Innehållsförteckning för July 2021 från Guns & Ammo

RED DOT SIGHTS are trending because they are easy to use, fast and accurate. They have the added benefit of being friendly on aging eyes that might struggle to focus on a tiny front sight post. Combine these attributes with long battery life and rugged construction and it is no surprise why miniature optical sights are so popular. Invented in 1974, the Aimpoint Electronic was the first electronic red-dot sight, and the company continues to lead this segment. My first exposure to Aimpoint products was as a young infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. My issued M4 was equipped with an Aimpoint M68 CCO, the U.S. Army’s nomenclature for the CompM2. I beat the hell out of that sight on an almost daily basis. My abuse didn’t occur deliberately,…

DAD USED TO SAY, “Something’s only worth what someone’s willing to pay for it.” I’ve spent my life struggling to argue with his statement because I tend to be sentimental. What I own is always worth more to me than what I’ve wanted to accept in exchange. That said, I love finding deals. I surveyed the wares at a recent gun show. The vendors were fewer than in years past, but there was a record number of attendees. Many sellers had raised prices to make more money than what guns and ammo typically sell for. This was especially so with firearms having collector interest. A table displaying some 20 Colt Single Action Army revolvers didn’t have one marked for less than $2,500. And if there was a factory letter with…

Director John Milius’ 1984 film “Red Dawn,” which featured a group of American high school students heroically resisting an invasion of the U.S. by Soviet, Cuban and Nicaraguan forces. Through the years, it has achieved cult-classic status. As might be expected from a firearms enthusiast as Milius, the movie is full of interesting firearms, including this Steyr Maadi AKM rifle. At the time the picture was shot, not too many real Kalashnikovs were available, so Stembridge Gun Rentals provided 20 AKMs as stand-ins, including this particular rifle, which has been modified for blank-firing. Everything worked successfully because “Red Dawn” became the 20th highest grossing film of 1984. On loan from Doug Wicklund. Photo courtesy of the National Firearms Museum.…

THERE ARE AS MANY OPINIONS about breaking in (or not breaking in) barrels, and how to clean barrels, as there are shooters. There are few absolutes in these areas. Generally, if something works for you, and you are happy with the results, stick with it! However, I’d like to offer some of my practices and experience on the subject of barrel maintenance. I’ve worked in or run a ballistics laboratory for 25 years. In that time, broke in and have cleaned thousands of pressure and accuracy barrels, as well as firearms. What follows is a summary of my findings and what I’ve learned works well. Actual data on anything to do with barrel maintenance is like looking for the Fountain of Youth, which is to say that it is mostly…

TYPE Direct impingement, gas operated, semiautomatic CARTRIDGE 5.56 NATO (tested) or .300 BLK CAPACITY 30 rds. BARREL 16 in. , 1:7-in. twist, 4150 CrMoV OVERALL LENGTH 33 in. (collapsed); 36 in. (extended) WEIGHT 6 lbs., 8 oz. STOCK MFT Battlelink Minimalist Milspec GRIPS MFT Engage LENGTH OF PULL 11 in. (collapsed), 14 in. (extended) FINISH Hardcoat anodized and Cerakote (aluminum); Burnt Bronze (tested) TRIGGER Two stage; 3 lbs., 8 oz. (tested) SAFETY Two-position selector MSRP $1,369 MANUFACTURER ATAC Defense, 601-963-0300, atacdefense.com…

CONVERTED FLINTER Q: I’ve had this pistol hanging on the wall in my man cave for many years, and I’ve never thought to ask you. So here it is, I know nothing about it. I got it years ago from a friend who’d accompany me to the Great Western Gun Show in Los Angeles. (If you know about it, you’re as old as I am.) Then I hung it on the wall. I just took it down to take pictures and wipe off years of dust! Any info as to its collectability, age, origin etc., and an estimate of value if my heirs decide to sell it, would be greatly appreciated. J.K. San Diego, California A: I truly miss the old Great Western Gun Show. It had several miles of…

FOLLOWING THE 1986 Miami-Dade Shootout, the FBI sought an improved round for its agents in the form of the 10mm, which quickly evolved to the .40 S&W in 1990. The FBI had worked with Smith & Wesson and Winchester ammunition to develop the .40 S&W, which was meant to be a slightly reduced-pressure version of the 10mm Auto. FBI ballisticians had fallen in love with the 10mm after tests revealed that a 180-grain bullet pushed to 850 to 950 feet-per-second (fps) resulted in the terminal ballistics they desired without the attendant felt recoil of the typical 10mm load featuring a 180-grain projectile moving between 1,100 fps and as much as 1,300 fps! Smith & Wesson’s engineers figured out that by cutting down the 10mm case from .992 inch to .850…

QUESTIONING THE VALIDITY of the miniature red-dot sight on sidearms is sometimes a touchy subject. To further address the question, I think we must be open to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly realities of living with a pistol having a red-dot sight mounted. The pros and cons are mostly fact, but strong opinions are unavoidable. I’ve trained thousands of military personnel, law officers, federal agents and law-abiding citizens. My opinions are derived from these experiences. Some of my real-life data comes from my experiences, some has been passed on to me from other trainers or students in the form of lessons learned; we don’t need to repeat others’ mistakes. Can you shoot more accurately with a red dot on your pistol? This is an easy question to…

MOST READERS ARE FAMILIAR with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), but some only know it for its competitive shooting programs or the sales of surplus firearms and ammunition. What you might not know is that CMP operates one of the nation’s premiere ranges: The CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park. Situated near Talladega, Alabama, construction of the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park was completed in 2015. It was built on a 500-acre campus and cost $30 million. Today, the range is open to the public with reasonable fees and no membership required. No matter the discipline, the Park has something for any shooter. Handgunners have access to 15 action-pistol bays and a 50-yard pistol range. There’s a trap field, a skeet field and a 15-station Sporting Clays course. However, many would consider the…