Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i Gun Digest

Gun Digest|September 2018

Pick One, Any One

I had my truck into Fleet Farm for an oil change the other day and, of course, I had a good bit of time to kill while the ol’ girl was on the hoist. I started sauntering down the aisles, looking at everything and nothing all at the same time — truck accessories, outdoor cooking, power tools, boots — the usual loop. And it was only a matter of time before I ended up at the gun counter. It’s the nucleus of every sporting goods store, and I’m drawn to it like gravity. I hadn’t been window shopping for a full 2 weeks, and sometime between this visit and the one prior, the entire firearms section had been completely overhauled, with more lights, display glass and firepower than I’d even…

2 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Growing .358 Winchester As an FYI: Your edit on the .358 Winchester on page 10 of the August 2018 issue states that only Browning chambers this cartridge. That not quite true. Wilson Combat also does and has been building these guns for about 3 years now. It’s actually one of my favorite chamberings — I’ve always been a big fan of it. It’s a major shame that it isn’t more popular, but everyone thinks they need to be able to shoot game at more than 500 yards these days, when in reality most game is taken inside of 200 yards. –Bill, via email You are absolutely correct, Bill: If you want a .358 Winchester, Wilson Combat has a handful of extremely impressive options. And I also agree that it’s…

2 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

Learning When To See Your Sights

Seeing Your Sights In the last “Defensive Handgunning” column, we shared some advice from Gunsite Academy instructor Cory Trapp, with regard to when you should put your finger on the trigger. Another common question he gets: When you should first see your sights? “If you have enough room between you and your adversary to fully extend your arms, you should be looking at your sights,” says Trapp. “The question then is, when do you transition from looking at the target to the sights? As the hands come together and the pistol begins to extend, the top of the pistol will appear in your peripheral vision. As soon as it does, move your focus to the front sight. You want to look the sight onto the spot you want to hit.…

5 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

The Well-Rounded Precision Shooter

As a precision rifle shooter, I see a lot of other shooters in my discipline neglect their handgun training. We are often so detail-oriented and wrapped up in tasks such as load development or software that we forget to return to the basics. I used to say, “The handgun was only there to make noise until I reached for my rifle.” But that’s no longer my stance because I took the time to get training. I cannot overstate the value of a good, basic course of instruction. Even when I was teaching long-gun courses full time, during the breaks I would seek competent instructors to hone my handgun skills. In many cases, I would call in last-minute favors to get a slot in a pistol class. With all but one,…

4 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

THE RE-CREATION OF HISTORY

Given that I’m a certified 1911-a-holic and I love history, I’m interested in just about every variation of the 1911 pistol out there. Back in the early 2000s, I came across several articles and photographs of the Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Command (MEUSOC) 1911, and I was immediately intrigued. What is this pistol? Who made it? What’s the real-life story behind it? I kept reading and researching the MEUSOC pistol, and I eventually met retired Marine KC Crawford, who happened to be a former 2112 Armorer in Quantico — and he actually built these pistols. Not only is Crawford an accomplished gunsmith, but he had insight on the inner workings of the 2112 Marine Corps Armorers in Quantico — and he was willing give me a history lesson. MEUSOC…

10 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

One ‘Swede’ SAKO

There aren’t many ways to improve upon the legendary 6.5x55 Swede, but wrapping it in the fine Finnish craftsmanship of a Sako rifle probably doesn’t hurt. I recently had the privilege to find out when Sako sent me a “Swede” in their Model 85 Bavarian to review. The first thing you need to know about Sako is that they didn’t start building firearms for fun. They built them to save their homeland, Finland, from overwhelming Russian aggression. Such motivation produces the kind of firearms manufacturing quality control that only a country’s sovereign survival inspires. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to brave a Russian winter to test the Sako chambered in the aptly-selected Scandinavian military cartridge. No, I chose to head south for my winter weapons review to Kimberly, South…

7 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

WHEN THE HAMMER DROPS

Umarex Hammer Features And Specifications: • Made in the USA • Most powerful production air rifle available • Delivers 760 ft-lbs. of energy • Shoots a 550-grain lead slug at 790 fps • Delivers three full-power shots plus two additional effective shots • Places three rounds of 350-grain lead slugs within 1 inch at 50 yards • Straight-pull bolt with 2-pound cocking effort and just 2 inches of travel • Patent-pending Lightspeed Valve • Two linear two-round magazines included • A 24-cubic-inch carbon-fiber tank holds 4,500 psi compressed air • Regulated to 3,000 psi per shot • Utilizes quick-disconnect Foster fitting for filling • Standard Magpul AR grip • 8.5-inch Picatinny rail • Modern stock design manufactured by PolyOne • Three slot locations incorporated in the forend for M-LOK attachment…

1 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

GUN SHOW PROMOTERS

SEPTEMBER Sep 1-2 AZ, Yuma, . Yuma Territorial Dove Hunter and Military Expo. Yuma Civic Center, 1440 W Desert Hills Dr, Yuma, AZ 85365. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. A: $8.00 general admission $5.00 military, Veteran and Senior T: 200. F: 70. Cloud Chasers Of Yuma, BorderTown Custom Holsters and Crimsons Custom Wood Working . 2405 s 6th ave , Yuma , AZ 85364. PH: 928-920-0706. 2405 s 6th ave. Sep 1-2 IN, Alexandria. Gun Show. Madison Cty. Fairgrounds, 512 E 4th St. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $5., under 12 free w/adult. F: $35. Central Indiana Gun Shows. PO Box 32, Centerville, IN 47330. PH: 765-993-8942. www.centralindianagunshows.com. Sep 1-2 LA, Gonzales. Gun & Knife Show. Lamar Dixon Expo Hall, 9039 Landry Rd. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. A:…

95 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

ALL HAIL THE SCOUT RIFLE

The world lost Marine Corps Colonel Jeff Cooper more than a decade ago. Thanks to Richard Mann — who is a Gun Digest columnist and regular feature article contributor — and his book, “The Scout Rifle Study,” one of Col. Cooper’s most well-defined weapons platforms can live on forever. Mann is the right person to write a book dedicated to the scout rifle: As a true jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none kind of weapons platform, he completely understands the who, what, where, when, how and especially the why of having, maintaining and employing the scout rifle. After no more than a few chapters worth of reading “The Scout Rifle Study,” it becomes vividly clear the scout rifle’s mystic isn’t simply another dry teaching of a firearms tactics, but rather it’s the delivery of…

2 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

DIGITAL NEW IN THE STORE

FROM THE GUN BLOGS AT GUNDIGEST.COM CLASSIC GUNS 5 Must-Have Henry Rifles Henry rifles: Utter the phrase, and even the most novice firearms enthusiast knows of what you speak. AMMUNITION TSS For Home Defense? Are the new TSS shotgun shells all they’re made out to be? Can they be used for home defense? CONCEALED CARRY The XD-S Mod. 2 Goes 9mm The highly popular XD-S Mod. 2 is now chambered for America’s most-shot centerfire cartridge — 9mm. CUSTOM GUNS Are Custom Guns Worth The Money? Custom guns are beautiful to behold, but they might also be one of the best firearm investments. Here’s why. SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT…

1 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

The Browning Auto-Five Shotgun

John Browning was very proud of the Auto-Five semiautomatic shotgun. In fact, he called it his best achievement. It was patented in 1900 and went into production for the first time in 1902 by Fabrique Nationale in Liege, Belgium. Most readers of this magazine probably know the history of the Auto-Five, which has the distinction of being the first successful self-loading shotgun. John Browning had previously sold his many gun designs to Winchester for a lump-sum payment. When he offered the Auto-Five to Winchester, this time he wanted a royalty based on sales but this was refused. Browning decided to present the design to Remington and, so the story goes, was waiting in the lobby to see the company president Marcellus Hartley when Hartley died in his office of a…

4 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

Passing The Powder Horn

The shooting sports are a unique situation in that we are lucky enough to participate irrespective of age; however, the number of youths participating has declined, at least in comparison to when I was young. Just as it’s highly important to mentor the youth by taking them shooting, teaching them the basics of firearm safety and introducing them to the wonderful world of hunting, I do my best to pass on the benefits of handloading. In an age where there’s a never-ending supply of immediate electronic gratification, teaching a young person how to handload their own ammunition might not seem all that attractive. Obviously, there needs to be a certain level of maturity, but with that comes a driver’s license — and the allure of the opposite sex. Still, I…

6 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

PERFECT PAIRS

Marketing experts will tell you that many consumers purchase products based solely on brand recognition and loyalty. From breakfast cereal and bread to clothes and cars, we tend to gravitate toward particular companies whose products we feel are inherently superior. Gun owners are particularly loyal, and when a company provides a high-quality product at a fair price, remaining faithful and supporting your favorite brand is a wise decision. Many gun companies now offer their loyal customers the opportunity to purchase their firearm and all accessories in one place. For concealed carry and personal defense, one of those accessories almost certainly includes an EDC knife. Carrying a sharp knife is a luxury for some, but there are plenty of real-world scenarios where having a sharp blade close at hand is a…

8 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

The fight for SIGHT

The human animal is bilateral. There are two sides, with a bit of redundancy — and the design is to have one side support the actions that the other side does. Which side is which … and of what relevance is “dominance?” According to trainer/physiologist/ cop Vince O’Neill, the problem is a “physical intelligence” issue — not a cognitive issue. Part of the body has ascendency across perceptual and motor activities. Hence, dominance. But does that reach across physical skills as well? That depends on a range of inputs. In my case, my visual dominance was left, but fine motor skills were trained on the right. I’m not sure how or why that happened. At this late stage in life, it’s hardly relevant. It just is. And I’m not alone.…

7 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

KNOW YOUR CARTRIDGE

10mm Auto The 10mm Auto was introduced in 1983 as the cartridge for the Bren Ten semi-auto pistol, made by the now-defunct Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises, Inc., of Huntington Beach, California. Ammunition was loaded by Norma, with a 200-grain full-jacketed truncated cone bullet, similar to some 9mm Luger and .45 Auto loads of some years back. According to data furnished by Norma, the ammunition is loaded to a mean working pressure of 37,000 psi, with a maximum pressure of 44,400 psi. This is getting up in the area of some rifle loads and makes this a rather hot handgun cartridge. Muzzle velocity is listed as 1,200 fps, and energy at the muzzle as 635 ft-lbs. This makes this cartridge more powerful than the .357 Mag. or the obsolete lead bullet…

2 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

Now available at Gun Digest®Store.com

Dominating the 20th Century battlefield and beyond, the AK-47 is arguably the world’s most influential rifle. Now you can discover how the elegantly simple weapon beat the odds to become the legend it is today in AK-47: Survival and Evolution of the World’s Most Prolific Gun. Former Soviet Spetsnaz Soldier Marco Vorobiev details the rich history of the rifle, its design and dissemination across the globe, and how it survived both inside political pressures and constant competition from newer firearms designs in this definitive volume. Masterfully told, Vorobiev weaves a spellbinding tale about the rifle and its development, not only appealing to AK-47 buffs and shooters, but also anyone remotely interested in firearms history and design. Not only do readers discover the advantages the rifle gave the common soldiers armed…

1 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

Pistol-Caliber ARs

A Rs truly are a platform of customizable wonder. Today, you can have an AR in a variety of calibers, from .17 rimfire up to several centerfire rounds in .50 caliber. Particularly popular, and gaining more fame all the time, are the pistol-caliber ARs, available in 9mm, .40 S&W, 10mm and .45 ACP. Should you have a pistol-caliber AR? That depends on several factors, such as use or application. And, we can’t discount the fun factor, the unique design and its historical significance. Colt’s 9mm AR — SMG R0635 — was introduced in 1982. The original goal was to use as many standard AR parts as possible. After extensive testing and changes, Colt settled on a blowback system, as opposed to the gas-impingement system in the M16/AR15 — and a…

5 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

Semi-Auto SECURITY

RUGER SECURITY 9 Drawing inspiration from its highly popular Security-Six double-action revolver line, the Ruger Security-9 puts reliable performance into the hands of any shooter — no matter their budget. Affordable, however, does not equate to cheap with the 9mm. Ruger has thought-out and laid-out the 4-inch barreled pistol well, with an ergonomically designed grip to enhance shootability and glass-filled nylon frame for durability. The heart of the gun is a hard-coated aluminum chassis with full-length guide rails that keep the pistol as stout as an oak. At a hair above 23 ounces and 15+1 capacity, the Security-9 is an ideal concealed carry option, but there’d be no shame in picking one up as an economical target gun. Drift-adjustable rear sights would help either role, as would the pistol’s smooth…

5 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

The Tale of the STOLEN 1911

“In a daring daylight heist, the two burglars walked away with more than $20,000 worth of jewelry, guitars, electronics … and one custom 1911.” In 2005, a customer of California-based gunsmith Randy Lee, founder and co-owner of Apex Tactical Specialties, wanted a great 1911 — one that was not just accurate and reliable, but also aesthetically pleasing all at the same time. Randy was eager to deliver and completed his project in 9 short months. Those of us who know that custom gunsmiths work in a totally different time and space continuum can appreciate getting a custom pistol done in only 9 months. And Randy delivered a gem. In 2012 — less than 7 years later — the customer (we’ll call him Bradley) and his wife had just purchased their…

7 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

THE HAMMER DROPS HERE

“This ground-breaking, patent-pending system proficiently propels a .50-caliber, 550-grain slug at a muzzle velocity of 760 fps, and a 250-grain slug at more than 1,000 fps.” Positioned on the shooting bench, I took a breath and slowly tightened up on the trigger. A small burst of air puffed my cheek and blew my hair up. I was shooting the new Umarex .50-caliber Hammer Air Rifle, and instead of recoil in my shoulder, I felt the subtle escape of air — all part of the engineering of the rifle. With 3,000 psi launching each bullet, the Hammer shoots consistently and accurately. Call it what you may — high-powered, high-velocity, high-performance, most powerful production, or the fastest production air rifle to hit the market — the Hammer fits the bill. High-powered air…

8 min

Gun Digest|September 2018

THE HISTORY OF REMINGTON PUMP-ACTION RIFLES

“Each rifle has its own idiosyncrasies, but they all continue to do just what they were designed to do: shoot straight and work every time.” The production period from 1912 through 1935 saw the introduction of several variations of Remington pump rifles, including the Models 14/14A (22-inch barrel, pistol grip stock), 14R (18½-inch barrel, straight stock) and the Model 14½, which sported a 22½- inch tube. They were chambered for the .25, .30, .32 and .35 Remington cartridges, which were moderately popular at the time. High-grade guns were available — C, D and E grades — at premium prices. The Models 25/25A and 25R came along in 1923, and they also lasted until 1935. These slick little gems were chambered for the smaller .25-20 and .32-20 Winchester rounds for small…

10 min