Gun Digest Winter 2017

For the past few years, we’ve billed this Winter issue as our “Gear of the Year” special. If you look around the firearms and outdoors publishing industry, you’ll see that term used quite a bit. Some magazines go into great depth explaining how they tested and picked the top this or that, while others simply crown a product “The Best” without mentioning the irony that the winner happens to be a company that spends a ton of money on advertising with that publication. Rather than bombard you with a list of new products like we have in the past, and rather than proclaim that this company or that company is more awesome than the next, this year we decided to try something different: We let our specifically selected writers call…

States Move To Ban Modifications That Increase Firing Speed Following the shooting in Las Vegas in early October — in which bump fire stocks were used in conjunction with semi-automatic rifles — there has been a lot of discussion and action taken to ban or increase regulation of devices intended to increase a firearm’s rate of fire. Two states already in the process of trying to enact this type of legislation are Illinois and Massachusetts. The legislation introduced in both states seeks to ban devices such as bump fire stocks, trigger cranks and other similar devices that increase rate of fire. However, in both cases, the legislation featured vague and broad wording that could also be applied to a large number of other popular modifications such as match-grade triggers, muzzle…

Adopted by the U.S. military in 1873 with the single-shot “Trapdoor” Springfield, the .45-70 Govt. was the official service cartridge for 19 years. The .30-40 Krag replaced it in 1892. It was a popular sporting cartridge, and many repeating and single-shot rifles chambered it, including the Remington Rolling Block, Remington-Keene, Remington-Lee, Marlin Model 81, Winchester Model 86 and Hotchkiss — plus many others. Though the Krag officially replaced it in 1892, all volunteer Spanish-American War regiments — with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders the reported sole exception — were equipped with the Trapdoor .45-70. American companies dropped the .45-70. as a chambering in the early ‘30s. But, it’s staged a comeback, and currently Marlin, Ruger and Browning chamber for the .45-70. “Old soldiers never die,” and apparently neither do old military…

CONCEALED CARRY 7 Pocket Holsters For Easy Everyday Carry Here are several pocket holsters that simplify carrying a self-defense gun and keep it at the ready. AMMUNITION Gun Debate: 7mm vs 30 Caliber Which is superior in the 7mm vs. 30 caliber argument? Or are both equally sufficient? Read more at GunDigest.com. VIDEOS SIG Sauer’s Flexible New MCX Virtus The MCX Virtus is the new upgraded version of SIG Sauer’s innovative modular firearm, offering shooters a more robust and flexible platform, ready to tackle any situation. GUNS, AND MORE GUNS Christensen Arms Introduces Modern Precision Rifle Christensen Arms has introduced its Modern Precision Rifle, a chassis system that’s light enough to get users off the bench and into the field. SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT Gun Digest Book of Centerfire Rifles 4th…

Long Live The .357 Snubby! I recently read your article from the fall issue of the magazine, which was also posted online, on the relevance of .357 Magnum snubnose revolvers. Simple drill, fewer parts. “Point and keep squeezing until it stops going bang.” How much more relevant can that be? – Ken Burgan Lucedale, Mississippi Thanks for these comments, Ken. That’s simple elegance at its finest. You’re absolutely right: The operation of a typical double-action revolver is a relatively easy process. Although nothing is inherently foolproof, that comes pretty close. The.357 Magnum snubby is generally compact enough for comfortable carry, and because of its .357 Magnum capability, it’s more than adequate for stopping a threat. Relevant indeed. – Gun Digest Staff 7mm or 30 Caliber? I saw your article debating…

MANTIS-X FIREARMS TRAINING SYSTEM Several years back I bought my teenage son a basketball for Christmas. Nothing unusual about that, except that the basketball was electronic. It could interface with his iPhone and transmit data about his dribbling, and most impressively, his shots. It could tell him the arc, rotation speed and time of release. I witnessed firsthand the training benefit this ball provided when he sank a deep three at the buzzer last year to tie a high school varsity basketball game. What does this have to do with shooting a handgun? Very little — and a lot. I recently received a new product called the MantisX for test and evaluation. It essentially does the same thing for shooters that the basketball did for my son. The device, which…