Innehållsförteckning för March 2017 från Gun Digest

Ammo is ammo, right? Ask yourself that question the next time you hear strange noises at 2 a.m. When it comes to protecting your family and yourself, all ammo is not created equal. Yeah, it all goes “boom” when you pull the trigger, but what really matters is what happens when that bullet leaves the barrel. Will it do what you need it to do? That’s why you need the right stuff for the job. The good news is that there are lots of great options for self defense. The bullets are designed to stop threats on the spot, and the rounds work flawlessly in your favorite defense gun. Choose your ammo wisely and you’ll never have to question that decision when it matters most. HORNADY Black Buckshot Hornady’s new…

A laser sight can be a powerful tool on any handgun, whether it’s intended for carry or defending the home. While it certainly doesn’t replace the need for iron sights, most believe that a laser sight does help the shooter acquire and engage a target, particularly in the low light in which many defensive scenarios occur. New for 2017, Crimson Trace is offering an excellent laser sight option for 1911 users. The Green Master Series Rosewood Lasergrips for the 1911 blend functionality with style, giving a classic gun a tactical upgrade without degrading the aesthetics. The stylish Rosewood side panels are easy on the eyes and offer adequate texture to ensure positive grip. As with all of Crimson Trace’s Laser-grips, this one features Instictive Activation, with a rubber, overmolded activation…

Times change, as do consumer preferences. Many, many years ago, the most popular handguns for self-defense were single-action revolvers. They gave way to double-action revolvers with swing-out cylinders that made reloading faster. Then semi-automatic pistols came to be the handgun of choice for many, including some law enforcement agencies. Most fed from a single-stack magazine, while some were single action and others were double action. In the last half of the twentieth century, double-stack 9mm handguns began to be seen everywhere with improvements being made to make them more reliable and user friendly. As concealed carry became lawful in more and more states, consumers tended to want smaller semi-automatic handguns, often chambered in .380 ACP. Then single-stack, compact and sub-compact 9mm handguns became popular, especially with non-sworn civilians who could…

I am a huge fan of 1911-style pistols, and I use them for hunting (especially 10mm Auto models), home defense (night stand.45) and just punching paper at the range. But I’ve shied away from using a 1911 as a concealed carry handgun. Oh, I’ve tried it. And while others might have a different experience, I’ve found that full-sized 1911s are just too large and heavy for me to carry comfortably under a shirt or jacket. The last couple years, though, have seen gun makers turning out smaller versions of their 1911s in .45 ACP, specifically with concealed carry in mind. Among the latest entrants into this market—and among the best I’ve used—is Republic Forge’s new Defiant Lightweight 1911. At 30 ounces unloaded, the Defiant Lightweight is by no means a…

There are two ways you can look at the new S&W M&P9 M2.0. One way is the philosophy of “Why fix what isn’t broke?” The M&P9 M1.0 worked fine; so, leave it alone, right? The second way is, “Test them like you use them.” Forward-thinking manufacturers know life is not static, nor does it occur in a vacuum. Needs evolve and change, and S&W delivers on change. S&W chooses to learn, listen, test, adapt and evolve, and that is what it did with the M&P9 M2.0. I like the M&P series and found that these pistols perform. I’ve witnessed M&P pistols endure excessive round counts. As fast as magazines were loaded, the pistols constantly chattered, churning up the dirt backstop so much that the pistols became hot to the touch.…

The AR-15 platform is one of the most diverse and versatile of any design in firearms history. AR-style rifles are so popular because the design lends itself to customization. Not only are there a myriad of available grips, stocks, triggers, sights and other options that can be easily installed, completely different upper assemblies are available in everything from a pre-charged pneumatic .177-caliber pellet rifle to a single shot chambered for the mammoth .50 BMG cartridge. It’s estimated that there are between five and 10 million AR-15 type rifles in the United States, and one website reports there are 386 makers, brands, and vendors of the AR-15. As of recent times, there are 387 because E.R. Shaw, a maker of rifle barrels for more than a hundred years, has now thrown…