Gun Digest Summer 2016

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Winchester, a company that has shaped the firearms community like no other because of its rifle designs and cartridge introductions. On the rifle side is “The Rifleman’s Rifle,” the Winchester Model 70, which is still in production today after many decades of popularity. Even more impressive, perhaps, is the long list of cartridges developed by Winchester, going all the way back to 1895 and the introduction of the .30 Winchester Centerfire (WCF), or as it is most commonly known today, the .30-30. Throughout the years, more powerful cartridges have emerged, like the .270 in 1925, the .357 Magnum in 1935, the .308 in 1952 and the mighty .300 Win. Mag. in 1963. Spawned from the.308 was the .243, another awesome cartridge with a…

Glock’s introduction of the G43 9mm last year, and the G42 in .380 the year prior to that, were big splashes in the single-stack handgun market and two guns Glock enthusiasts had been waiting for with bated breath. With an unparalleled reputation for producing quality lasers, Crimson Trace introduced a green Laserguard this year that fits both the Glock 42 and 43, making this one of the most popular pairings to date. Ingeniously constructed, the Laserguard fits over the trigger guard and installs quickly and easily with the turn of a few screws. It’s incredibly sturdy once it’s secure, and features Crimson Trace’s Instinctive Activation technology, with a push-button switch on the grip just below the trigger guard. The switch is activated with the middle finger, which allows the shooter…

.25 Automatic This cartridge was introduced in the United States in 1908 with the Browning-designed Colt-manufactured .25 Vest Pocket Automatic pistol. It had been introduced in Europe a few years earlier in the FN Baby Browning, which is practically identical to the Colt. The design of these two pistols has been copied by manufacturers all over the world. Dozens of different pistols have used this cartridge. American Arms, Beretta, Iver Johnson, Jennings, Lorcin, Phoenix Arms, Sundance, Taurus, Ortgies, Astra, Star, Kelt-Tech, Rohrbaugh, and Walther have all made pistols in this chambering. The .25 Automatic offers surprising velocity for such a small cartridge. However, delivered energy is quite modest. This, combined with the full metal jacketed bullet of the conventional load, adds up to very poor stopping or killing power on…

Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to AKs By Marco Vorobiev The AK-47 rose from the ashes of postwar Russia to become one of the modern era’s most reliable, potent and intriguing firearms. Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to AKs arms enthusiasts and collectors with the knowledge to realize the full potential of these iconic rifles. The practical guide covers the major points of the many variants of the AK-47 and AK-74, detailing their development and impact on history. But author Marco Vorobiev does much more than tell the backstory of these incredible firearms. The former Soviet Spetsnaz (Special Forces) member also details the key areas modern shooters need to understand to buy, operate, maintain, train with and customize the Kalashnikov. The author’s extensive first-hand knowledge of nearly every iteration of the AK…

Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better, ammo manufacturers are once again showering us with a plethora of new products. It’s like Christmas in June. If you shoot big game, small game, steel, clays, tin cans or personal threats, there’s something new just for you and your favorite firearms. Looking for a new personal defense handgun load? It’s your lucky day. How about a lead-free option for rim-fires and for AR platform rifles? Yep. If that’s not enough, you’ve got fantastic new options for big game, precision target shooting and even subsonic applications. The real Christmas may be many months away, but why wait? Besides, when was the last time you gave your favorite guns a gift? Load them up with all the ammo they can eat and…

As anyone familiar with the shooting sports well knows, there is a multitude of gun makers producing custom 1911s in varied styles, price ranges and with a wide array of features. If a person is so inclined, they can type the words “custom 1911” into their preferred search engine and scroll through pages upon pages of manufacturers—both large and small—all dedicated to crafting the perfect 1911. The sheer number of different manufacturers is itself kind of inspiring. Ever since its development in the early 20th century, the 1911 has captured and held the interest of the shooting world, occupying an especially reverential place among American shooters. That so many gun makers throughout the country, and of various sizes and means, choose to focus on this classic design is perhaps the…