Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i Gun Digest

When training military personnel, we often tell the snipers, “Prone is the rare shot,” especially in urban areas. As riflemen, both man-made and natural obstacles liter our field of view no matter where we travel, from hunting situations to long-range matches. The well-rounded marksman knows how to adapt their surroundings to make a successful shot, and although ideal, prone opportunities aren’t often available. You know the four core shooting positions like you know your favorite rifle: prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. That’s not new. However, unless you actively get out and compete, I’d bet that the overwhelming majority of your shots are fired from prone or sitting at the bench. Field shooters are “across the course” marksmen. In other words, we have to master all four of these positions in…

When I was first learning to shoot, the glass you could buy for your rifles (there were no real handgun or shotgun optics back in the Neolithic era) came in three grades: miserable, tolerable and pretty darned good. By the time I was working in gun shops, the grade of the glass had moved up. You could by then choose from OK, very nice and dayum. Today, the world is awash in good optics, and good glass is part of that. I had a chance to realize this when I looked at an EOTech Vudu scope, and I had to rename the grades of glass again. Today, we have very-very nice, dayum and “you’ve got to be kidding me” — from now on known as “YGTBKM.” I recently pulled a…

Dotzie, my little mountain cur squirrel dog, was very insistent. “Get over here — and get over here right now,” she said loud and clear while barking up a red oak tree 200 yards from me. Arriving on the scene I found the brindle-and-white-colored canine dancing around the tree and telling the world she had a squirrel up there, dead to rights. Now it was time for me to do my part. After a considerable search, the grey squirrel was located high in the oak tree plastered to a limb. Instead of the usual .22-caliber firearm, I eased the Gamo pellet rifle against a convenient tree for a rest and started the trigger squeeze with the squirrel in the scope. The shot was close but no cigar … and the…

FEBRUARY Feb 1-3 NY, Fishkill. Arms Fairs. Ramada Inn and Conference Center, 542 Route 9. SH: Fri. 4pm-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. T: 110. F: . NEACA. PO BOX 385, Mechanicville, NY 12118. PH: 518-664-9743. www.neaca.com. Feb 1-2 PA, Gettysburg. Militaria & Historic Arms Show. Gettysburg Fire Dept, 35 N Stratton St. SH: Fri. 1pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-4pm. A: $6. T: 85. F: . Hallowed Ground Militaria. 35 N Stratton St, Gettysburg, PA 17325. PH: 717-667-2383. Feb 1-3 WI, West Bend. Gun show. Fairgrounds, 3000 Hwy. PV. SH: Fri. 3pm-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6. F: $45. Bob and Rocco Gun Shows. PO Box 233, Somerset, WI 54025. PH: 608-752-6677. www.bobandrocco.com. Feb 2-3 CA, Ontario. Gun & Knife Show. Conv. Ctr., 2000 E. Convention Center Way. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun.…

Guns, Girls And Guitars Upon skimming the January 2019 issue, I choked on my toast when I read, “It feels better in my hand than any other handgun and a lot of women,” on page 18 in Richard Mann’s “Defensive Handgunning” column. Then, I read the remainder of the entertaining and interesting article. Gun Digest is far and away my favorite firearms magazine, and it has been for many years. –Jim Campbell Canton, MI Thanks for the nod, Jim. I’m always tempted to throw Richard Mann to the wolves when he gets crabby with me, but there are enough readers like yourself who write in favorably that force my hand to keep him around … at least for one more issue. -Luke Hartle, Editor A Formal Approval Your page 6…

Quiet Revolution In New Jersey Anti-gunners seem to believe that if you ban it, they will come. That is, if a gun or accessory is banned then gun owners will obediently line up and relinquish the contraband to the proper authorities. New Jersey is the latest state to discover that simply isn’t so. The Garden State’s ban on what it calls “Large Capacity Magazines,” those that hold more than 10 rounds, hasn’t gone as swimmingly as officials had hoped. The Dec. 10, 2018, deadline to surrender the standard firearms fare has come and gone and law enforcement has netted zero of the dreaded implements. You heard right, zero, according to an investigation by writer John Crump. This, despite possession now a fourth-degree felony, punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000…

If you know anything at all about shooting a handgun, you know that in order to hit your target you need to be able to see your sights. This is of course why we’ve seen so much advancement in sights over the years, and why aftermarket sights have become so popular. XS Sights has been at the forefront of this movement. Starting with a Texas Deputy Sheriff’s notion that sights similar to those that work on dangerous game rifles could be useful in situations defensive handguns are most commonly employed, XS Sights has continued to innovate on that concept. Their newest offering is the DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights. The driving force behind these new sights was to increase front sight visibility in all lighting conditions. At its inception, the…

Perhaps the actual question posed in the title of this column should have read, “How many is too many?” I have long preached the virtues of reloading, and how versatile it can make a cartridge. It doesn’t really matter whether we’re talking about handgun or rifle ammunition, sooner or later an eager reloader falls into the trap: Too many loads for one particular gun. I’ve been as guilty as anyone, and it’s left me with a mess. “Over time, I’d be left with a handful of each load — maybe enough for a hunt, maybe not — stuffed in a box and collecting dust.” Now, I’m not suggesting that we all need to be a one load/one cartridge shooter, because I enjoy the diversity of owning many different rifles and…

HK416 .22 LR RIFLE German engineered to kick rear, Heckler & Koch has released a .22 LR version that treads closely to dead-ringer territory with the original carbine. The Umarexmanufactured rimfire not only touches on the HK416’s form, but also its function. With aluminum upper and lower receivers, and a generous RIS M-Lok handguard, the 6-pound rimfire has the legitimate feel of the original carbine. And features such as a functional dust cover, 90-degree manual safety and last-round bolt hold open mimic the operation of its centerfire cousin. For the price, it certainly is a top choice for a true-to-life trainer or an elite-level competition gun. MSRP: $449 RUGER PRECISION RIMFIRE MAGNUM Offering rimfire enthusiasts a bit more bang for their buck, Ruger unveiled .17 HMR and .22 WMR chamberings…

The ego — your self identity — can be good, bad … and sometimes just plain dangerous. The ego doesn’t like being embarrassed, looking bad or making mistakes. It likes comfort, and it will shy away from “new” or “different,” preventing you from training and practicing with your AR. Your self-image is the difference between putting meat on the table and winning the match — or going home empty-handed. More importantly, the ego will hinder your evaluation of possible danger; other people’s egos make them dangerous. Your self image will be the deciding factor in a violent confrontation. In fact, it will likely be the deciding factor in whether you’re involved in a fight or not. Regardless of the AR activity, your best performance is achieved with a humble, well-balanced…

“We would stalk cottontails as they came out of their holes to sun themselves, and I remember all the stories I’d hear about the Depression as we’d clean the rabbits. At the risk of getting overly nostalgic, this rifle is more than a rifle — it’s a memory vault.” It was Christmas Day, 1985, and I remember vividly as my dad, Ol’ Grumpy Pants, produced a long, narrow box, hastily — perhaps clumsily — wrapped. At 14 years of age, as if life wasn’t mildly awkward to begin with, I was learning to hunt with him, and each trip to the woods was a new challenge, replete with a healthy dose of nerves because I certainly didn’t want to fail in front of my father. In that era, a hunter…

If you’ve ever wondered whether a meager bullet measuring only 5 millimeters in diameter and weighing a mere 40 grains matters, ask a coyote grave digger. Chances are very good that it’s helping keep him in business. Much more than a coyote grave digger’s business development tool, that tiny polymer-tipped copper and lead song-dog sleeping pill sits atop a .204 Ruger case, and it’s as relevant today to predator hunters — and at the range for shooters who simply love speed — as it was when it debuted 45 years ago. Technically, the .204 Ruger was created jointly by Ruger and Hornady in 2004. Hornady and Ruger based their 5mm hotrod on the .222 Remington Magnum case by simply necking it down to .204 inches, moving the shoulder forward and…

The maxim, “Keep your powder dry,” has been attributed to Oliver Cromwell. It first appeared in an 1834 poem written by William Blacker, with the full passage being, “Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry.” It became a common salutation with mountain men who were hardy folk, who without dry powder would not have lived long at all. Though particularly good advice to anyone relying on a firearm for survival — wet gunpowder will not burn — the adage has since morphed into advice of a more general nature, suggesting you should always be prepared to take action. If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times, and more than 20 years ago I realized first-hand how important this guidance could be. I…