Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2017 i Recoil

If you’re in the Boise area and looking for a healthy sampling of vehicles and weaponry to check out, you’re in luck. You can even save a few bucks doing so. History and firearms buffs will definitely want to pay a visit to the Idaho Military Museum. And since admission is free, that’s about the only “paying” you’ll be obligated to do. “One thing we pride ourselves on is we don’t charge an admission into the museum. We go into it feeling that military history has already been bought and paid for, and we’re trying to make it available to the public so they can see what their fathers and grandfathers utilized in their careers,” says Jeff Packer, chief curator and executive director of the museum. Opened originally in 1995,…

Last year, the USPSA approved a provisional division that allowed owners of pistol-caliber carbines (PCCs) to shoot them in sanctioned competitions. While there’s still grumbling from people who don’t think that rifles should be shot in a pistol match, the switch has been enormously popular, as it allows users to train with the same types of firearms they use in other events, such as three-gun, albeit with a slightly modified feel. Furthermore, it increases opportunities for shooters to run their rifles, since more ranges can accommodate them in pistol bays. Anyone using a carbine for either home defense or work now has additional opportunities to hone their long gun skills in a CQB environment with the added pressure that comes from a timer and the steely gaze of their peers.…

Shooting a PRS match is a great way to see just how insignificant the act of actually pulling the trigger can be when it comes to hitting what you’re aiming at. Distance magnifies the need for strong shooting fundamentals, but ask guys to follow some basic instructions, such as shooting targets in a certain order, and then add a timer … any competitor will tell you, the timer steals I.Q. points. One thing easily overlooked when talking about precision rifle competitions is how much preparation is involved. The simplest representation involves showing up and shooting bull’s eyes from awkward positions. Sounds fairly easy, right? But, if it were that simple, we’d all be movie snipers the first time we got behind a 10/22. Practical precision rifle competition, popularized by the…

In the time since Eugene Stoner first started developing the Armalite Rifle back when Chubby Checker was at the top of the charts, a whole lot has happened to the system. Not even Stoner knew that it would truly become the modular rifle of the future, rather than his later pet project specifically intended for the purpose, the Stoner 63. Barrels got shorter, gas systems moved, silencers layered in complications, calibers changed, controls updated and swapped, belt-fed uppers constructed, heavier and lighter bolt carriers shaped, specialty bolts manufactured, extractors revised — there isn’t a single piece of the AR, from the smallest spring to the longest barrel, that hasn’t been changed, modified, and otherwise refined over time. As a gun owner in 2017 it’s not hard to take a whole…

Our latest submission comes from Skeeter Leggett, a gunsmith and machinist at Backwoods Firearms & Ammo in Millsap, Texas. “I have worked on guns since my grandfather let me take apart and clean his shotgun when I was 8 years old. No matter what job I had to make a living, I always worked on guns on the side. Blessed to do it for my living now,” he says. The old saying, “you are what you do” comes to mind. Got any flesh emblazoned with some firearms ink you’d like to share with us? See the submission info below. 1911 Artist: Freddy Payne Electric Ink, Stephenville, TX Skeeter Leggett: My 1911 is my favorite handgun of all time. A Colt Delta Elite, 10mm. I open carry one every day. CANNONS…

Submachine guns have been around since before my grandfather. Millions were used in World War II, but by the late 1990s assault rifles started getting shorter and lighter — and the momentum of progress tried to push these little guns into obscurity. Despite this, law enforcement and military special operations units continue to use submachine guns for close-quarters purposes. The stubby subgun is maneuverable in tight spaces, careful ammunition selection reduces over-penetration, and they’re perfect hosts for suppressors. Continued innovation and a niche commercial market have kept this platform alive against all odds. The last few years have seen a resurgence of pistol-caliber carbines (the current politically correct name for semi-auto submachine gun clones). For our evaluation, three different flavors of PCCs were chosen — each with different operating systems,…

On a recent trip to Chicago I was reminded that despite having made great progress in the past decades, as gun owners we still have a long way to go. Numbers of licensed CCW owners are at an all-time high, the ridiculous and oft-ignored Clinton-era scary black rifle ban is but a fading memory, and the arbitrary and capricious restrictions placed on us by the National Firearms Act of 1934 have been challenged by recent product innovation. And yet, there’s still a myriad patchwork of laws that seem to exist solely to ensnare the well-intentioned gun owner, or else demonstrate lawmakers’ almost complete ignorance of the subject at hand. Pro tip: When someone in public office claims a piece of legislation will “send a message,” they should be publicly tarred…

1994 TOYOTA land cruiser FJ80 5.9L CUMMINS DIESEL 4WD, MODIFIED ORIGINAL AISIN TRANSMISSION www.sleeoffroad.com www.dieselconversion.com www.3d-offroad.com www.cruiseroutfitters.com www.douglascountydiesel.com There was a time when cars (and many other things) were built to last as long as you maintained them. Unfortunately it seems as if planned obsolescence has become the manufacturing industry’s purview and buyers are brainwashed into believing that “new” is synonymous with “better.” Things are pretty disposable now. The general paradigm has gone from repair to replacement, depriving people of any willingness to fix what’s broken or modify an aging piece of equipment. So what does this outta sight/outta mind mentality say about people who never learned how to repair anything? Their lack of resourcefulness, coping skills, and self-reliance is as obvious as Quentin Tarantino’s foot fetish. Think about how…

Using a stairway to escape or assault a structure when you’re alone is a dumpster-fire problem. No matter how powerful the hose, you still need to get in there and splash around in the garbage to put it out. In the world of close-quarters battle, it’s widely understood that stairways are highly dangerous places when working as part of a team and should be bypassed whenever possible. When working alone, stairways become an area to be avoided at almost any cost. But there are times when it’s simply impossible to stay out of a stairwell, especially in an emergency. The threat in stairways is so high that, barring some overwhelming priority of life issue — like there’s an active shooter in the office and the building is on fire and…

The smell of black cavendish. Maybe this gives you visions of wizened old men in overstuffed leather chairs surrounded by books and bourbon. Perhaps it’s a canoe paddle gliding through pristine water on a brisk spring morning. Or the sublime image of your grandpa enjoying a pipe as he watches the sunset off of the back deck. For me, personally, it’s always the great outdoors, and hearkens childhood memories of backpacking in the deep woods with my father. While the popularity of cigarette smoking is on a decline thanks to a combination of taxation, popular culture, and stale smells, the same can’t be said of pipe smoking. If anything, it's seen a renaissance, with a younger generation participating in the same leisure activities as their grandparents. Pipes are for relaxation,…

“I’m not a believer in the romantic image of the novelist,” says Bob Lee Swagger creator and author Stephen Hunter. “The romantics burn out real early in this business. I never thought of myself as having a crusade, or having a great message or agenda, it was just the work that I chose to do that gave me little pleasures.” While downplaying his life’s work, Hunter’s career has certainly marked the fringes of space and time that anybody in his shoes would have a right to romanticize. As a film critic working for the Baltimore Sun and Washington Post, Stephen Hunter received the Pulitzer Prize; only the second film critic to do so after Roger Ebert. Hard not to see the romance in a tweed-coated scribe, working back when the…

There’s no doubt that Eugene Stoner’s master work, part varmint rifle and part ray gun, continues to dominate both the commercial and MIL/LE market when it comes to 5.56mm or .223 weight class. But the demand for maneuverable carbines continues to expand, and there are a lot of other worthy contenders to be found. We specifically picked three non-AR rifles. All of them are piston driven, come from reputable manufacturers, and have seen success in service with militaries and law enforcement agencies around the world, the Israeli IWI Tavor SAR, SIG Sauer MCX, and the CZ Bren 805 S1. Our goal was not to provide a comprehensive review of any of these guns. Instead, we hope to show you some down-and-dirty metrics, and share a few of our individual takeaways…

FLIP THE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS ON EACH KNIFE. When looking for a knife, it often seems like there are just two choices when it comes to picking blade steel: high-carbon or stainless. But what if we told you there’s a third alternative? That is, knives made from tool steel. Indeed, many knife enthusiasts seek out blades made from this material. Tool steel is primarily used to make dies and cutting instruments, according to Ed Severson, a sales manager for steel company Böhler-Uddeholm. In other words, they’re the tools “designed to make other things,” he said. Depending on the application, manufacturers use tool steel to create tools that cut metal, or make a die that can be used over and over without wearing out or deforming. So it turns out…

As a kid, I spent a lot of Saturdays standing around a grimy tool and die shop in a South Florida industrial park. My dad’s friend was a Serbian machinist who had escaped the communist oppression in Yugoslavia and applied his considerable skill to making precision parts for the aviation and marine industries on his manual equipment. Watching Sean, whose thick accent was barely decipherable, turn hunks of metal into functional treasures was a huge influence — I’ve spent the three decades since with a strong desire to make things with my own hands, particularly out of metal. With a keen interest in firearms since the age of 3, I’ve steadily applied my desire to improve and apply shop skills into building my own guns. This is the latest of…

The road is rough and rocky, the tires of the SUV kicking up dust and dirt clods as we make the long journey to a rarely visited corner of the NRA’s Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. We pass locked gates, steep grades, and even a long-abandoned mining village along the way. The goal is a 2-mile target, and we’re tagging along with the Applied Ballistics ELR (Extreme Long Range) shooting team as they practice for the King of 2 Miles (KO2M) competition happening in mere days. KO2M is a relatively new competition, and so far no one had been able to hit the final target during the course of fire. The Applied Ballistics Shooting Team intended to change that. Between the time of this practice session and the competition…

In an ever-evolving world of threats, our adversaries’ weaponry and technology is changing the way we fight. The easy acquisition of night vision devices (NVDs) and even technological advances in smartphone architecture are giving them the capability to operate and fight at night — an ability that for years was the sole territory of advanced nation states. During daylight hours and areas of full light, the game is fairly even. Once the sun goes down, whoever has the best tech and training has the advantage. Adding an infrared laser device to your blaster, whether you're military, LE, or civilian can give you the edge in owning the night, regardless of your mission set. The military has been using IR lasers for a couple of decades now — let’s face it,…

Combat skills like shooting on the run aren’t just a fun way to play video games, they also have applications in the real world. When you want to take your shooting to the next level, you need to start being accurate on the move. Real-life scenarios don’t always provide you with suitable cover. Competitions often require accuracy while transitioning between obstacles or moving throughout a course of fire. And, of course, the military trains to shoot on the move. So, how can you build this valuable skill? Let’s start with athleticism. Well-placed shots from various positions are paramount in shooting. Prone, kneeling, and standing all provide their own advantages and disadvantages, and they certainly should be practiced. This is where you’ll spend the majority of your training time to build…

By now you’ve already heard or seen the outcome of one of the most anticipated face-offs in boxing history. Floyd Mayweather came out of his undefeated retirement to fight current MMA champ Conor McGregor. Two different fighting styles meeting under very unusual circumstances. Although you may have predicted the winner or lost a few bucks on a bet, one thing’s for sure — there’s something we love about a good competition. Whether it’s Ronda Rousey versus Holly Holm, Ford versus Chevy, or the Six-Million Dollar Man versus Bigfoot (OK, maybe not the last one), we never tire of seeing records get broken, new champs get crowned, and surprise upsets challenge our expectations. That same interest in seeing winners emerge from the pack also applies to firearms. Brownells has dedicated its…

There’s little dispute that the .308-slash-7.62mm NATO caliber is experiencing a healthy resurgence among today’s shooters. In fact, at time of writing the U.S. Army and Marine Corps have both signaled major procurement moves for 7.62mm rifles for general issue. While the Marine Corps is looking to significantly increase their supply of already-issued M27 IARs (based off of HK’s 417 platform) the Army’s selection for a next-gen battle rifle is yet undecided. Whether you’re hunting, competing at long range (or in 3-Gun’s Trooper Class), or defending home and property, the 7.62x51mm round has a lot to offer. Its effective range, as well as its armor- and barrier-defeating capabilities, dwarf those of its 5.56mm cousin and even the 6-point-something “intermediate” rifle rounds. While the AR-platform is undoubtedly “America’s Rifle,” there are…