Gun Digest December 2017

Whether your idea of rifle shooting is plinking at 25 yards with a .22 LR or trying to ring steel at 1,000-plus yards, accurate rifle shooting is highly top of mind for Gun Digest the Magazine readers. Our recently completed reader survey, which I’ve referred to in previous columns and which helps us deliver the content you tell us you want, tells the story. After tallying more than 3,000 responses to our detailed questions, here are some key takeaways: • 41 percent of you want more information specific to long-range shooting information • While 55 percent of readers currently handload, and 45 percent are content with our current level of coverage, 43 percent say they want more information on how to roll their own ammo • 50 percent of readers want more rifle…

Enforcing Current Background Check Law On November 16, 2017, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to improve the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) process. The legislation, dubbed the Fix NICS Act, attempts to better enforce current firearms law and ensure federal and state authorities submit all relevant information, such as mental and criminal history records. Senators sponsoring the Fix NICS Act include: John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Scott (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). So, there’s certainly support on both sides of the spectrum. This bill comes on the heels of a recent shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where more than two-dozen people were killed. The gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, had a documented…

Jointly developed by Norway and Sweden, this cartridge was adopted by both as an official military chambering in 1894. A later version remained in active Swedish military service until recently. It’s quite popular in Scandinavia for hunting game, including moose. It’s also popular for 300-meter target shooting and other rifle competitions. Prior to WWII, the 6.5x55 Swedish was unknown in the United States. After the war, Canadian and U.S. sportsmen became acquainted with this chambering through the thousands of surplus Swedish Mausers sold in North America. Canadian sportsmen were first to appreciate the 6.5 in the 1950s and 1960s. U.S. sportsmen arrived at similar conclusions in the 1970s and 1980s. The 6.5x55 was one of the few 6.5mm calibers ever to catch on in the United States. This cartridge continues…

GUNS New AR: The CMMG MkGs Guard In 9mm CMMG has added a 9mm version to its new MkG Guard radial delayed blowback pistol-caliber AR line. SHOOTING 5 Great Online Shooting Tools To Up Your Gun Game Load-up on the online shooting resources you need to stay on target. These great online tools should help educate you or aid you in your shooting endeavors. GEAR How Do Suppressors Work, And How Are They Made? What are the ins and outs of suppressors? Learn about the different types of designs and how they reduce sound. AMMO Ballistics Basics: What Is Headspace? What exactly is headspace, and how is it applied to different cases? SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT 2018 Standard Catalog Of Firearms By Jerry Lee When it comes to up-to-date gun prices…

The Never-Ending Caliber Debate I read the recent article discussing the.45 ACP as a defensive cartridge and wanted to weigh in. Yes, with quality defensive ammo .45 ACP will get the job done … it’s just that you’ll have fewer rounds to accomplish the task than with a 9mm of the same size. –Scott Stephens, Sidney, MT Thanks for commenting, Scott. This is a topic that never ceases to be debated, but it’s always interesting to hear what people have to say, regardless of how many times it’s come up in discussion, in published works or online. You’re right. You do typically sacrifice some capacity when opting for a .45 over a 9mm, or even a .40. And, with today’s modern defensive loads, the difference between 9mm and .45 is…

STEYR RFP I do not consider the .22 LR a suitable option for self-defense. At the same time, I think it’s a million times better than no gun at all. Regardless, I’m not suggesting this neat little pistol as one you should acquire for personal protection, I’m suggesting you get one because shooting it might make you a better shooter and because it will for sure allow you to have some fun. Modeled after Steyr’s M9 A1 — the company’s striker-fired, 9mm, semiautomatic handgun — the Steyr RFP is actually manufactured by another Austria-based company, ISSC. Imported to the States by Steyr, this cute little pistol weighs only 21 ounces, is 6.88 inches long, comes with a 10-round magazine, and like all the pistols of this day and age, has…