Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Gun Digest

As an editor, there are certain words I tiptoe around very carefully. I’m not talking about profanity here, but rather those often-used words where my intended meaning—or the dictionary definition, for that matter—is dramatically different than what the word means when run through the lens of public perception. Seemingly mundane, everyday words. A word like “cheap.” For this issue, nearly every gun featured is “cheap,” at least as defined by the formal definition of low in price; worth more than its cost. But to a lot people, cheap provokes connotations of poor quality … and that certainly does not apply to the guns featured herein. For example, Richard Mann dissects the SDS Imports 1911 A1 Tanker, no-frills Turkish pistol that costs about $400. It’s not much to look at—at least…

If you only have one or two firearms, then you can have one or two caliber-specific cleaning kits. If you’re OCD, you have a caliber-specific cleaning kit with each and every firearm you own. A bunch of you own more than one or two, but aren’t OCD and don’t wish to make the capital investment of “one kit for each gun.” So, you need one kit that’ll cover as many as possible. Enter Real Avid, with the Gun Boss Pro Universal kit. “Universal” covers a lot—and there are firearms this won’t cover. But, unless you do have a 40mm M203 or a 10-gauge shotgun, this will cover you. There are nine bore diameters in the kit, and each has a bronze brush and a cotton swab that’s caliber-specific—so, 12, 20,…

The Adaptive Tuning System (ATS) is getting a lot of attention in the precision rifle world. It also has a bit of controversy as to the merits of a harmonic tuning system for your rifle. We understand barrels have a harmonic property to them, and those harmonics can be tuned to move the accuracy node to the cartridge you’re shooting. Do you have a lot of ammunition that’s not grouping as well as expected? Adjusting the tuning can bring it from 2 MOA to ¼ MOA … during a casual afternoon at the range. The devices are simple: a weight system tied to a rotating adjustment that threads on the end of your barrel. It uses the existing threads, provided your barrel is threaded. They’re graduated so the user can…

Taurus of Brazil began operations in 1939 as a tool and die forging plant. In 1941, they began producing firearms, and later, in 1968, commenced exportation of guns to the USA. The first Taurus handgun that I ever saw and handled was nearly 50 years ago. It was a nickel-plated revolver in .38 Special and had a close resemblance to a Smith & Wesson Model 10. I noted that the cylinder flutes were serrated, something I found odd. The checkered wood grips appeared somewhat amateurish, and the curved trigger just seemed to dangle from the frame inside the trigger guard. An “ugly duckling” to be sure. Besides revolvers, Taurus purchased the machinery from Beretta to manufacture semi-automatic pistols, after Beretta had completed a contract with the Brazilian military. Unfortunately, the…

Had things been different, Josef and František Koucký might’ve whiled away their days smoking big cigars in a villa overlooking the Vltava River. As it stands, the talented gun designers’ names are little more than footnotes. That’s difficult to reconcile, given their creation is perhaps one of the most prolific handguns of the last half-century: the CZ-75. Why yes, one of the original “Wonder Nines” of the 1970s earned the Kouckýs little kudos … and even less money. Therein lies the rub, given the sheer number of CZ’s iterations of the recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol and its throngs of mimics. Weak Combloc patent laws allowed the bird to fly the coop, and every Tom, Dick and Harry with a manufacturing concern popped off their version of the “Wonder Nine.” Perhaps no…

Loved in some corners, reviled in others, bullpups stir passions. And while there are devotees to the oddball design stateside, the backed-up configuration has never punched a toehold in the market. Outside of midsized manufacturers, such as KelTec, it’s usually been gunmakers from across the pond—IWI and Steyr in particular—who’ve scratched the Yanks’ bullpup itch. Smith & Wesson has unveiled its rendition of the oddball design as an expansion of its M&P line of defensive/tactical firearms. Dubbed the M&P 12 Shotgun, the 12-gauge is the company’s first attempt at a scattergun in quite a spell and is a marked break from its previous smoothbores. WHAT THE M&P 12 SHOTGUN BRINGS If the UTS-15 and KSG had an attractive kid, it might look like the M&P 12. It’s definitely as blocky…

HISTORICAL NOTES This is another cartridge designed by John Browning and introduced by Colt in 1900 for its .38 Automatic. In its original form, this pistol was designed as a military gun. From this evolved the seven-shot sporting and eight-shot military models of 1902. This cartridge was stepped up in power in 1929, and the improved round called the .38 Super Auto. In the United States, only Colt chambered it. In England, Webley & Scott chambered it in one version of its military automatic. In Spain, a number of automatics have been made for the .38 ACP. GENERAL COMMENTS Although developed for military and self-defense uses, the .38 Colt Auto achieved a degree of popularity for sporting use through its relatively high velocity. The military turned it down because of…

01 Springfield Armory Emissary 1911 Bridging the gap from its off-the-shelf pistols and custom gems, Springfield’s Emissary puts high-tier performance in reach of more shooters. Springfield doesn’t skimp with this forge-steel framed 1911, decking the gun out with several features to get it on target. In addition to VZ G10 grips, accessory rail, front and rear cocking serrations, and Tritium front sight (U-notch rear), the gun sports a snappy flat-faced trigger. Matched with the .45 ACP’s 5-inch match-grade bull barrel, the iron has all the tools to punish the bull’s-eye. Plus, it’s a looker too, with a unique Tri-Top slide. MSRP: $1,279 02 Ruger LCP MAX Long celebrated for its compact size, the LCP can now boast another asset: capacity. Hard to believe, but the introduction of the LCP Max…

Things tend to get a bit spooky when we start talking about tiny carry guns and their performance, but small carry guns are all the rage today. Unlike full-size pistols, micro-compact guns haven’t only had to overcome the ballistic deficiencies of short barrels, but they also had to compensate for poor handling and subpar cartridges for their assigned role. The old days saw guns having to resort to shortcomings to appeal to their buyers. Most were small versions of existing designs, while others were original creations often centered around an established cartridge. The former here usually resulted in funny-looking sawn-off pistols, and the latter in guns questionably suited for their ammunition. At the base of this problem was reliability—something that small guns usually lacked. The original means to ensure reliable…

I’m something of a new dinosaur in my generation. I don’t own much technology, I hunt and grow much of my own food, and I have a deep-set love of the 1911. I’m an old man at an early age, apparently. In the course of my experiences with this venerable platform, I’ve come to respect it for its reliable performance, both mechanically and in terms of accuracy. That said, I’ve also come to understand the valley between working on modern guns, such as a Glock or P320, and the 1911. I have hundreds of working hours on the 1911, and I can honestly say that 90 percent of those hours were spent screwing something up. BUILDING VS. BUYING Building a 1911 by hand doesn’t mean it’ll turn out functional or…

There are all sorts of shooting drills you can conduct for practice, training or to evaluate your proficiency. Some drills isolate individual skills, such as shooting with your strong hand, conducting a reload, engaging multiple targets or maybe clearing stoppages. Others combine a collection of different skills to provide a more comprehensive estimation of your abilities. The drills you conduct and give credence to should be based on what you desire to accomplish, measure or test. ESTABLISHING YOUR STANDARD If you’re a competitive handgun shooter who likes to participate in IDPA or IPSC matches, you might focus on specific skillsets. If you just want to improve your base-line proficiency with a defensive handgun, you might work with different drills highlighting those things. There’s really no wrong or right drill if…

The Colt Commander was the first mass produced pistol with an aluminum alloy frame, and it was also the first pistol manufactured by Colt chambered for the 9mm. The Commander was indeed a 1911, but a 1911 with a shorter slide, and 4.25-inch as opposed to a 5.00-inch barrel. The Commander came about due to a request from the military for a more compact pistol, chambered in 9mm, that could be issued to officers. The Colt Commander was first produced in 1950 and was available in 9mm, 38 Super and 45 Auto. In 1970, Colt introduced what would come to be known as the Combat Commander. The Combat Commander had a steel, as opposed to aluminum, alloy frame. To better differentiate between the two Commanders, Colt renamed the original Commander…

FLORIDA Nov 20-Jan 23 FL, Bonita Springs. FT. Myers Antique Gun, Knife, Civil War & Militaria Shows. Elk’s Lodge Bonita, 3231 Coconut Rd. Nov 20-21 FL, Bonita Springs. Ft. Myers Antique Gun, Knife, Civil War & Military Shows. Elks Lodge Bonita, 3231 Coconut Rd. INDIANA Oct 2-3 IN, Valparaiso . Gun & Knife Show . Porter County Exp-Center, 215 East Division Road. Feb 19-20 IN, Valparaiso . Gun & Knife Show . Porter County Exp-Center, 215 East Division Road. KANSAS Oct 9-10 KS, park city. Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Assoc. Gun Show. Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Dr, Park City, KS. MICHIGAN Sep 17-18 MI, Iron Mountain. USI Gun and Knife Show. United Sportsmen’s Club, W7689 Sportsmans Club Road. Oct 9-10 KS, park city. Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Assoc.…

There’s a new sheriff in town. Blackwater is now offering a 12-gauge pump shotgun for those with defensive needs. I can see some of you already yawning. “The pump shotgun hasn’t had something new in over a century.” Hmm. How about it feeds from a box magazine? “My uncle hunted with one that had a two-shot magazine. It was a POS. Besides, other companies have box magazines on shotguns.” The Sentry 12, however, was designed right from the get-go as a box magazine-fed shotgun, and it uses AR-15 fire control internals to make loud noises. Oh, now I have your attention. UPPERS AND LOWERS The Sentry 12 is divided into two component assemblies, the upper and the lower. The upper assembly is the firearm, as that’s where the serial number…