Innehållsförteckning för September 2021 från Guns & Ammo

THE SNIPER COMMUNITY is a close-knit bunch, especially when it comes to the special operations units. These units are small and exclusive, so there is little information available about what they do and how they do it. If you’re connected, though, you might already know about the annual, week-long competition held at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where special operations units from around the world get together and compete to see who performs the best. Previously, I’ve been limited to attending during the one day when the event opens up to vendors and those supporting the competition. However, this year I had the opportunity to observe the match in its entirety. What I observed was enlightening. The hosting organization is the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). This year’s competition…

ON 9/11 we knew that we had been viciously attacked. As America slept, content that all was well in the world, our enemies had planned and executed. I stood and watched with my Sergeant Major as the second plane plowed violently into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. I have had plenty of people ask how this made me feel. When the first plane hit the World Trade Center we felt as though we’d witnessed a terrible accident. When the second hit we felt like we’d just been hit in the mouth. I was a member of an elite Army Special Operations unit at the time. There was no trepidation, there was no wringing of hands, everyone was filled with determination. We watched, as did all of America,…

I WAS A CADET in my senior year at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) trying to survive a tough Hispanic literature class on September 11, 20 years ago. Halfway through, a third-year cadet, short of breath, charged into our room with news that a plane had hit a tower of the World Trade Center. The professor attempted to continue teaching amid our concerns, but the noise of pattering feet in the hall continued to rise so the instructor dismissed us early. With the free time given to us, I decided to head back to my room and go over a paper due that day. The cadet barbershop had one of two cadet-accessible televisions on post, so I made my way using a shortcut to the Old Barrack’s Sally Port for…

One of the most interesting, practical and cost-effective submachine guns to emerge during World War II was the M3/M3A1 “Grease Gun.” Manufactured of stamped, welded and some machined parts, it was produced for a fraction of the price of a Thompson — and it could be turned out much more quickly. First adopted by the United States in 1943, this arm (in two main variants) saw worldwide usage beyond that conflict. Author Michael Heidler has produced a wonderfully-illustrated, detailed history of this fascinating full-auto. Details of the M3/M3A1’s development, manufacture, employment and ammunition and accessories are covered in a readable, easy-to-access format. Many period diagrams and photographs complete this well-thought-out book. It’s not just an informative read, but an entertaining one as well. $45…

RED-DOT SIGHTS are quickly becoming the norm for pistols. These days, almost every pistol manufacturer is offering red-dot-ready options. Recently, Nighthawk Custom raised the bar with their cleverly designed Interchangeable Optic System (IOS) that allows users to quickly change from a plate with a traditional rear sight to a one with a red-dot sight, and vice-versa. Why would you change your pistol’s sights? Consider the case of a concealed-carry practitioner who’s just learning to use a red-dot optic. With the IOS, you can train to proficiency with the red dot, yet still rely on the familiarity of traditional sights for carry during the learning curve. Interchangeability also enables a user to rotate a single red-dot sight between multiple M1911s with the IOS. Suffice it to say, having the ability to…

HARDWARE STORE PISTOL Q: This pistol was passed down from my father. It has been in our family for many years. It was my grandfather’s originally, and I believe he bought it in the late 1950s or early 1960s. I think my father told me that my grandfather obtained the pistol in Michigan. I’ve tried doing research on it, but I cannot find much information. I’ve attached images and hope that you can do better. I’m unsure on the caliber, maybe .45 or .54. The length of the pistol is 9 inches exactly. The inscription of the lockplate says “Made for Hooper Martin & Smith Philadelphia“. M.V. Email A: That’s an interesting piece. It is a greatcoat-sized percussion pistol manufactured by some unknown maker for the hardware store Hooper, Masters…

DESPITE WHAT THE MEDIA would have people believe, defensive shootings involving armed citizens — both sworn and non-sworn — do happen, but they remain statistically rare. Most police officers and concealed carry practicioners will never shoot their pistols in a life-or-death event. More likely, when a situation requires an armed defender to draw a pistol, there is a good chance that the bad guy will reconsider their actions rather than engage in a gunfight. That’s a win for the good guys and it illustrates the importance of being armed. Still, it’s not a shooting. Depending on the source, the typical gunfight consists of two to four rounds fired in less than three or four seconds. It’s tough to imagine the need for a reload given those parameters. And, despite anecdotal…

COLLECTING AND SHOOTING World War II-vintage surplus rifles is a relatively inexpensive shooting activity that gives gun enthusiasts a connection to the past and to those who served. Surplus ammunition had been available for some of these guns until the recent social and political upheaval, particularly for mainstream calibers such as .30 Carbine, .30-’06 Springfield, 8x57mm JS Mauser, .303 British and 7.62x54R. (I will cover the Japanese 6.5mm and 7.7mm rounds in a later column.) As of May 2021, my surplus ammunition suppliers report that there is nothing available for shooting these historic rifles. I can’t find pulled surplus projectiles to reload either, and I don’t expect this to change soon. So, what options remain? Assuming you have access to components, this article will help some through the hand-loading process…

TREND-SETTING is not my specialty. I was a bit slow to realize that the 6.5mm (.264-inch) bullet diameter had suddenly, finally, not only gained acceptance among American shooters, but had become wildly popular! But I know why. Much of this is due to the 6.5mm Creedmoor’s rise to stardom. This, in itself, is a bit inexplicable. The .260 Remington and the Creedmoor are ballistically identical. Remington’s entry, introduced in 1998, had a major head start, but it didn’t burn up the world. In fact, it languished, and seemed destined to the 6.5mm dustbin where most domestic 6.5mm cartridges have accumulated. Introduced a decade later, the 6.5mm Creedmoor languished at first, and nobody was surprised. Then it took off, and it quickly became a force to be reckoned with. This is…

I’LL START WITH SOME GOOD NEWS. A federal district court judge in California ruled that the state’s decades-old “assault weapons” ban is unconstitutional. Judge Roger Benitez called the ban a “failed experiment” that deprives Californians of their Second Amendment rights. This comes on the heels of another ruling by the same judge that the state’s magazine ban also violates citizens’ rights. That decision was upheld by the Circuit Court of Appeals, but a larger 11-member panel of judges is now reviewing the case. Though the state is fighting hard to keep both the semiautomatic and magazine bans in place, the actions of the courts provide a glimmer of hope. The BATFE has released a proposed rule that would reverse the agency’s previous rulings on the use of stabilizing braces on…