Guns Magazine articles from February 2006

Guns Magazine archives from February 2006

Duke fan.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I've enjoyed GUNS Magazine since you began publishing 50 years ago! I sure would love to see more articles by "Duke" Venturino on BPCR. There are just not enough articles and, add to that, your magazine just does not come fast enough either....

Duke, John and Clint fan.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I just read your 50th anniversary issue of GUNS. I think you have three of the best gun writers that ever put pen to paper in Clint Smith, John Taffin and Mike Venturino. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Taffin at the Atlanta SHOT Show...

New owners.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I'd like to make a small correction pertaining to the "The High Road for the High Wall" article. We are the current owners as of September 2, 2005. Our names are William and Louise Northrup and the company name is Ballard Rifle & Cartridge Co.,...

A salute.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I get sooooo sick of all the "doom and gloom" stories the mainstream (you all know whom I mean) media puts out about our boys and girls in Iraq. I think it's fantastic that GUNS has been dedicating some space to the good things our troops...

Go airborn.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I am an Airborne Infantryman currently serving in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. I found your magazine in a Porta-Potty and it is the best gun magazine I've ever read. I couldn't believe the give away. Too bad I found the magazine...

Can cops shoot? If so, how well?(HANDGUNS)
February 1, 2006... Jokes about cops shooting poorly are legion in some quarters. Having taught cops for more than 30 years, I wish to take some exception. We all know the stories. The cop who misses the whole target at seven paces. The cop whose gun was rusted...

Of glass and brakes: they're not just for cars.(RIFLEMAN)
February 1, 2006... One of my favorite rimfire rifles is a Ruger 77/22 target model in .22 Magnum. With its laminated stock, stainless steel action and barrel, it is a handsome rifle and, with the right ammunition, a very accurate rifle. It shoots well with most...

Love at first sight: warning: Zeiss' new Conquest may spoil you for other riflescopes!(OPTICS)
February 1, 2006... Did you ever have something made especially for you? I remember my sweetheart presenting me with a necktie she'd sewn herself. The year was 1972, and in the style of the times, that tie was about as wide as a canoe paddle, but I thought it was...

The .38 special: one of our favorite rounds.(AMMO)
February 1, 2006... Of course we can't prove it, but my bet is that more people carry .38 Special revolvers--specifically S&W J-frames than all other handguns combined. After all, they have been around since 1950 and define the term "'pocket pistol." Police...

American military rifle cartridges: the US government arsenals created our most enduring rounds.(MONTANA MUSINGS)
February 1, 2006... In going through my rifle racks the other day it dawned on me just how much influence the American military has had on my gun buying over the years. In my vault I counted 27 rifles chambered for what had started out as US Army cartridges. It...

Creepy crawlie safari: you need the right gun and ammo for this unique sporting adventure.(RIMFIRES)
February 1, 2006... During the closing days of summer, I get a slight tinge of bloodlust. Having done battle for the preceding four months with back-biting horse flies, stinging bees, voracious grasshoppers, and dive-bombing dragonflies, I get this itchy trigger...

Technology vs. technique: separating the wheat from the chaff.(RANGING SHOTS[TM])
February 1, 2006... There is a line from the Tom Selleck movie Quigley Down Under, where Matthew Quigley is talking about handguns: "Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it." And, I would concur with this sage advice. I often...

The ACOG is here! Better yet, you don't have to wait for surplus to own one.(SURPLUS LOCKER)
February 1, 2006... Sometimes we don't have to wait for military hardware to become surplus. A recent example is the civilian release of the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight. Known as Trijicon's "ACOG," it is seen nightly on TV in the hands of the US Marines,...

Center of mass tactical holsters.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2006... Gun shows are wonderful events for meeting again with old friends, searching out books, bullet molds, leather, accessories and especially that long sought after sixgun. I don't care much for large gun shows with high-quality sixguns and...

A case for a custom case.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2006... Another nasty byproduct of the cowardly 9/11 attacks has trickled down to travelers all across the county. The way it used to be, if you were traveling by airline and your bag was a little heavy or you had one bag too many, you might get away...

Charles Daly EFST: a full-featured 1911 for a budget price.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2006... The list of players in the market for 1911 pistols just keeps growing and, frankly, getting more and more interesting. We've seen imported pistols before and lots of them seem to get a bad rap just because they weren't made here, but the fact...

577/.450.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2006... Q: In Holt Bodinson's "Surplus Locker" on the Martini-Henry, he shows a 577/.450 round next to a drawing. The round in the drawing looks like it's made up from pieces. If that's true, how could such a round have worked? Frank Morgan ...

Garand port pressure.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2006... Q: You mentioned in reloading for the M1 Garand to stay with powders with medium burning rates. I don't reload and shoot my Garand with whatever factory ammo is on sale. Is all factory ammo safe for use in a Garand? Don Miller via...

Sharps cartridges.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2006... Q: I read "Duke's" article on the Quigley rifle with great interest. Mike mentioned the longest cartridge the Sharps Co. chambered in their guns had a case length of 2 7/8" long. However, I must point out the "longest" cartridge the original...

The T2K: a great shooter designs a great rifle.
February 1, 2006... David Tubb has won more national titles than any other American rifleman. His wins include 12 National High Power championships at Camp Perry, nearly 30 national titles in Metallic Silhouette, shooting in all four rifle categories: six NRA Long...

HK P2000 SK: a nifty, accurate little pocket pistol.
February 1, 2006... Heckler & Koch has built a successful family of pistols on a lineage traced to the original USP (Universal Service Pistol), and over the years it has been my privilege to examine more than a few. The latest in the list is the P2000 SK a compact...

A premium predator: smooth as a National Match, this high-end "factory custom" 1911 delivers accuracy and controllability.
February 1, 2006... A new company called Nighthawk Custom joins Wilson Custom, Ed Brown, Les Baer, D&L Sports, and Rock River as a provider of high-end "factory custom" 1911 pistols. We tested the Nighthawk Predator, a 5"-barrel .45 ACP. First impression:...

The French Berthier: the world's ugliest battle rifle started life as a 3-shooter. How dumb was that?
February 1, 2006... It had been four hours, perhaps more, since Jean Pierre and Papa had slithered over the parapet towards the slight depressions marking the path through the wire and picked their way as quietly as possible to the listening post. They had taken...

Smith & Wesson N frames: the early years.
February 1, 2006... Growing up in Mingo County, West Virginia, along the border with Kentucky, my early exposure to double-action revolvers was considerable. That area was the site of the infamous Hatfield/McCoy feud and the extremely violent Coal Mine/Union Wars...

War Smiths.
February 1, 2006... During WWI, the British--forever short of firearms--bought a number of "Triplelocks" chambered for the .455 cartridge and right away thought the large under lug encasing the ejector rod and third lock was not needed, especially in the mud of...

Stand your ground.(RIGHTS WATCH)
February 1, 2006... Gonna stand my ground. And I won't back down--Tom Petty Back in 1993, Florida had a problem. Tourists were being killed and the media was screaming bloody murder. Tourism being a mainstay of their economy, the state was desperate to turn...

Leupold duo make their mark.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Laura Peter and Allen Tucker, both Leupold/Stevens employees, are becoming firmly established in the top ranks of competition shooting. In 2004 Peter, a hunting and shooting market specialist for Leupold, won the Women's High Power Silhouette...

House passes Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... With a 283-144 bi-partisan vote, the US House of Representatives passed a landmark bill to block lawsuits holding firearm manufacturers liable for the criminal misuse of their lawfully sold products. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms...

Energy revenues and sportsmen.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... A number of sportsmen's groups, including NSSF, have signed a letter urging a percentage of revenues from oil and gas production on federal lands and the Outer Continental Shelf be directed to impacted areas. This would provide adequate...

Waterfowl conservation.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Governors on opposite ends of the Mississippi Flyway are seeking a new Wetlands Loan Act, which would borrow from future federal duck stamp revenues for immediate benefit of key waterfowl habitats. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D) and...

Ban on bear hunting questioned.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Many Canadians are blaming the significant increase in black bear sightings and unwanted encounters in Ontario, Canada, on the provincial ban on spring black bear hunting that was put in place in the late 1990s. The hunt kept the population in...

"Untouchables" foil insurgents: hall of unsung heroes.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Thought to be one of the four rivers to flow from the Garden of Eden and known to be the heart of ancient civilizations like Sumeria and Babylonia, the Euphrates River now supplies water for coalition forces based in the Al Anbar province. ...

Turkey hunting safety.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... To make a safe sport even safer, the National Wild Turkey Federation and International Hunting Education Association are distributing a new two-disk CD-ROM and DVD set as the newest learning tools for teaching turkey hunting safety. Sponsored...

Marine wins 7th national title.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Gunnery Sgt. Brian R. Zins, Marine Corps Pistol Team competitor and six-time national individual pistol champion, won an unprecedented 7th national championship at the National Rifle Association National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio, last July....

Gun sales up, crime down.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... As firearm sales continue to rise, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) says the nations crime rate in 2004 remained at the lowest level in more than 30 years, reports the Associated Press. Since 1993, violent crime has fallen by 57 percent and...

Gunsmiths win excise tax exemption.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... It's been a long time coming, but the Federal Excise Tax Exemption for custom gunmakers is now a reality. During the last week of August, NRA-ILA helped win an important, but not highly publicized, victory for small custom gunsmiths....

New York bans online hunting.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... New York has joined a growing list of states to ban Internet hunting, reports the Associated Press. The state's new law includes a fine of up to $2,500 for those who partake in online hunting or set up an online hunting Web site. A number of...

Marine pilot receives Distinguished Flying Cross: hall of heroes.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Captain Steven Clifton, aviation safety officer, HMM-161, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, received the Distinguished Flying Cross, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar last July, for his service during a casualty evacuation...

Pheasant group help quail.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Pheasants Forever, which has grown from its founding in 1982 to 110,000 members and 600 chapters, has announced plans to extend its successful organizational model for habitat development by forming Quail Forever. The new group will be...

Equine encephalitis in deer.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, collaborating with Michigan State University, confirmed two cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in white-tailed deer from Kent County, followed by two additional confirmations from the same...

Ban paintball guns?(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Claiming that current versions of paintball and airsoft guns look too much like illegal guns, a British crime-reduction bill seeks to ban "realistic imitation firearms" from production. The definition of "realistic" is anyone's guess, but a...

Crackdown on illegal gun transfers.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Los Angeles police want gun buyers to know they can be arrested for giving or selling a gun to someone without the legal background check, especially if the gun turns up at a crime scene. A new city program launched in two high-crime areas will...

Browning endowment for NRA Foundation.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... The Browning Co. has created the John M. Browning Endowment to honor the name of the company's founder and to ensure a permanent funding source for shooting programs. The endowment is part of the NRA Foundation, which will fund the NRA Shooting...

Taking aim at hunting stereotypes.(NEWS)
February 1, 2006... Did you know that 58 percent of hunting-license buyers have attended college, 10 percent have associate degrees, 19 percent have bachelor's degrees, 5 percent earned their master's degree and 3 percent can put "Ph.D." after their names?...

Leupold's zero point magnetic, illuminated boresighter.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2006... I heard about this gizmo from a gunsmith friend of mine. My first impressions were: it's small (1.75 ounces and 4.9" long) and: how in the world does it work? Truth is, I have no idea, but it gets the job done. It attaches to the muzzle...

Belt mountain base pins.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2006... When a single action's cylinder doesn't fit the base pin correctly, it exhibits itself in several ways such as a pin jumping forward under recoil and/or allowing a lot of play in the cylinder. The easy fix for both of these problems is with a...

New .308 rifle: from ArmaLite.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... ArmaLite has introduced its new Model XM110 semiautomatic sniper-system .308 rifle. The Super SASS is designed to be equipped with a Leupold 3.5-10X scope with detachable rings and back lens flip covers. It will be formally presented at the...

New Remington stocks: from advanced technology.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Advanced Technology has produced new aftermarket stocks for Remington Model 7600, 7615, 760 and 740 pump-action rifles. The three new stocks are the Tactical Buttstock with Butt Pad (pictured), Pistol-Grip Buttstock and Top-Folding Stock with...

New 10/22 accessory kits: from Boyds' Gunstock.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Boyds' Gunstock Industries has partnered with the E.R. Shaw Co. to produce target-weight aftermarket barrels for the popular 10/22 Ruger rifle in .17 Mach 2 and .22 LR calibers. The 18"-long barrels have a muzzle diameter of .920" and are...

New micro-meter tank: from AirForce Airguns.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... AirForce Airguns now offers owners of its line of high-performance air rifles the ability to shoot hundreds of rounds of low-velocity target pellets without stopping to refuel. The new Micro-Meter tank delivers extended shooting time for air...

Three new AK sporters: from Century International Arms.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Century Int. Arms is importing a trio of new AK-style rifles for the American sporting market. The WASR-3 semiautomatic .223 rifle (pictured) with military-type stock comes with one 10-round and one 30-round, double-stack magazine, sling and...

New 06 annual manual: from Hodgdon Powder.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Hodgdon Powder's 2006 Annual Manual offers more than 200 pages of comprehensive reloading data. The manual details more than 5,000 loads for rifles, handguns and shotguns. Information appears on five new rifle cartridges, including the .25...

Charter Arms teams: with MKS supply.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... MKS Supply, parent company of Hi-Point Firearms, has teamed with Charter Arms to revitalize its classic line of ultra-concealable, lightweight revolvers. Pictured is one of Charter Arms' most enduring handguns, the five-shot "Off Duty" .38...

New centerfire revolvers: from Heritage Mfg.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Heritage Mfg. has a pair of new center-fire Western-style Rough Rider revolvers for 2006. The .32 Magnum features a choice of 3.5", 4.75" or 6.5" barrel with birdshead grips and a satin black finish with wood laminate grips. The big-bore 1873...

Kimber Kim-Pro Tac Mag: replacement magazines that really work.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 1, 2006... A gorgeous day in the desert, boxes and boxes of ammo, an old and ugly 1911 hose primary redeeming feature is its unfailing reliability and a handful of Kimber's new Kim-Pro Tac Mags. This doesn't feel like work. What more could a girl want?...

You can win this free FM Hi-Power detective and Mitch Rosen holster.
February 1, 2006... The enduring 9mm Hi-Power was John Browning's last design and many feel one of his best. It has been issued to police and military around the world and is still in production in Belgium and Argentina. Our version. given away free to one lucky...

The odd angry shot: guns & cars, shooting & driving.(ODD ANGRY SHOT)
February 1, 2006... I had shot through my course, and was standin' around generally feeling semismug--I had hit the targets more than the hillside--shooting the breeze with a buddy, when he explained his car was defunct with some kinda thrombosis of the...

The four horsemen.(CAMPFIRE TALES[TM])
February 1, 2006... February. If there is a worst month in the calendar it would have to be August with its "dog days." Way back in the dark ages of my early grade-school days August was especially dreadful. When June arrived and we were out of school once again,...