Innehållsförteckning för November 2023 från Gun Digest

Somewhere along journey of this country’s firearms history, shooters seemed to put their guns and gear into nice and tidy little categorical boxes … that are anything but helpful. If I were to say, “What’s the best CCW gun?” I’d bet a box of 9mm 115-grainers that an image of a black polymer pistol came to mind. Am I close? But what about a 1911, or even a compact revolver? Or, what if I said, “What’s the best allaround hunting cartridge?” Which number popped into your head first? Lemme guess: .30-06? Sure, that works, but I can do anything that ought-six can do with a 6.5x55mm Swede and the right bullet. OK, one more … What’s the best all-around riflescope? Yes, the parameters of that question are extremely vague, but…

I truly enjoy shooting and hunting with the latest bullet technology, and I’ve written many times that we’re in the Golden Age of projectile development. Monometal copper bullets, hybrid ogive designs and bonded cores are all great … but they aren’t always necessary. Sometimes, an older, classic design fits the bill perfectly—and might even be desirable. The classics are “classics” for a reason. They’ve proven themselves for generations, and so long as the application is suitable, they function just fine. Of course, some of the simpler designs showed their limits and resulted in the recommended cartridge and caliber minimums we’ve all become familiar with. However, when you stay within the parameters of the projectile’s design, you can see the merits of that particular bullet. THE OL’ CUP-AND-CORE The cup-and-core bullet…

01 Nightstick TWM-852XL Nightstick angles its gear toward law enforcement, which generally means its lights are well designed and rugged. This certainly is the case with the TWM-852XL. Kicking out 850 lumens for just shy of two hours, the fairly compact unit more than has the chops to enhance any carbine or SBR’s low-light utility. But it’s the long-gun controls that tend to win kudos. A rear-mounted single, dual-action momentary and constant-on thumb button provides shooters immediate and tactile activation. Furthermore, at only 4.5 ounces, the aircraft-grade aluminum touch is tough—rated as IP-X7 waterproof. Compatible with Picatinny rail systems, the TWM-852XL is ready to rock with most mounting systems out of the box. MSRP: $100 02 Viridian RFX45 Closed Emitter Green Dot Closed emitter pistol optics and green-dot sights seem…

There was a time when it simply wasn’t possible to mount a light onto your firearm. Oh, duct tape, hose clamps and an indifference to tactical fashion could get a flashlight attached to your riot gun or AR-15, but people wouldn’t have called you clever for that—not even back in the 1980s. Now, it’s rare a pistol doesn’t have a rail for light-mounting, and the choice of lights to mount are near legion. STREAMLIGHT TLR-1 To some, basic is boring. To others, it’s dependable. The TLR-1 isn’t new, it’s not flashy, but it works. And has worked for years. Using a pair of CR123 batteries, it generates 300 lumens of light and continues to do so for two and a half hours. If you’re simply playing the numbers game, 300…

When I was a young Army Lieutenant graduating Officer Basic Course, one of the instructors made a speech in which he outlined some of his sage combat advice earned during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Among his battlefield tenets, he said: “If someone needs to be shot, shoot them twice.” We imagine some other gunfighter from centuries previous had the same idea, manifesting this credo in the form of the double-barreled shotgun. While various manner of double-guns can be found across the world and across time, it’s most solidly cemented in the American lexicon. The quintessential coach gun of the Western frontier, from when both justice and power—not always the same thing—spilled from the muzzle of black powder double-barrels like so much lead shot. Since then, the coach…

HISTORICAL NOTES Jointly developed by Norway and Sweden in 1894, this cartridge was adopted by both countries as an official military chambering. Originally, both countries loaded and used essentially identical ammunition. Later, the Swedes modified dimensions and loaded it to a higher pressure for use in their Mauser rifles, while the Norwegians kept the original version for use in the Krag rifle. In 1990, the National Rifle Associations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden agreed on a standardized set of drawings and specifications, renaming the cartridge 6.5x55 SKAN. It’s quite popular throughout Scandinavia for hunting all types of game, including moose. It’s also a popular choice for 300-meter target shooting and other forms of rifle competition. Prior to World War II, the 6.5x55 Swedish was almost unknown in the United States.…

There has been a longstanding discussion regarding which optics are best for certain tasks. You hear it all the time in colorful anecdotes such as “one power for every hundred yards is all you need,” “4X is plenty for deer,” “that’s too much scope for that caliber,” “my grandpa did that with iron sights” … and the list runs on. These days, we’re pairing guns and scopes that traditionally haven’t held hands (like a magnified riflescope on a lever gun). How is one to decide what constitutes the right scope for the job considering that, by technological merit, all the old arguments are largely bunk? OPTIC ADVANCES Much of the gun world is based on individual need. As a result, we see a wide and diverse range of options that…

Some things are timeless classics. One such example is the Parker 61 fountain pen with which I am drafting this article. There are timeless classics in shooting sports as a result of their excellence of design and construction. For many shooters, that includes the Winchester Model 12 pump shotgun, the Colt 1911 .45 Auto and the Ruger 10/22 rimfire autoloader. All of these are fine firearms, but, to many, the classic firearm is an elegant bolt action made of metal and wood. Possible examples on some people’s lists would be the Winchester Model 70, Remington 700 or Ruger 77. Rimfire enthusiasts also have classic examples. I remember well the beautiful Winchester Model 75 that a cousin had when we were young. At that time, the Winchester 52 was the elegant…

Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading manufacturers of lever-action rifles in the United States. It was founded by Anthony Imperato in 1996; their first designs were lever-actions in rimfire calibers and well-made versions of the original Henry rifles dating to 1860. Over the years, they’ve greatly expanded their offerings and made a move from New York City to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where they harvest the wood for the walnut stocks on their rifles. The company motto is “Made in America or not made at all,” and they do live by that. Every component is sourced in the USA by American manufacturers. At the 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Henry announced a new model, the Homesteader in 9mm. This is a semi-auto carbine that sports a threaded…

When it comes to ammunition for defensive handguns, self-defense ammo is the most talked about. While the primary purpose of self-defense handguns is for protection against humans doing bad things, it’s not their only viable use. There are actually four types of ammunition you should consider for a defensive handgun, and while all four might not be practical for you—today, based on your lifestyle and geographic location—at some point they might be. I’m a practical/general-purpose kind of guy, and I’m not interested in any handgun unless all four of these loads are available for it across the counter … or can at least be loaded by hand. PRACTICE/TRAINING AMMUNITION If you’re serious about your defensive handgun, you’ll shoot more practice/training ammunition than any other type. The good news is that…

A tactical shotgun can take several forms (there is no hard and fast definition), and also serve as a multi-role tool, especially if one lives on a farm or ranch, where it can serve animal control duties as well. Traditionally, a standard hunting shotgun is used for this purpose, such as a Remington 870 Wingmaster, loaded with hunting loads, since the concept of a tactical shotgun is relatively new. While a weapon like this can suffice, there are some better shotgun configurations to work with. 01 Mossberg 590A1 Tactical The 500 Series is battle-tested, having filled enumerable military and law-enforcement roles, and is as dependable as a well-trained dog. Not always the case, nowadays all of Mossberg’s tactical models are 590—special-purpose models of the original 500. Of the off-the-shelf sections,…

Next to the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge, the other firearm-related item that’s exploded in popularity this century has been the suppressor. In recent years, suppressor sales have increased as much as 40 percent annually. They have become so popular that almost all new rifles and many pistols now come with threaded barrels. In fact, currently, one of the most popular gunsmithing services is barrel threading. But, like with just about everything in life, all the good that comes with suppressors also comes with some not so good. If you’re thinking about purchasing a suppressor, here’s a look at the ugly, the bad and the good, with some really good news at the end. THE UGLY Because a suppressor is considered an NFA item, and is also apparently detested by half the…

Standing over the zebra stallion—bedecked in his finest pajamas, in a pattern best described as art by God—I tapped the stock of my Mauser 98 to say thanks for a straight shot. I was using an obscure cartridge released in 1906, the .318 Westley Richards, and was more than happy to have revived an African classic. Fast-forward 2 years, and I’d be standing in ankle-deep snow in northwest Colorado over a handsome mule deer buck, holding the then-unreleased 6.8 Western, the latest development in the .277-inch bore diameter. On that hunt, our group had taken both mule deer and elk at ranges between 25 yards and 475 yards, and I came away very impressed with the design. I love cartridges, whether big or small, and I always do my best…

Loved by some and reviled by others—the fact of the matter is that the Taurus Judge is very popular. A five-shot revolver chambered for .410 and .45 Long Colt, the Judge has been offered in several configurations of various barrel lengths, grip styles and finishes for years. Now, Taurus is adding one more model to the lineup in the form of the Judge Home Defender. Just how much does it differ from past iterations? Not by much, but the new features that it does have will make it a radically more effective home defense option. Previously, the largest Taurus Judge handgun models featured 6.5-inch barrels, but the Judge Home Defender has a whopping 13-inch barrel. While that might not make it the most wieldy handgun out there, the extra barrel…