Innehållsförteckning för October 2021 från Guns & Ammo

THE OTHER DAY, while assisting instructor Dave Spaulding prepare to demonstrate a reload for his class (handguncombatives.com), I realized that I didn’t have a shot timer. The shot timer I had worn clipped to my pants all day was on the driver’s seat of my truck. As I walked away to retrieve it, a student quipped, “There’s an app for that!” Although none of us had an app, it got me thinking as I sat down to write this column: Are shot timer apps capable of supporting shooters? If so, which ones are the best? I started a search of the App Store. Although I found several shot timer apps, most had poor ratings. Still, I downloaded as many as were available. “Gun Shot Timer” had two stars from 156…

THE BLIND STRADDLED a big cottonwood grove, cedar-choked creek bottom on the left, harvested corn off to the right, and mature cottonwoods stretching ahead farther than I could see. Sundown was approaching when I picked up a hint of movement at the limit of my vision, far off among the trees. I focused my binocular on the spot and in a few seconds a buck stepped from behind a big, gray cottonwood. It was too far to count points, but the rack appeared tall enough, wide enough and heavy enough; even at first glance I was pretty sure this was a “keeper.” It was also much too far to consider a shot, but the buck was headed straight toward me down the center of the grove. All I could do…

WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES, I try to take my own advice. In the August 2020 issue, I used this column to espouse the virtues of surplus firearms for the bargain-hunting gun buyer. Just a few days after that issue arrived in my mailbox, an email landed that advertised a wide selection of surplus Czech-made pistols. Though I love my CZ Shadow 2, I’d never owned an original CZ 75. So, I forked over the cash and a pre-”B” CZ 75 soon arrived at my FFL. It was advertised as being in “very good” condition, but when I opened the box it was clear that my definition of “very good” was a lot different than the seller’s. Oh well, I love a project, I thought. As the original so-called “Wonder Nine,”…

Umarex USA is running the Gauntlet again. The Gauntlet 2 pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) is all new for 2021. Umarex Airguns is bringing substantial improvements over the first-generation Gauntlet and its direct competitors. The new Gauntlet 2 will be available in both .22 and .25 calibers, and will bring a refined look and new performance potential to shooters searching for an alternative to rimfire rifles or taking aim at a 10-ring. Ergonomics mean everything when it comes to handling any tool, and air rifles are no different. The Umarex Gauntlet 2 stock has been optimized with aesthetic design updates as well as functional improvements. Its new high-strength polymer stock is molded in Flat Dark Earth with the adjustable cheek rest accented in black. The stock has been slimmed down and trimmed…

STANDING IN A WAREHOUSE, I was looking at 2½-million rounds of 5.56 NATO. Unfortunately, none of it was for the commercial market; those stacks of banded wooden crates were headed to U.S. Special Operations. The ammunition company I was visiting requested anonymity. Despite having drums of powder and a quantity of primers, none of it could be used to manufacture commercial ammunition. Those components were U.S. government property. Due to the military’s order, no employees had been laid off or shifts canceled as a result of the shortages resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Like a lot of ammunition brands, however, this company outsources components. They had plenty of projectiles and cases to resume commercial production, but were waiting on powder and primers. The military’s ability to supply its own components…

“European Arms in the Civil War” by Marc Schwalm and Klaus Hofman; Mobray Publishing, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, 2018; Soft-cover; 192 pages. Both sides in the Civil War relied on large numbers of firearms from foreign sources. At the beginning of hostilities, the Union and the Confederacy sent agents abroad to obtain arms to supplement the shortfalls in domestically produced arms. This excellent book — one of the best of its type that I have seen — helps to identify and classify many of the fascinating muskets, rifles, carbines, handguns and swords that eventually made it to American shores between 1861 and 1865. Weapons, listed by point of origin and type, are clearly and satisfying described and evaluated. Especially valuable are charts outlining particulars arms’ characteristics; these not only provide basic…

WITH THE EVER-INCREASING SUPPLY of rifles and scopes has come a seemingly endless number of reticles. In place of the duplex reticle are both better and worse options. Let’s take a look at the principles of reticle selection without nerding out too hard on the subject. First or Second Focal Plane? First-focal-plane (FFP) reticles get bigger or smaller as magnification changes because the reticle is always the same size relative to the target. This allows FFP reticles to show accurate subtension, i.e., the reticle measurement of objects in the field of view using milradian (mils) or minute-of-angle (MOA) marks on the reticle at all magnification levels. FFP reticles are enjoying peak popularity today, but many shooters are ill-served by them. The trick to knowing when to select FFP or Second…

Odds are your first (or one of your first) guns was an air rifle. Light, quiet, affordable air rifles make great sense for anyone learning to shoot and handle firearms, but even as your shooting skills and the size of your quarry increases that doesn’t mean that you’ve outgrown the performance of an air gun. There are many compelling reasons to hunt with an air rifle. These quiet, cost-effective hunting guns are capable of outstanding accuracy within reasonable limits and pack enough punch to take down pests around your home, small game like squirrels and rabbits, and predators. But modern air rifles are capable of much more than that. Have you ever considered tackling deer or feral hogs with an air gun? How about the most notorious member of Africa’s…

You might be surprised to hear that although airguns have been used for hunting game since the Napoleonic era, airgun hunting record books have been lumped into the same category as centerfire rifles — until 2020. The demand to include airguns as its own category has grown due to the capabilities of the modern airgun to ethically harvest big game. Organizations like the American Hunting Legion and Safari Club International (SCI) are two organizations that keep records of big game kills with an airgun. The American Hunting Legion was founded in 2020 to be a central hub for the airgun hunting community. It began as a response to the tremendous popularity of airguns taking big game, but being lumped together with centerfire rifles in the record books. Seeking to establish…

From red dots to low-powered variable optics (LVPO) to medium-powered scopes, there are many great optic choices for an airguns. The great thing about air rifle optics is that you don’t need to dig deep into your pocket to get something that is useful and durable. For $170, an Axeon Optics 4-16x44mm etched-dot riflescope may be all you need to make your precision shots. The 4-16x44 features adjustable turrets, a side-parallax adjustment, and has a duplex reticle. What’s nice is that the scope is also designed for handpumped, CO , PCP and break-barrel airguns. The 2 mechanics of break-barrel airguns causes a sharp jolt to the rifle that can break an optic. For this reason, if you have a break-barrel rifle, ensure that the scope is designed for that platform.…

HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON M1 GARAND Q: I’m starting to arrange my estate details — though I’m not imminently planning to “check out” — and wonder if you’d provide an estimate of valuation for one of my M1 Garands. Chambered for .30-’06, the receiver is a Harrington & Richardson (HRA), serial number 4688XXX, which is lightly engraved “O-66” just behind the rear sight. The HRA barrel is marked “1-53”. It is in wonderful condition. I’ve had it for more than 40 years, and bought it here in Lawrence, Kansas, from a fellow who said it belonged to his dad. I’ve shot it a few times and it’s quite accurate at 300 yards, but I have others to shoot so this one mostly stays home. At first, I felt the “O-66” marking…

ON THE SURFACE, the name “Falco” might suggest a new holster brand that is attempting to immitate “Galco.” However, the similarity of name is a coincidence. Falco’s history started in 1989, and the name refers to the company’s business of sewing simple leather holsters and falconry gloves for the European market. (Note the falcon image in the logo, also.) Using both European- and American-made materials, Falco’s early days began with one man in his garage, a forestry teacher with a passion for hunting and shooting. At age 14, CEO Robert Kovác joined his father in sewing holsters. Kovác now leads the company. Initially, Falco only made a few models of holsters using cow leather. Some of the original holsters are still relevant and are included among their best-selling products. Today,…

MOST COMMERCIAL AMMUNITION manufacturers have standards used for loading ammunition that include testing and measuring what the pressure inside the cartridge case is when a round is fired. In actuality, manufacturers that are members of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) spend huge amounts of time and money to ensure that their ammunition is loaded to accepted specifications for pressure performance. These specifications encompass the equipment used, techniques used and a common set of pressure standards for ammunition. In today’s age of rampant lawsuits, it is important for these manufacturers to ensure that they use accepted practices and techniques to control the manufacture of ammunition while producing consistent and safe products. I thought it might be interesting to share some of these standards, and highlight the equipment and…

DURING THE MID-1990s, states began enacting legislation that allowed “shall-issue” concealed-carry permits for law-abiding citizens. This created a resurgence in demand for pocket pistols throughout the U.S., which resulted in lengthy backorders for guns such as double-action-only autos, as well as the rise of lightweight subcompacts, some with polymer frames. AMT, Beretta, Colt, Glock, Kahr, Kel-Tec, Rohrbaugh, Ruger, SIG Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Taurus and Walther are just some of the brands that responded to that demand with products that advanced today’s concept of an “everyday carry” gun. In 1998, Joe Roebuck was one of the innovators who anticipated the need for a safe, simple-to-use and affordable firearm intended for concealed carry. Meanwhile, larger companies raced to scale down the size of existing platforms. Roebuck already had the requisite skills…

Air rifle shooting and hunting is growing in popularity, and air rifles are becoming capable tools for sportsmen. Air rifles will always be great for teaching fundamentals of marksmanship to new shooters and youth. However, the velocities and energies carried by sophisticated projectiles and delivered accurately from modern air rifles make them lethal options in the hands of hunters. Join us afield. To discover more about hunting with air, visit www.ANewWayToHunt.com.…

THIS CATEGORY BEGINS with smaller species like grey, pine, and ground squirrels, and includes animals as large as foxes and coyotes. For the very smallest animals in this group, such as ground squirrels, you could rely on a .177 rifle so long as the range was very short. But if you consistently hunt larger animals including cottontails and jackrabbits, fox squirrels, woodchucks, and other similar-sized game, it’s time to step up to a .22 air rifle. Twenty-two-caliber air rifles can deliver 14-grain, .22 pellets at around 1,000 feet per second (fps), and generate roughly 30 foot-pounds (ft.-lbs.) of muzzle energy, which is considerably more punch than you’ll get from a .177 air rifle that generates less than 12 ft.-lbs. of energy when firing an 8-grain projectile at 800 fps. With…

Umarex Airguns is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of airguns. They offer a rich assortment of guns that cover the gamut of plinking, hunting and firearms training. From traditional BB guns that are great educational tools for kids, to licensed replicas of popular firearm pistols, to big-bore hunting rifles capable of taking down large game, Umarex has the entire family covered for a lifetime of air-powered enjoyment. Together with Axeon Optics, Exude Lights and Rekt Dart Launchers, Umarex can supply anything you may need for your next airgun outing. This includes ammo, riflescopes, red dots, lights, high-pressure handpumps and compressor, CO cartridges, magazines, and 2 cleaning and maintenance products. For those looking for training guns, Umarex Airguns offers airsoft guns and supplies under their Elite Force brand, and…