notch construction make this a holster that does any gun proud. I got my hands on a B-800-194 built to cradle a Colt Commander (or other similar cut-down 1911-style pistol), and the combination is nothing short of nirvana. Cut from top-quality leather and stitched to perfection, my .45 nestles into the holster like it was made for it. That's because, of course, it was. The B800 series will fit belts up to 1¾ inches and rides high enough to keep the pistol out of the way yet comfortable until you need it. If you want to carry with class, get your hands on a Gould & Goodrich holster. The company has a model to fit your gun. Check it out at www.gouldusa.com.
Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now!
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Hands On! Gold Line Holsters Hold Tight
An Attorney’s Perspective on Heller
 On June 16, 2008, the United States Supreme Court issued its final ruling what is certainly the most important gun-rights case, and arguably the most important individual rights case, in recent memory, District of Columbia v. Heller. What the Heller Case Was About Until the Heller decision, Washington D.C.’s gun laws had been among the strictest in the nation for many years. The Heller case was brought as a challenge to two things those laws did as administered by the D.C. government. First, they prohibited anyone in Washington D.C. from having a handgun in the home for self defense. Second, they required that shotguns and rifles, possession of which was allowed in the home, be kept in such condition that they would be unavailable as a practical matter for self defense. In Heller, the United States Supreme Court struck down the D.C. gun laws on the ground that they violated the right to keep and bear arms protected by 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution. Here's the link to the Supreme Court’s opinion: https://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf The critical issue resolved in the case was whether the right protected by the 2nd Amendment is an “individual” right, or a “collective” right. The 2nd Amendment is part of our Bill of Rights, and any explanation of the difference between individual and collective rights requires an understanding of what the Bill of Rights, including the 2nd Amendment, actually does, and what it does not do. If you’d like to read the Bill of Rights, you can do so here: https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html. Individual Rights versus Collective Rights The amendments that make up the Bill of Rights set out specific, or “enumerated,” rights including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and in the case of the 2nd Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms. Almost all of the freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights have been fairly universally understood to be inherent “individual” rights, meaning that each of us has these rights simply by virtue of being a free person. Accordingly, the amendments in the Bill of Rights do not “give” these rights to us (and, in fact, they couldn’t since we already have them), but instead guarantee that the government can never blanketly take those rights away from us. Until Heller, though, the nature of one such right, the right to keep and bear arms enumerated in the 2nd Amendment, had been the source of heated debate for about a century. The D.C. government argued in Heller that the right to keep and bear arms is not an individual right, but a “collective” right of the citizenry of the United States as a whole to keep and bear arms as part of a state militia. Had the court agreed, it could have meant that the government has the authority to completely disarm every citizen of the United States who is not a member of the National Guard, do so any time it wants, and without reason. If you want an example of how unconscionable the “collective-rights” theory is, consider that it would make perfectly legal the very sort of mass confiscations of guns from law-abiding citizens we saw in Louisiana during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina! Thankfully, the court clearly stated in Heller that the right to keep and bear arms is an inherent individual right guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment. As such, the court held, the D.C. gun laws as administered by the D.C. government violated the 2nd Amendment because, in effect, they prohibited all D.C. residents from legally having any kind of firearm readily accessible in the home for self-defense, a lawful purpose that the court noted was at the very core of the right to keep and bear arms. This clear statement that the 2nd Amendment guarantees an individual right is potentially one of extremely broad implication. It’s also the only logical inference one can draw as to what our Founding Fathers intended the 2nd Amendment to do. They crafted the Bill of Rights in 1789, which was right after the Revolutionary War — a war prompted in large measure by England’s attempt to subjugate the people living in her American colonies by disarming them. With the Revolutionary War still fresh in their minds, the Founding Fathers took great care when creating the new American government to ensure that it could never prohibit the people it was created to serve from keeping and bearing arms for self defense in the home, for hunting and, if necessary, to prevent tyranny. In fact, that’s the very reason for the entire Bill of Rights, including the 2nd Amendment — to prevent the government we set up to serve us from taking more power than the people choose to give it. Heller’s Short-Term Future Effect Obviously, the Heller decision will bring a huge sigh of relief to law-abiding residents of Washington D.C. Thankfully, folks like the NRA are also already moving forward to have other unconstitutional gun laws in other parts of the country overturned based on Heller, and that is truly great news for Americans who live in other places where the government may have overreached its authority. How far the NRA will be able to go in helping us remove other unconstitutional restrictions on our freedoms remains to be seen. They certainly deserve all the support we can give them. As for the rest of us law-abiding gun owners, the Heller decision may not change our lives much as a practical matter, at least in the short term. The Heller court made a special effort to point out that other freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights are subject to reasonable regulation, and that the right to keep and bear arms is no exception. For example, even though the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to free speech, that doesn’t mean we’re allowed to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater when there’s no fire, or that we can slander someone without consequence. Likewise, the court said that most current forms of regulation of the right to keep and bear arms are okay. That means unless and until such existing forms of regulation are overturned, we still must comply with carry-permit requirements and prohibitions against carrying guns in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings. The opinion also doesn’t roll back any prohibitions of weapons not currently in common use in our society, such as machine guns. What the Heller opinion does change, though, for gun owners and non-gun owners alike, is that all Americans are finally assured that the most basic protection of individual liberty is intact, at least for now. Those who wish to have a firearm for lawful purposes such as self defense in the home and for hunting cannot be disarmed by the government at its whim, and that the government we created to serve us cannot take more power than it is allowed by the will of the people. At least, that’s the case for the near future. As wonderful as this news is, no court ruling is written in stone forever, and the Heller decision is no exception. Even with this victory, there’s nothing to prevent the court from holding completely the other way later on, and if the wrong kind of justices are appointed to replace those who will likely retire from the Supreme Court soon, there is a very distinct possibility that this entire victory could be completely wiped out. The only way we can continue to protect our fundamental liberties is to diligently pursue three things, perhaps harder now than ever before. Three Things We Must Do! First, we must elect a president who will only appoint non-activist judges to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices are appointed to the United States Supreme Court for life by the President of the United States. As many as three of the current activist justices who voted against the Heller majority may retire during the next few years. We absolutely must elect a president who will replace them with justices who, like Scalia, Roberts, Thomas and Alito, understand and will exercise judicial restraint (who will apply the law instead of trying to re-write it). It would be hard to overstate how critical this is at this particular moment in time. Realize that even though the correct decision in Heller was incredibly clear even before the case started, the ruling was still a 5-to-4 split decision! The last few justices appointed to the Supreme Court voted the right way in Heller, and only one vote made the difference. Consider what the ruling would have been had even one of the most recent appointees to the Supreme Court ruled the other way — had even one been like dissenting justices in the case, who tried to re-write the 2nd Amendment rather than properly applying it. And that is exactly what would’ve happened had John Kerry been elected president in 2004! In fact, all five of the justices in Heller who ruled that the 2nd Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms were appointed by Republican presidents. And, in my own case, the fact that non-activist justices will make it to the Supreme Court only when the president is a Republican is enough for me to cast my vote for the Republican presidential candidate. That’s because the nature of our right to keep and bear arms is the most important liberty we have, since without it, none of the other freedoms mentioned in the Bill of Rights are guaranteed. Instead, they would be only privileges allowed by the government. The right to keep and bear arms is a guarantee that the government we created will serve us as citizens. Without that right, we serve the government as its subjects, and I believe that all thinking Americans who truly understand what America is cannot avoid the same conclusion. Consider, for example, the following quotation from Democrat Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey in 1959: “Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms … The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard, against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible.” Second, we must elect United States Senators who will confirm appointments to the Supreme Court, and do so without unreasonable delay. The president cannot place new justices to the Supreme Court on his own. Instead, his appointments must be confirmed by the United States Senate. This process has become increasingly politicized over the last few decades, with Senators in the non-nominating party using the confirmation process for political leverage. The process has also become especially vicious over the past few decades, as any who watched the Senate confirmation hearings for Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas will remember. Accordingly, we must not only elect a president who will appoint non-activist justices, but also elect U.S. Senators who will also confirm those appointments in a reasonable and timely manner. Third, we must diligently devote our time and resources to organizations such as the National Rifle Association. The NRA was instrumental in winning the Heller case, and it is already moving ahead aggressively in its quest to have other unconstitutional gun laws overturned. Other than voting, contributing to the NRA is the single most important thing we can do to keep the ball rolling. Jon Cooner is the Director of Special Projects for The Whitetail Institute of North America. Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now!
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Range Wars: Protect Your Range from the Anti’s
 The Pioneer Gun Club Brickyard Range had served the Kansas City area for as long as anyone could remember.The contour of the hill had been changed by the impact of rifle bullets, and trees had grown tall on the berms, shading members when they repaired target frames. Sons and grandsons of members shot trap and competed in small-bore and high-power rifle matches. An indoor pistol range improved the facility, and an archery range was planned. Members were not concerned about a developer building houses above their valley and a golf course over the hill behind their berm. They had been there first. “First in time is first in right” was the slogan, and it seemed like a pretty good principle. But that’s not how things work. The Brickyard Range operated under a nonconforming use permit from the local zoning commission. Further, the range was not agricultural, commercial or residential. When the permit expired, the developer objected to its renewal. Never before confronted with opposition, the club went to the biggest law firm in town, told them how much money they had raised for a defense fund and asked what a defense would cost. Coincidentally, it cost exactly what the members had raised. The club was fortunate to preserve shooting on the indoor pistol range and retain the right to put in an outdoor archery and air-rifle range. The club fathers were honorable men who thought other folks would act honorably and that justice would be done. But again, that’s not how things work. Disputes continued between the club and developer. In the early 1990s, circular holes were noticed in low-lying areas of the club’s property. Soil samples had been taken with the intent of proving lead contamination. Such contamination would force the club or any subsequent owner to undertake expensive clean-up efforts. But perhaps the results convinced the developer to leave the club valley as a quiet country view for his expensive houses rather than try to take over lead-tainted property. That’s how things work. Despite that lucky stigma, the Pioneer Gun Club was forced to move most of its activities farther into the country and away from its members. It had to spend lots of money and time to set out new ranges and facilities. Feeling the Crunch That scenario is becoming increasingly familiar. Other ranges are under attack by people who moved within earshot long after the range was built. The owners of new adjoining homes even closed down the long-established Clay County, Mo., sheriff’s range because they were upset by the sound of officers practicing to defend them. We have learned more about range protection and attacks on ranges since the Pioneer lost most of the use of its Brickyard Range. However, that knowledge has been expensive and hard won. It’s less expensive to prevent problems. The battle to establish a Kansas City-area range illustrates the difficulties of keeping a range. The area north of Kansas City had needed a range for years and had been promised one for almost as long. When the Parma Woods Range was proposed for southern Platte County, Mo., the plan faced a hearing before the county commissioners. Learning of organized opposition, the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance and National Rifle Association filled the hearing room with advocates. Opponents included folks opposed to change — especially if the activity made someone happy — and people who simply hated guns and gun owners. None lived next to the proposed range, but some complained of being within hearing distance. Opponents warned that increased traffic could run over children, and that shooting would ruin property values, annoy people and terrify animals. One opponent claimed that a range would “taint” the property. The site had been a sanitary landfill and was about as tainted as it could get. Tests had proven that local trains made more noise than the range would. However, opponents complained that the type of noise was critical and the “short, sharp crack” of gunfire wasn’t as loud but was more annoying and terrifying, and would traumatize humans and animals. Advocates stressed that if people couldn’t practice shooting on a professionally designed range, they would do so where their grandfathers had. Population increases in the area made traditional shooting spots dangerous, and a safe range was required. The deciding factor was that range visitors would patronize local businesses and paying local sales tax. The range was approved and is now a jewel of the Missouri Department of Conservation system. The Four Objections Foes of the Parma Woods Range had many important-sounding excuses, but they were only excuses. Even if there had been no noise or bullets, these folks would have opposed the range because they hate gun owners. People protecting existing ranges across the country will meet the same objections. These break into four categories: zoning, lead, safety and noise. Zoning sets forth accepted uses of property. Even in rural areas, zoning limits land use — usually to agricultural purposes. Therefore, ranges typically require a nonconforming use permit. These permits are limited in time and renewals must be planned ahead. It might be possible to obtain a special-use permit, which provides greater security. Either way, a range must post signs proclaiming its existence. That limits claims of subsequent surrounding landowners that they were ignorant of the range. Rural landowners often have private ranges, which they use to conduct private shooting classes. Some apply to their county government for a license to use the range for private or commercial purposes. Because there is no such license, the landowners receive a letter saying their request cannot be granted. That gives them a piece of government stationary proving they were using the range at a specific date, which provides some standing to maintain the range against later challenges. Lead is acceptable in the ground where God put it, but when it’s dug out, molded into bullets and fired back into the ground, it’s considered toxic and cancer-causing. This complaint is often leveled against ranges. It’s even worse when lead is fired in, over or near federal wetlands. However, “wetlands” are very broadly defined, and a dry field might be deemed a wetland if beaver dams or poor drainage floods the area. An expert in cleaning toxic waste recently explained that lead is not a danger unless it gets into the water table. Lead in the ground is not a threat unless someone eats nearby dirt for eight hours per day for a year. Even then, it’s only a threat. (Incidentally, that expert’s services are expensive but necessary to counter predictions of cancer, pronounced in the tone medieval scholars used to warn of witches and heretics.) Safety is the No. 1 purpose of any range. Of course, that will not prevent gun haters from claiming safety violations. Ranges are blamed for every gunshot in the area. Every range has received complaints of bullets escaping the range and striking property at impossible distances. During a recent hearing, a Massachusetts range was confronted by opponents who dumped piles of bullets they reportedly picked up on their property. However, the bullets were still loaded into cartridge cases — complete with gunpowder and primers. Other opponents are more sophisticated. The only protection is professionally designed ranges with overhead cover at firing points to prevent guns from being fired at angles that overcome the berm. Noise was defeated years ago by the invention of silencers. However, the 1934 National Firearms Act ended that, and modern ranges must be silenced. Tree belts around the perimeter of a range and baffles at firing points minimize noise. However, only placing the range in a cave suppresses it entirely. Ranges have been placed in old mines, but that’s not a practical alternative for trap and skeet. The Parma Woods Range had to sacrifice trap and skeet to satisfy speculative noise complaints. Build a Range-Protection Committee Anti-gun organizations devote Web sites to teaching people how to sue ranges. Ranges must make an equal effort to survive. Every facility must have a range-protection committee, or at least an officer. Ideally, such a committee should include someone familiar with real-estate law and their state’s range-protection statute. It should also have a relationship with an attorney. For a minor fee, lawyers will often act as the registered agent for an organization, and that saves introductions when a problem arises. It also prevents the opposition from hiring him. The lawyer does not have to be a gun guy. He just needs to know zoning and real-estate laws, and must be conversant about lead as a toxic substance. You might go to the largest law firm in your area, but such firms usually don’t represent individuals, and range members will want to be seen as people. Solo practitioners, and moderate to small firms, are usually more responsive. Larger firms have more lawyers with various strengths in different fields of law. Interview a defender before they are needed. A defense lawyer must have trial experience. Many lawyers do great work yet never see a courtroom; partly because they do great work and partly because they don’t know how to try a case. Trying a case requires knowledge of trial rules and human nature. In a recent case, the neighbor of a range claimed that shotgun pellets from 600 yards away passed over her home and that the ground shook when the shotguns fired. People often ask, “How can they say that?” It’s simple: They lie. Worse, they often believe their own nonsense and appear to be sincere. Trial lawyers are familiar in dealing with liars. Trial lawyers are also experienced with juries. In one trial, the range attorney asked prospective jurors if any were hunters and was glad to see some seated. But later in the jury room, two of the “hunters” joined a vehemently anti-gun block that pushed through a verdict for the complaining neighbor. The clique convinced most of the jurors that the other neighbors — who testified they were not bothered by the range — were beholden to the range, but the plaintiff’s relatives were independent witnesses. People, plaintiffs, witnesses and prospective jurors lie. When a prospective juror claims shooting experience, it’s necessary to follow with questions only a real shooter could answer. Also, range cases typically require expert witnesses. A good trial lawyer can translate the expert’s technical evidence into language a jury can understand. Trial lawyers are necessary because range cases go to trial. The alternative is to give lots of money to the plaintiffs, restrict operation of the range — or both. Trials cost money, but defeat costs the use of the range. A club’s range-protection committee must plan for the preservation of the facility. It must keep track of the expiration dates of zoning permits and protect the range from encroachment by unfriendly neighbors. That can be accomplished by covenants running with the land. For a fee, a neighbor gives up any future objection to the range. Any heir or buyer obtains the property subject to that covenant. Purchasing a future estate in neighboring property might also be useful. A future estate means the range purchases neighboring property for less than the value of the land. The seller keeps the land for his lifetime, and it reverts to the range on his death. A real-estate lawyer must write such documents so they will withstand inevitable challenges a generation later. The committee must also maintain good relations with neighbors. It is difficult to hate someone you know and easier to do business with them. The range should have a presence at local community events — not just gun shows. Neighbors should be invited to club picnics, as should the lawyer. He needs to know the people for whom he’s fighting. Pioneer Gun Club has created local good will by opening its range to nonmembers to sight in their rifles for deer season. Providing facilities for police training is helpful, as is providing facilities for youth groups. These activities will be useful when a court is asked to balance the usefulness of the range with shotgun blasts. The committee must have contact with the NRA’s Range Development office and National Association of Shooting Ranges (www.rangeinfo.org). Keeping track of trends in range management and defense is invaluable. The committee must be able to call out members and friendly local folks — neighbors, Boy Scouts or the owner of a nearby gas station — to hearings that threaten the range. The survival of shooting depends on having safe places to practice. Gun-haters know this and are coming for our ranges. Be ready. — K.L. Jamison is an attorney from the Kansas City, Mo., area. Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now! |
Hands On! M16 is a Dandy Duty Knife
Ask a dozen people what makes a great knife and you'll get a dozen answers. No knife can handle every job. That just isn't happening.
However, if you list the attributes of what you'd like in an everyday-carry tactical folder, you might find that the M16-13LE from Columbia River Knife and Tool has much of what you want.
Weighing just 3.2 ounces, the M16-13LE carries a 3.5-inch spear-point blade (other blade styles are available) that opens quickly and smoothly with one hand. It features a two-stage lock that, according to the makers, turns the folder into a fixed-blade knife just that quick. I don't know if I would call it a fixed-blade folder, but it sure locks open solidly.
The movement of two locking mechanisms to close the knife takes some practice. I wouldn't call it a pain in the butt — just a learning curve.
The best word to describe this knife is sleek. When closed, it’s just 1 inch wide and slightly more than ½-inch thick. Yet when open, the knife looks like it’s all business. Kit Carson has designed the M16 for function. Handle one, and you will immediately know what that means.
Notice the wide blade design for difficult tasks and the sure-grip contoured handle of 6061T6 hard anodized aluminum, which allows a comfortable grip with or without work gloves. The blades are made of AUS-8 stainless at 56-58 Rc. and completed with a nonreflective bead-blasted finish. The M16 is a full-size utility knife that features the Carson Flipper extension to the blade to speed opening and act as an additional blade guard.
To get your hands on a CRKT M16, check out www.crkt.com.
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Hands On! Laserlyte Makes Rails for Your Shotgun
If you want to add a light to your shotgun, you can get all crazy with huge, bulky rails, or you can get the Tri-Mounting system from Laserlyte for about $25.This little unit will let you set your tactical or home-defense shotgun for maximum versatility and low-light performance.
Lightweight and durable, this system positions three Picatinny rails at the front end of the shotgun, where flashlights or lasers are best located.
Easily mounted on the magazine tube of most popular 12-gauge pump shotguns, the Tri-Rail takes up less than 1.5 inches ahead of the forearm.
Made of tough aircraft-grade aluminum with a matte-black anodized finish, the Tri-Rail attaches in minutes with two machine screws and provides a rock-solid attachment point for many accessories.
Best, the unit practically disappears when you remove the accessories. The rails don't get in your way when you don't need them.
To get your hands on a Laserlyte Tri-Mounting system, check out www.laserlyte.com.
To read more Hands On! gear reviews, click here
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Hands On! Safariland RLS Lights Up the Night
It seems everyone has a weapon-mounted light on the market these days.
However, Safariland has come up with something really innovative. The Rapid Light System is a locking light mount that’s quick and easy to attach and detach to any firearm with an accessory rail. It even lets you use any other brand of hand-held light, provided the body diameter is .970 to 1.06 inches.
For a suggested retail price of about $90, you get a professional-quality hand-held light and gun-mounted light in one.
You can clip it to your belt, hold it in your hand or quickly mount it to your gun for an instant tactical advantage. There’s no need to buy an expensive holster.
The unit is also ambidextrous and comes with a super-bright LED that puts out 65 lumens. Three AAA batteries provide power for more than 50 hours of use, and the light comes with an integral clip for easy attachment to a belt or garment, eliminating the need for a dedicated light-mount holster.
Finally, the RLS quickly transitions from service as a standard flashlight or weapon-mounted light, meaning there’s no need to search an area with a “loaded flashlight” unless the situation dictates it. To learn more about the Safariland RLS, check out www.safariland.com.
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Gun Review: North American Arms Guardian 380
If you want a small gun with a big punch, get your hands on a North American Arms Guardian 380. This stout little gun tosses the .380 round, which will certainly get the attention of any aggressor.
This all-steel gun weighs just less than 19 ounces; heavy enough to absorb some recoil, but still light enough to stow in a pocket, purse or deep-concealment holster.
This is not a shoot-all-day target pistol. You will want to practice with it monthly and carry it every day.
The recoil is not abusive but is noticeable. With every shot, the front of the trigger guard banged into my trigger finger.
However, that's a minor complaint for a gun that disappears until you need it and delivers enough punch to drop a bad guy.
On the range, it took me one magazine to learn I was shooting the little gun a bit low. After figuring that out, 5- to 10-yard accuracy was perfect for self-defense needs, even during rapid fire. I had one malfunction, but that was because I hadn't seated the magazine fully.
The Guardian is rugged, durable and ready for action. To get your hands on a North American Arms Guardian, check out www.naaminis.com.
Specifications
Caliber: .380 ACP
Magazine capacity: 6 plus 1
Operation: double-action only
Material: 17-4 pH stainless steel
Barrel length: 2.49 inches
Height: 3.53 inches
Overall length: 4.75 inches
Width: 0.930 inch
Weight: 18.72 ounces unloaded
Trigger pull: 10.0 LBS.
Suggested retail price: $449
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Hands On! BlackHawk! HawkHook Can Break in and Save a Life
Sometimes, you need to break a window, which means having the right tool at the right time.You could use a baton, hammer or the muzzle of your pistol, but those have a strong downside — not the least of which is availability.
BlackHawk’s new HawkHook is a versatile rescue tool because it’s extremely compact.
The HawkHook features a folding blade that includes a glass breaker, wire stripper, bottle opener, flat screwdriver/pry tip, straight serrated cutting edge and recessed cutting edge to safely cut webbing, seat belts and parachute cord.
It’s easy to open with one hand and locks firmly with a stout frame-lock mechanism in the handle.
The glass-breaker on the tool can be used with a hammer-like motion to keep your hands away from sharp glass during window breaching. Further, it pops tempered-glass car windows like balloons. Best, the retail price is about $40.
To get your hands on a BlackHawk! Hawkhook, check out www.blackhawk.com.
Specifications:
• Blade length: 2.25 inches
• Overall length: 3.25 inches
• Blade material: AUS8A stainless steel
• Blade finish: Matte bead-blast finish
• Edge type: combination plain/partially serrated
• Handle material: 420J stainless steel with textured plastic scale
• Pocket clip: Right side, tip-down carry
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Gun Review: GSG-5
For multiple needs, you should get a GSG-5, sold by American Tactical Imports. This HK MP-5 clone is chambered in .22 LR, and provides a whole new experience when target plinking or small game hunting.
Sometimes you just need to plink.
And other times, you need a great way train with a weapon system that mimics your duty weapon but offers reduced recoil, report and ammo costs.
If you have these needs, you need a GSG-5. The GSG-5, sold by American Tactical Imports, mimics the size, weight and function of the famous HK MP-5 but it fires the economical .22 LR.
That's a mock suppressor out front, giving you an BATFE-legal rifle with the look and feel of a world-famous subgun.
With a list price of less than $500, these things are going to sell like crazy.
Contact www.americantactical.us to get your hands on a GSG-5.GSG-5
Specs:
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Capacity: 22 rounds
Action: Semi-auto
Overall weight: 6.6 pounds
Overall length: 33.5 inches
Barrel length: 16.25 inches
Hands On! Insight Shines with the New H2X Arcturus
It's nice to grab a flashlight named after one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It gives you a feeling of permanence and function — or maybe that's the solid construction and easy-to-use controls.
Insight's 2X Arcturus is a simplified multi-function tactical LED flashlight that provides lots of options without being confusing to use. You get 120 lumens in a good, clear beam with no dead spot. And best of all, the Arcturus has a simple one-handed switch that provides constant-on, momentary, strobe and dimming modes, giving you versatility for any mission.
For more information on the H2X Arcturus, call (877) 744-4802, or log on to www.InsightTechGear.com.
Specifications
· High-intensity LED, 120 lumen-output, never-change bulb
· Exceptionally strong anodized aluminum construction
· Precision-focused machined aluminum reflector
· Multiple modes: constant, momentary, strobe and dimming
· Run time: two hours on high, 300 hours on low
· Water resistant to 5 meters
· 5.9 inches long by 1.3 inches bezel by 1 inch body
· Rechargeable li-ion battery, charger included
· Optional pocket clip and lanyard included
· Aggressively knurled exterior prevents slipping grip
· Crenulated bezel and tailcap for enhanced tactical force-options
· Limited lifetime warranty
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Zeiss Clarity Comes Through with Conquest
After 160 years, Zeiss remains one of the top optics makers in the world.
My first experience comparing Zeiss to other glass occurred at the end of my high-school career. My friend and I spent a lot of time taking wildlife pictures, probably dreaming of being great photographers some day. He had acquired a Zeiss camera, and its optical quality was far superior to anything a couple of high-schoolers could afford.
Although my hopes of becoming the next swimsuit photographer — as I got older, my priorities changed — vanished with time, my respect for the quality of Zeiss glass didn’t. I’ve checked out many types of scopes, binoculars and spotters, but every time I look through a Zeiss product, its clarity sticks out.
Quality Exemplified
The Zeiss Conquest series scopes feature the company’s quality at an affordable price. They offer more than 90 percent clarity through multi-coated lenses. When light passes through glass, some of it is lost, decreasing clarity to the shooter’s eye. The multi-coatings of magnesium fluoride reduce that loss to the bare minimum and transmit more light to your eye. The application and amount of layers improve the quality of the glass.
The Zeiss Conquest series scopes feature the company’s quality at an affordable price. They offer more than 90 percent clarity through multi-coated lenses. When light passes through glass, some of it is lost, decreasing clarity to the shooter’s eye. The multi-coatings of magnesium fluoride reduce that loss to the bare minimum and transmit more light to your eye. The application and amount of layers improve the quality of the glass.
Recently, I mounted Zeiss’ 4.5-14×44 MC (with the Rapid-Z reticle) on my flat-top AR rifle. The scope’s 1-inch tube keeps plenty of light coming through during low-light operations. I was particularly interested in the Rapid-Z reticle for quick range estimation in the field. This reticle is a second-plane image, and the scope features 1/4 minute-of-angle adjustments and side-focus parallax adjustment. This side adjustment has become mandatory on any scope I use for important shots — and to me, all shots are important. I can get a cleaner sight picture more easily, as the side focus is more accessible when looking through the scope.
I used the Rapid-Z 600 reticle, which is marked to 600 yards with drop compensators. Zeiss also produces the 800, 1000 and Varmint. All have varying features for their intended purposes and provide hold-over points for the most popular rounds. The 600 and 800 are for standard hunting, with the 800 being more for magnum and ultra-magnum rounds. The 1000 is a tactical riflescope for the .308 Winchester. The Varmint is designed for just that.
Zeiss’ Web site has an extensive section on using the Rapid-Z reticle, and tips on ammo and other ballistic information pertinent to the reticle. You can download and print this info to have it nearby. The reticle is uncluttered and easy to use, and the holdover points are labeled for quick reference. The Web site also has full-screen images of each reticle. Check them out at www.zeiss.com.
I figured the .223 AR varmint rifle I built would be a perfect match for the Conquest and its Rapid-Z 600 reticle. I mounted the scope on the flat-top upper and was surprised to find that it shot an inch high at 100 yards without any adjustment. That usually never happens to me.
I zeroed it to the specifications and found the reticle to be accurate to 300 yards for drop compensation. (The area where I shot only had a level 300-yard area.) I also liked the 4.5 magnification of the reticle because it focused at close range.
The clear, long eye relief let me use the scope around the vehicle in combat shooting positions. The versatility was welcome. The image remained crystal clear as magnification was increased — the true test of quality optics.
As the magnification and refraction increase, the ability to transmit light decreases, and this optic passes the test. It made my old eyes a little bit better.
Varmint Action
I wanted to check out the scope on some squirrels, so I headed to my favorite infestation and set up some sandbags for long-range action. Squirrel hunting is really the test of the long-range rifle setup. It lets you know if you need a scope that’s clearer or more powerful. It won’t take you long to determine if the rifle/scope combination is accurate or really accurate. Some guys shoot squirrels at really long ranges, but if you can consistently take them out to 200 yards, you have a more-than-adequate rifle.
I wanted to check out the scope on some squirrels, so I headed to my favorite infestation and set up some sandbags for long-range action. Squirrel hunting is really the test of the long-range rifle setup. It lets you know if you need a scope that’s clearer or more powerful. It won’t take you long to determine if the rifle/scope combination is accurate or really accurate. Some guys shoot squirrels at really long ranges, but if you can consistently take them out to 200 yards, you have a more-than-adequate rifle. The 14X Conquest had the magnification necessary to shoot squirrels that far. Using a 3-9X scope, there isn’t enough squirrel where cross-hairs meet to keep the sight on target past 100 yards. The extra magnification lets the hairs center on the critter.
The glass in the Conquest was exceptionally clear. With small targets, it’s difficult to get a clear picture at high magnifications. The Conquest passed the test, providing clear focus with the side-adjust parallax knob.
When I shot the first magazine, the squirrels were at about 100 yards. The rifle was sighted on zero at 100, and the flat .223 36-grain Barnes Varmint Grenade took out the targets a little closer and farther than that without compensation. Using the holdover lines, the rifle/scope combination nailed squirrels out to 200 yards. The reloaded 40-grain Barnes ballistics I computed must have been pretty precise, and even misses weren’t off by much. As the distance increased, the percent of hits decreased.Funny how that formula works, but I’m sure it wasn’t the equipment. I was really impressed with the scope.
I also tested the Barnes Varmint Grenade that day, and it’s really an accurate varmint bullet. I loaded it at around 3,600 fps to use in open hayfields, pivots and other farming equipment. Don’t forget about safety, of course, but these bullets fragment on impact and lessen the danger of a secondary impact from ricochet. Barnes has picture of one fragmenting as it passes through a grape. The powdery inner mass opens up as the copper jacket peels back. Its lead-free construction also gives enviro-weenies less to whine about.
Conclusion
My shop-built AR, the Zeiss Conquest and .223 ammo topped with the Barnes bullet turned out to be a great combination for long-range shooting. The rifle guided the bullet precisely, and the Conquest kept a clear, sharp image. That’s all you need.
My shop-built AR, the Zeiss Conquest and .223 ammo topped with the Barnes bullet turned out to be a great combination for long-range shooting. The rifle guided the bullet precisely, and the Conquest kept a clear, sharp image. That’s all you need.
— Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator and a SAR tracker/trainer. He currently lives in Idaho and writes about various topics, including firearms, hunting, tactical gear and training.
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Loading the .50 BMG: Fun and Penny-Wise
Save time and get more bang for your buck by handloading the big .50 BMG.
Unlike a musician, whose practice involves only time after the initial investment of an instrument, a tactician must invest in ammo. That can greatly affect how much practice you can afford.
I’ve reloaded ammo since I started shooting. My first rifle was a .308 Winchester, and my first loading outfit was a Lee Loader. Even with the primitive Lee system, I got better results from the rifle at a lower cost than with relatively cheap factory ammo. As I shot more and got into pistols, reloading became an important part of my shooting. It still is, because my hobbies and professional career have centered around shooting.
Loading the Big Gun
Anyone into long-range shooting, whether as a professional sniper or target shooter, will shoot the .50 BMG. In this arena, reloading seems to be necessary to create affordable loads. Further, you can tailor it to the type of shooting you’re doing. A lot of military surplus ammo is available at lower cost, but most rifle makers recommend not using this ammo.
However, current factory ammo can be quite expensive, and it’s not always available everywhere. I’ve also found that like every other cartridge I’ve reloaded, I get better results by developing a load for a specific rifle.
There really isn’t much difference in loading the .50 than other stuff. It’s a blown-up version of the .30-06. Everything is bigger. Designed from .30-06 specifications, it even duplicates .30-06 velocities — only with a bullet that’s 10 times heavier. Be prepared to have a larger supply of components, especially powder. Charges are quite large, even in reduced loads. The press you’ll need is larger and must be firmly attached to a loading bench to size the big case. Otherwise, the process is similar. Depending on the components you use, reloading will lower your costs and produce a load that will complement the .50’s long-range capabilities.
I started with RCBS, which has a .50 BMG package deal. It comes with a press, dies, a primer, a case trimmer, a huge powder-dump measurer and a bunch of the little do-dads that make the job easier. The press will handle the larger die size. It also comes with a reducer that can screw into the die threads and a 7/8 thread die can be used in the press. All you need for smaller calibers is an adapter that will facilitate various smaller shell-base holders. That makes the press a dual-function unit.
I started by bolting the press to a sturdy table. I then mounted the powder measure next to it but toward the back of the table. After the priming was complete, the powder could be dispensed into the case and put in the press for seating the bullet.
One Large Recipe
I loaded some Barnes’ Banded 750-grain solids, which come 20 to a box. They are pointy-nose bullets designed to cut a clean path through the atmosphere, and they proved to be accurate for the loads I was making.
I used Hodgdon H50BMG powder, which is made for the big case. Hodgdon also makes US 869, which can be loaded in the .50. Then, I gleaned some loading data from the Hodgdon website.
The powder and bullets were easy to find, but I had trouble rounding up primers. The BMG takes a CCI 35 primer, and most places sell them in lots of 500. Most outlets I checked were out of stock, but I got some from a friend who owns a gun shop in Post Falls, Idaho, called Going Ballistic. The brass came from rounds I'd previously shot from The Hunting Shack and Extreme Shock. Both outfits assemble great ammo, and I found it to be accurate. The Hunting Shack’s A-Max bullet disintegrated on contact with the backstop, as did Extreme Shock’s soft tip.
The loads on the Hodgdon Web site had the 750-grain bullet splitting the air at 2,800 to 2,900 feet per second. According to the Hodgdon info, 250 grains of US 869 will push the 750-grain bullet around 2,944 fps, and 233 grains of H50BMG will get the same bullet out at 2,800 fps. With those big loads, I don’t think 1/10 of a grain would be noticeable, but increments of .5 grains of even full grains would be small enough.
Believing those were maximum loads, I started a little lighter. Really, I was looking for an accurate load that was a little lighter to shoot. I was using the Bushmaster BA-50 with the loads. Like all quality .50s, it isn’t really unpleasant to shoot, but I wanted to use less powder and get good results. That would lower the cost of reloading, which, as mentioned, is kind of the point of reloading. At 250 grains a pop, it doesn’t take long to go through a pound of powder.
The loading sequence is really not much different than with other rounds. I started by making sure the case length was acceptable. Long cases got a turn in the length sizer that came with the RCBS 50 BMG kit. The priming attachment goes into place easily, and the primer is pressed in after full-length sizing in the RCBS dies. With a bit of lubrication, the big press made the job effortless. I was amazed at how easily the case slipped through the die, as I’ve had regular rifle rounds give me trouble.
I used the RCBS powder dump to charge the cases, and after checking a few loads with RCBS’ Charge Master 1500, I got almost perfect consistency. I could have used the 1500 to dole out the load, but the dump was faster with the big charges, and I didn’t notice decreased accuracy at the range. The Barnes Banded Solid was seated to an overall length of 5.45 inches to top off the cartridge.
The reloads performed great out of the Bushmaster BA-50. I shot them next to The Hunting Shack ammo and Extreme Shock from Mullins Ammunition. The reloads were plenty accurate and mild enough for practice. The Barnes Solids did not disintegrate on the backstop like the factory ammo, but it flew well. I placed the horse pill on an 18-inch rock at 1,400 yards.
Dual Purpose
The .50 BMG is an awesome rifle capable of accuracy at unbelievable ranges, but it’s like any other tool: The operator is the biggest part of that capability. Even though the rifle is capable of long-range accuracy, you must practice with the tool to reach its potential.
Reloading will help you tune the cartridge to the rifle — and give you a break in the wallet to allow for more time on the range.
Hands On! Del-Ton AR-15s Make the Grade
What's that they say about something that's become really popular? You can't throw a dead cat without hitting an AR-15 manufacturer.
That might be taking literary license with the distance I can toss a deceased feline, but let's face it: Lots of people are making AR-15s. That's because lots of people are buying AR-15s. And it's because AR-15s are versatile, durable and just plain cool.
As is the nature of the business world, everyone is trying to be something different so their product stands out. Some offer high performance. Some offer cool options. Some offer low price. I recently got my hands on a couple of AR-15s that offered all of those elements, and from a company that isn't pretentious or overbearing.
Del-Ton Inc. has quietly been selling AR-15 parts for years, and it's now assembling and selling its own rifles. These are fantastic AR-15s, built with top-grade parts in a dizzying array of configurations. The company offers options for anything from entry guns to patrol rifles to guns suitable for three-gun matches.
And they shoot — and keep shooting! As you know, AR-15s all look about the same and have the same basic operating controls. But my introduction to the guns was at a range with about a dozen other gun writers who were more than happy to go churning through Del-Ton ammo. No one experienced a hiccup. These guns had it all: accuracy, fit and finish — with great pricing.
If you want to get your hands on a Del-Ton AR-15 rifle, check out www.americantactical.us, and to see Del-Ton's full line of parts and accessories, check out www.del-ton.com.
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Shooting Range Grant Program Created by NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has announced a new program designed to help local public and private ranges increase participation in the shooting sports.
The Range Partnership Grant Program is making available $250,000 per year for projects that specifically address one or more of these objectives: recruitment of new shooters, reactivation of lapsed shooters and increased opportunities for active shooters to try another discipline. The NSSF is especially interested in new, creative approaches to these challenges.
“This program was inspired by the success of our Hunting Heritage Partnership grant program, which funds recruitment and retention efforts conducted by state wildlife agencies,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president. “We are confident that this concept will also work for shooting ranges.”
Eligible organizations are limited to public or private ranges and clubs, or educational institutions with hunting or shooting sports curriculums and faculty.
Grant guidelines and applications are available at www.rangeinfo.org/grants.
Hands On! Command Arms Underrail for Glock
Editor's note: “Hands-On,” by Gun Digest Associate Editor Kevin Michalowski, is a new Web-exclusive series about practical firearms gear, maintenance and usage.
Let's say you are one of the few people — like me — who owns a Glock without a light rail. Well, you can't be drilling and tapping the dust cover on that Austrian-made beauty, but you can get an add-on light rail without any trouble at all.
Command Arms offers the Glock Underbarrel Rail. This finely crafted piece of aluminum clamps right to the trigger guard with a pair of hex screws and nifty dovetail-type connector that leaves you with a rock-solid platform for lights or lasers. The unit installs in minutes, and the fit is outstanding, with the underside of the rail cradling the dust cover perfectly.
But there is down side. Fitting the rail to the trigger guard might mean the pistol no longer fits in your holster. It certainly upset the fit of my pistol in the Uncle Mike's Level III retention holster. But for anyone who might be using an older Glock as a night-stand home-defense gun, the Command Arms Rail is a must-have item. It works best if you won't be hauling your gun around in a holster all day but still want a light.
To get your hands on a Command Arms Glock Underbarrel Rail, check out www.commandarms.com.
Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now!
Make Your Voice Heard on Carry in National Parks
The U.S. Department of the Interior has issued a proposed rule to eliminate the prohibition on right-to-carry in national parks and wildlife refuges, and the National Rifle Association is urging people to make their voices heard.
The NRA led the effort to change this policy and is very close to winning the battle. However, the rules cannot take effect until after a 60-day public comment period. The group said anti-gun groups will take advantage of that time to try to convince the secretary of the interior to reverse his decision.
NRA members must take action now so anti-gunners cannot sway this process. To comment on the plan, go to www.doi.gov.
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