Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2019 från Gun Digest

It’s very difficult not to take things for granted. Very difficult. After all, when we take the time to build a proper foundation upon which we construct a rewarding life, it’s natural to expect things to turn out. However, taking things for granted leads to routines, and routines lead to complacency. And when those routines are unexpectedly disrupted — chaos. Case in point: I hopped in the truck last week and was shocked when turning the ignition failed to bring the engine to life. I looked in the rearview at the three kids expecting rides to school, and chaos ensued — albeit manageable chaos — and I ran triage trying to restructure an entire morning I expected to operate exactly as it had the morning prior … and the morning…

The following pages of this issue contain hordes of information and ideas about how you can stay better prepared for disaster on a daily basis. Yes, carrying concealed is step No. 1, and there are additional options out there that will allow you to take the lifestyle a little further that don’t require you to start buying pants with 14 pockets in them. My suggestion: Start with a backpack. Maxpedition is a company that caters to the gun owner who wants to take personal safety and preparedness a step further without going full tactical. It’s a simple and unobtrusive way to have everything you might need — but hopefully never do — close at hand. The Riftcore (top) is an ideal, compact solution for the dozen or so items often…

FROM THE GUN BLOGS AT GUNDIGEST.COM PISTOL-CALIBER CARBINES 7 Affordable 9mm Carbine Options Test the waters with these economical 9mm carbine options. CLASSIC GUNS Browning Auto-Five Shotgun The Browning Auto-Five has the elevated distinction of being recognized as the first self-loading scattergun. AMMUNITION How Many 22 Rimfire Cartridges Are There? In its second century of use, the .22 LR proved to have the staying power many of its close relatives lacked. RELOADING Reloading Tips For The .308 Win. Whether for long-range shooting or hunting, the .308 Winchester comes into its own when handloaded. SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT…

There are a bazillion choices in the flashlight market, and an equally vast range of price points. Here are just a few to check out as you begin the selection process: 1 Ledlenser P7 The Ledlenser P7 offers a nice balance of size, power, durability, operational ease and price. The P7 has simple-to-remember high/low/off settings, and it features an advanced focusing system to quickly cast a far-off spot or close-up spill light for any chore in front of you. The rugged anodized aluminum casing cradles four AAA batteries. At full power the light will blast an extremely bright 450 lumens for an hour, and at the low setting you’ll get 25 hours of 40-lumen light. The P7R is a rechargeable version of the same light and costs twice as much,…

Also known as the .38 Colt Special and, more generally, as simply the .38 Special, this cartridge was developed by S&W and introduced with its Military & Police Model revolver in 1902. This was originally a military cartridge meant to replace the unsatisfactory .38 Long Colt then in use by the Army. Colt brought out its version in 1909, which differs from the original only in bullet shape, with the Colt being a flat-point style. Colt, Smith & Wesson and others make revolvers specifically for this cartridge. Several Belgian, Brazilian, German and Spanish firms also make .38 Special revolvers. The S&W 52 Target Auto, available until 1993, was made for the mid-range wadcutter load. A number of good-quality lever-action Winchester clones (1866, 1873, 1892) are chambered for the .38 Special.…

Leatherman Tread Tempo Being prepared doesn’t mean you need to be frumpy. Nearly everyone owns a Leatherman multi-tool, which make a great EDC item. Newer to the Leatherman name is a product category they call “wearables,” which includes the Tread Tempo. The watch’s crown jewel is a Swiss-made timepiece, but the band contains 30 Leatherman-designed, fully integrated tools, including: a multitude of drivers and wrenches, file, glass breaker and a bottle opener. $ 450 Leatherman Jam + Style PS Leatherman also partnered with a few pro skaters to develop a pocket tool designed for an active lifestyle, which they call the Jam. Features include a pair of pliers, wire cutters, grip tape file, scissors, flat and Philips screwdrivers, tweezers, 9/16-inch wrench — and even a place to wrap and stash…

HORNADY .25 AND .32 AUTO CRITICAL DEFENSE AMMO Often overlooked as defensive choices, micro guns get the wrap that they don’t pack enough punch. Hornady aims to change this perception with an expansion of its Critical Defense line of ammunition. Extended to include the .25 and .32 Auto, fans now have legitimate rounds to ensure their pistols deliver. Key to this is Hornady’s FTX bullet, an advanced polymer-tip projectile designed to avoid clogging and expand reliably, even through heavy clothing. The .25 ACP packs a 35-grain bullet and the .32 ACP a 60-grain, each pushed at or near 1,000 fps from the muzzle, giving them the velocity to punch well above their weights. $27.51 box of 20 GALCO ANKLE TRAUMA MEDICAL KIT While highly recommended by many experts, few go…

As both a rural law enforcement special operations team leader, hunter and outdoor enthusiast, I spend a lot of time in our nation’s wildlands — usually a significant distance away from large crowds and support services found in urban population centers. For these more remote environments where our team does business, it’s a given that I carry a defensive pistol, various long guns and associated accessories given our mission at work. Like many Americans, I also need to be equipped to defend my family and myself from harm in more heavily populated urban environments while off duty, and I carry a concealed compact pistol for these reasons. Unfortunately in today’s high-tech world where cyber, electrical, cellular and other essential communication systems can fail — making access to law enforcement, trauma…

The “IP” stands for “Ingress Protection” and has been adopted as a standard rating system to measure how well a product resists moisture and dust getting into the housing of that product, or how resistant a product is against impacts. In regard to flashlights specifically, any rating above IPX4 is good, and it means that light is splash resistant from all angles. An IPX7 rating means the light can be submerged underwater for a half-hour. A light with an IPX8 rating means that light can withstand 4 hours of submersion. Note: Water-resistance testing is done after impact testing.…

As the saying goes: If you expect trouble, then don’t go there. Don’t walk down a dark alley alone. Don’t travel into dangerous neighborhoods at night. Don’t try to grab a snake that you found in the woods. These are obvious (or they should be), but sadly we don’t always know when something is dangerous or might become so. If survival is your priority, then discretion is indeed a virtue. It is impossible to have all of your contingency emergency supplies with you at all times, but typically when most people are away from home, they are still close to their vehicle. If you already treat your vehicle like a moving purse, it's time to get organized. I carry the bare minimum on my person: handgun, spare magazine, cell phone…

With a love for wildlife and our nation’s wildlands, Nores earned a BS and MS degree from San Jose State University before becoming a game warden for the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in 1992. In 2005, Nores was promoted to Lieutenant, continuing his mission to protect and defend our nation’s wildlife resources. Nores has investigated environmental crime and wildlife resource destruction for the past 28 years and was awarded the Governor’s Medal of Valor for lifesaving and leadership efforts in 2008. He’s received several other awards for valor, life-saving and distinguished service. His first book, “War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America’s Public Lands” was published in 2010 and John recently co-authored a national cannabis issue book, “Where There’s Smoke,” published in 2018. His latest…

The PepperBall LifeLite is a unique less-than-lethal solution that combines the utility of a flashlight, the low-light aiming effectiveness of a laser and the bring-the-bad-guy-to-his-knees power of pepper spray. On the bottom of the unit is a stand-alone button for activating the 350-lumen flashlight, which is ideal for step No. 1 in any home-invasion situation: identifying the threat. The light is fed via an internal battery that operates independently from the projectile launcher, and a rechargeable battery setup is also an optional accessory. On the top side of the unit is a thumb-activated “trigger” that’s protected with a slide cover to prevent any accidental discharge while fumbling around in the dark. As soon as that slide reaches the forward position to fully expose the trigger, a laser activates to aid…