Innehållsförteckning för Buyer's Guide SIP #2 från Gun Digest

I was driving down the interstate recently when I caught a flash of blue in the rearview mirror. It was small—a long way back on a lonesome and flat stretch of asphalt that had very few patrons that particular afternoon. I never gave it a second thought … until the ’68 Corvette smoked by me as if I were spinning in the mud. A few seconds behind the classic, a brand-new ’Vette screamed past, painted the exact same color as the first. It was obvious some fella has a thing for baby-blue Corvettes. My mind drifted for a second or two, contemplating which one I would choose if I happened to buy a winning lottery ticket at the next gas station. I was slapped back into reality by the rumble…

It used to be that if you wanted to customize or personalize your rifle, you had to enlist the services of a gunsmith. Not only was this time-consuming, it was also expensive. Today—at least when it comes to rifle stocks—shooters have a seemingly endless variety of aftermarket stocks to choose from, with prices ranging from a few hundred bucks to over a grand; and most are DIY projects. I recently tested a variety of after-market stocks and was impressed with how an affordable stock from Boyds performed. Not only was it the least-expensive stock tested, the rifle shot more precisely from that stock than with any of the others. Wondering if this might have been a fluke, I reached out to Boyds and asked if it would support a more…

01 Walther CCP M2 .380 Auto The CCP M2, like the rest of the CCP line, features Walther’s Softcoil gas technology, designed to improve the shooter’s experience by reducing felt recoil and allowing the slide to be manipulated more easily, especially for those with less hand strength. Other features include: an external safety, front and rear slide serrations, and a reversible magazine release. MSRP: $369 02 Mossberg MC2c Mossberg dropped a few jaws when it launched the company back into the pistol market with the MC1sc in 2019 after a 100-year hiatus. The lineage continues with the MC2c. Boasting double-stack magazines, excellent ergonomics and performance features, the MC2c comes chambered in 9mm with a 13-round (flush-fit) 15-round magazine. Five configurations are available, including sight package and slide finish options. Mossberg…

The Colt Python was lusted after by many. It was not, however, acquired by many. Part of that was due to the cost, because the Python typically cost twice as much as any other DA revolver of its time. It was first offered by Colt back in the mid-1950s, but the earliest movie reference I can find is from 1969. After that, it was quite the popular option. Nevertheless, the price put off a lot of shooters; that, and the reputation for being a bit fragile. Even well into the IPSC competition era, not many people who owned .357 Magnums shot a steady diet of .357 magnum-level ammo through any handgun. Most shooters would put a box of magnums through their revolvers once a year. If they shot more, it…

01 We Knives Mini Bullmastiff Drawing inspiration from the cleaver, We Knives designed the Mini Bull-mastiff to be a square-shouldered chopper. Wearing a short blade, the spine tapers, and a sharp point retains the piercing ability and expands the blade’s functionality. The Mini Bullmastiff’s overall length is 7.2 inches, with a blade length of 3 inches, a closed length of 4.2 inches and an overall weight of 3.5 ounces. MSRP: $59 02 GiantMouse ACE Brass Clyde Looking for that special EDC knife? The Clyde’s simple lines and ergonomics of the handle make it look smaller than it feels. Translation? The knife is slim and small enough to carry discreetly and comfortably, but it has enough meat where it matters. Specs include blade steel made of M390 with a satin finish…

HISTORICAL NOTES Designed by John Browning for his first successful automatic pistol, the .32 ACP was first manufactured in 1899 by FN in Belgium. It was marketed in the United States when Colt turned out a pocket automatic on another Browning patent in 1903. The .32 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) is one of the more popular pistol cartridges ever developed. In the United States, Colt, Remington, Harrington & Richardson, Smith & Wesson and Savage chambered pistols for this cartridge. In Europe, every company that made automatic pistols chambered the .32 ACP. It was also used in the German Pickert revolver. It’s known in Europe as the 7.65mm Browning. GENERAL COMMENTS The cartridge uses a semi-rimmed cartridge case and a .308-inch-diameter bullet. The .32 Automatic is the minimum cartridge that should…

01 Weatherby Backcountry Ti 6.5 RPM After making the move from California to Wyoming, Weatherby had a goal to produce what it considered the best backcountry rifle and cartridge combination ever. And after nearly two years of innovation, the Mark V Backcountry Ti chambered in 6.5 RPM just might be it. The combination achieves the weight savings and ballistic performance that backcountry hunters demand, breaking the 5-pound mark while delivering magnum performance. The fluted barrel, trigger guard, bolt, bolt knob and safety all wear Graphite Black Cerakote. The stock completes the stunning look via visible carbon-fiber and gray sponge-pattern accents. MSRP: $3,349 02 Marlin 150th Anniversary 1895 in .444 Marlin Marlin is celebrating its own 150th birthday with the flat-shooting and hard-hitting 444 Marlin in an exclusive, limited-edition rifle. Custom-grade…

By any measure, NRL22 (National Rifle League .22-caliber competitions) is the fastest-growing shooting sport in the country, if not the world. What started as a few small matches three years ago has grown to 189 registered clubs in 44 states and five countries. Most hold monthly matches, the course of fire for which is posted online in advance. As a result, thousands of shooters are lining up at the exact same stages—whether they’re in South Dakota or South Carolina. All it takes is a .22 rifle, some ammo and a 100-yard range. Savage Arms is no stranger to NRL22. Its lineup of affordable rimfires has dominated the NRL22 base class, for which the combined cost of the rifle and scope can’t exceed $1,050. At the 2019 national match, where the…

01 S&W Model 64 OK, it’s not new for 2020, but it’s timeless nonetheless. The 64 is a stainless, K-frame, double-action revolver that can use .38 Specials and .357 Magnums. When you want your new shooter to step up from a rimfire revolver to a centerfire, this is the one you should hand them. With .38s, the recoil isn’t a big step up from the rimfire, and if they’re feeling full of themselves, a .357 in their hands will introduce them to “Mr. Recoil.” Fed a steady diet of .38 special ammo, you’d have to win the lottery to afford enough ammunition to wear one out. MSRP: $693 02 Cimarron Plinkerton A play on words and an incredible value. The Plinkerton is a six-shot .22 LR single-action revolver that’s both…

01 Dan Wesson Vigil 1911 Series With its Vigil Series, Dan Wesson is pushing to get more of its excellent 1911s into more shooters’ hands. An entry-level option, these aluminum-framed pistols come in well below the cost of Wesson’s other lines, yet they still offer the company’s trademark performance. The Vigil Government model is nearly 6 ounces lighter than comparably sized pistols and has a slew of other features: A beveled magazine well, carry bevel treatment, undercut trigger guards and hand-polished flats all come standard, as does an extremely crisp, creep-free Dan Wesson trigger, set between 3.5 and 5 pounds. This series is available in Government, Commander and CCO (compact) models and in both 9mm and .45 ACP. MSRP: $1,298 02 Ruger PC Charger Pistol Arguably the perfect…

The quest for the perfect handgun is ongoing and is always evolving. In recent years, at least among those with a yen for powerful semi-automatic pistols, a gauntlet of sorts has been laid down: 10mm vs .45 ACP. Funny thing: Go back 40 years or so, and this debate wasn’t really … well … a debate. The new kid on the block, an oddity at that, the 10mm never really got out of the shadow of the grand, old .45 ACP. Closing in upon its centennial birthday, John M. Browning’s masterpiece stood alone when it came to big-bore semi-auto cartridges. The 10mm, with all its potential, looked ready to fade away from early glory, following the likes of the .44 Auto Mag and other powerhouse semi-auto cartridges. Then, a funny…

Precision Rimfires It’s a boom year for rimfires, especially of the precision rifle variety. No fewer than 10 new tactical-inspired .22 LR rifles debuted at SHOT Show this year. Here are four new models that are ready to compete, hunt or tip over soda cans from a long way away. 01 CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis The 457 is one of the most popular rifles in open-class NRL22. One thing many shooters do is drop it in a chassis. Now, CZ will do that for you. This wildly popular rimfire comes in a solid-aluminum-billet chassis, full of QD sling sockets, M-Lok slots and all the other adjustable bells and whistles that competitors want. It’s available in two different barrel lengths—a suppressor-ready 16.5 inches and a full-length 24 inches. MSRP: $999…

Amythos has evolved around the lever-action rifle that it’s as American as apple pie and baseball. Why wouldn’t it be? Nearly every silver screen hero and villain—from John Wayne to Clint Eastwood—has worked one to supreme effect. Hell, those of certain vintage will remember the TV show, The Rifleman, which starred—next to Chuck Connors, that is—a large-loop Winchester Model 1892. Legend-building such as that is bound to leave an impression, although the notion is as phantasmic as movie house flickerings. Unfortunately, the concept of this All-American gun was booted around the dusty cobbles of European gunsmith shops nearly 200 years before Tyler Henry set brass to steel. Fair enough—the Lorenzoni Repeating Pistol of the late-17th century and German Lagatz Rifle of the early-18th century were as rare as baths were…