Gun Digest November 2016

It’s no surprise the mainstream media has earned a reputation for distorting the truth about firearms, something readily apparent with what has become the all-too-predictable cycle that starts with a public atrocity and ends with a knee-jerk reaction by anti-gun legislators to take away our right to bear arms. Every public atrocity seems to get blamed on the gun, an inanimate object, rather than the criminals who perpetrate the crimes, while law-abiding citizens get lumped in with terrorists and deranged psychopaths in the war against legitimate gun ownership. One of the prototypical victims of this agenda during last century has been the suppressor, first developed in 1908 by Hiram Maxim as a viable form of hearing protection. As Brad Fitzpatrick points out in his article, “Silence of the Cans” (p.…

Tons of people these days engage in customizing their ARs. Often these upgrades focus on the gun’s furniture: pistol grips, vertical grips, stocks, handguards, etc. However, one of the most critical functional improvements that can be made to any AR is installing a quality aftermarket trigger. HiperFire’s HyperTouch 24C, the competition version of the company’s high-performance HyperTouch drop-in trigger, represents just such an option. Installing and functioning similarly to the manufacturer’s previous HyperTouch 24 trigger, the 24C is the line’s top-tier trigger, offering half the pre-travel and a faster reset than its predecessor. The 24C is a single-stage trigger and comes with the ability to adjust between 15 distinct trigger pull weights ranging from around 2 up to 5 pounds, so the shooter has plenty of options to find the…

The intent behind the .300 AAC Blackout was to offer a .30-caliber cartridge that would function in AR-15 rifles without a reduction in magazine capacity, that was also compatible with the standard bolt, and would offer both supersonic and subsonic performance. The .300 AAC Blackout was developed by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC), a subsidiary of the Freedom Group, and is almost identical to the .300 Whisper originally developed by J.D. Jones. AAC standardized the case dimensions and submitted the cartridge to SAAMI, which has established the cartridge with a maximum average operating pressure of 55,000 psi. From a supersonic standpoint, the .300 AAC Blackout offers performance similar to the 7.62x39 Soviet cartridge. One thing hunters should recognize is that heavy match bullets at subsonic velocities will not expand in game…

.260 Remington Vs. 6.5 Creedmoor Gentlemen, I just got the September issue. Regarding your enthusiastic coverage of the 6.5 Creedmoor, I have one question: Have you ever heard of the .260 Remington? I have owned a rifle in that caliber for over 20 years. It does everything you say the 6.5 Creedmoor does, and looks like the same cartridge to me. A little more research on your part would be advisable. Please let us know the differences between the two cartridges. Earl S. Davis, Elberton, Ga. First off, let me say I’m a big fan of the.260 Remington. I have an AR-10-type rifle I’ve pieced together in that chambering, and it’s an effective cartridge when it comes to accuracy and lethality on game. The reason for the 6.5 Creedmoor is…

Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire, 2nd Edition By James E. House The .22 is the most popular caliber in the world for a reason. Whether at the range or in the field it gets the job done! Now shooters can harness the full potential of this ubiquitous caliber in the Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire, Second Edition. This useful and informative reference covers all the bases when it comes to rimfire ammunition, ballistics and firearms. No true .22 fan’s library is complete without this resource. Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire, Second Edition thrills shooters and collectors alike with comprehensive coverage of new and vintage firearms. It uncovers technical secrets to the caliber, such as how headspace, rim thickness and other factors affect performance. And it covers all…

Compact, covert, and discreet—all words that describe the relatively new Ruger SR-556 Takedown. Takedown rifles have a cool allure with the metallic sound of multiple parts mating together to form an accurately shooting rifle. The Ruger Takedown has that same cool, incognito presence, and after a few pulls, twists and clicks, it’s all business. It’s a refined AR that can do a job and melt back into the scenery slung over your shoulder in a knapsack. The DNA of the AR-15 design essentially makes it a takedown rifle. After all, the upper receiver can easily and quickly be removed from the lower receiver, breaking down the rifle into two pieces. The issue is that the upper receiver makes up the bulk of length. By my estimation, the typical AR-15 with…