Guns Magazine articles from February 2007

Guns Magazine archives from February 2007

Wisecracks.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... As a new subscriber I was quite surprised to read Charles Petty's wisecrack answer to an honest question in his CZ 452 article in your September issue. "I don't need no stinkin' target" seems to indicate a person who is not interested in...

Oopsie dept.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Thank you for the great article about Brad Pitt and me in the October issue. It was very complimentary and I really appreciate it. I was a bit disturbed my photographer Mike McKinnon not only didn't get credit for the great pictures he took of...

Don't load it.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Let me tell you guys about a really scary experience I've had. I am a recent gunshot survivor. I went to my cousin's house to test fire a rifle he wanted to sell, a Savage 7mm Magnum bolt action. Neither of us knew the safety was broken. He...

More oopsie dept.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... My thanks to Glenn Barnes for his review of One Ragged Hole sights in the November issue, however, the phone number listed is wrong. The correct contact info is: One Ragged Hole, P.O. Box 13624, Tallahassee, FL 32317, (850) 559-7385,...

Likes old mags, too.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Thank you for providing the 50-year (1955, 1956) editions of GUNS on the Web. As a new subscriber (second year now) to your print copy, I look forward to receiving/reading it each month, but, honestly, I think I anticipate the "first of the...

Of wood: and stocks.(RIFLEMAN)
February 1, 2007... Bill Dowtin knows wood. Specifically, he knows fine walnut. For over 30 years this Great Falls, Montana, gunmaker has traveled literally to the ends of the earth searching for fine gunstock blanks. Initially he sought out reliable sources...

Vehicle defense: guns or trucks?(RANGING SHOTS[TM])
February 1, 2007... There has been much ado about guns and vehicles and how to defend and fight with guns around vehicles. Much of what has been written is in a format of, draw your gun this way, open the deer this way, and rail your body out this way. All of this...

Saving ol' smokey: relining the barrel.(THE SMITHY)
February 1, 2007... A lot of times you run into an old rifle in real good mechanical condition, usually with no finish to speak of, but just a good feel when you put it to your shoulder. If it's "affordable," the bore is often shot, yet many of us optimistically...

Ammo exotica: have you tried a Colibri?(RIMFIRES)
February 1, 2007... A friend asked several years ago, "Have you tried a Colibri?" Living as I do on the US-Mexico border, I thought he was referring to the latest tropical cocktail from Acapulco, but before I could reply he said, "It's so quiet." Now he had...

Mouse gun fodder: choosing ammo for our littlest defensive guns.(AMMO)
February 1, 2007... Even though the Jedi masters would rail against it, we all know lots of folks carry itty-bitty pistols or revolvers for personal defense. Small guns chambered for .22, .25 and .32 cartridges are popular for their light weight and easy...

About "Trusty Rusty": rust on a handgun can signal problems more than skin deep.(HANDGUNS)
February 1, 2007... Who among us hasn't heard a fellow shooter refer to his gun as "Trusty Rusty"? Heck, I've uttered the words myself. The fact is, though, it's tough to put "trusty" and "rusty" in the same sentence unless your tongue is at least a little bit in...

Smith & Wesson Model 22-4 .45 ACP: rejoice, big-bore revolver fans.(MONTANA MUSINGS)
February 1, 2007... In my opinion Smith & Wesson is headed down the right track, in large part guided by none other than Clint Smith. In 2004 they reintroduced the Model 21 .44 Special under the guise of a Thunder Ranch Revolver. (In terms of models it was...

Fabrique Nationale's FN-49: last of the WWII-era battle rifles.(SURPLUS LOCKER)
February 1, 2007... It is distinctive in its lines. Crafted from machined steel and walnut wood. Imported via the surplus pipeline in a variety of calibers from many countries. Turns up frequently at gun shows. Was the evolutionary ancestor of the FN-FAL and its...

Budget blaster: Hi-Point C9 9mm.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2007... Question time. How much would you pay for a brand-new, 9-shot, American-made 9mm semiauto with very easy to see sights, shoots to point of aim and total reliability thrown in? Would $500 sound reasonable? Sounds like a great bargain doesn't it?...

Holster exotica: form follows function, but sometimes, ya just gotta have style!(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2007... For some years now, Wilson Combat has been offering a very functional line of gunleather. Founder and head honcho Bill Wilson fought his way up in the gun-smithing business to become a manufacturer of fine firearms and accessories and a...

The Gaucho: top notch single action revolvers from Taurus.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2007... Authentic down to the four clicks of the hammer's cocking, these low-priced "Peacemakers" are amazingly tight, smooth and shootable. Early in 2005, I checked out the Taurus clones of the Colt Single Action Army at the SHOT Show and...

Snake in the pocket: Cobra derringers are itty-bitty hideout guns.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
February 1, 2007... They made a huge mistake. The 7 1/2" .45 was removed from the black holster with the silver chess knight medallion, however they forgot something. Behind his belt buckle was his backup gun, a Remington derringer. How many times did we see...

6.5 Remington Mag.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2007... Q: Can you please shed a little light on the Remington 660 in 6.5 Remington Mag? I am the second owner of this beautiful little rifle passed down through the family. In fact, the original box of ammo came with it minus 15 rounds. I have...

Rethinking the .357 Magnum: bigger isn't always better.
February 1, 2007... When I entered handgunning in 1966, the .357 Magnum was the undisputed "King Of The Heap" among revolvers. It was America's top cop-caliber then and .357s were far more common as sportsmen's sidearms than hard-kicking .44 Magnums or the brand...

Minimalist thoughts on self defense: do more with less for a reason.
February 1, 2007... We are all familiar with the acronym KISS and what it means although the sensitive at heart may he irked by the stupid "S". Conceptually, if you like concepts, the thoughts then is, less or less complicated is better. If a device has 100 parts...

A heavenly match: tack driving accuracy from Sigarms 220 single action only .45 ACP.
February 1, 2007... The handgun world is so overflowing with 1911 .45 autos our magazine constantly gets complaints from readers who think it gets too much space here. Many of the complainants are people who don't like the feel of the 1911 per se or have been...

Feed all frontstuffer: savage's ever versatile 10 ML-II.
February 1, 2007... It's the world's most versatile muzzleloading rifle. It likes black powder. It likes black powder substitutes and it thrives on smokeless. Savage's latest Model 10ML-II is the refinement of a design originally produced and patented by Henry...

Seven revolution: it's not your grandpa's .30-.30.
February 1, 2007... Anytime someone thinks of changing a sacred icon they best walk very carefully. You simply don't mess with morn, the flag, apple pie or the traditional lever action shooting either a flatnosed or roundnosed bullet. But now everything is upside...

A request for bids.(RIGHTS WATCH)
February 1, 2007... When two gun-rights groups disagree over proposed legislation, it's fair to assume gun owners are going to feel conflicted. That's the case with HR 1415, the "NICS Improvement Act," introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, one of the most...

Marines rescue three, confiscate weapons.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... Marines from 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, rescued three hostages and uncovered a large weapons cache, including a fully-assembled vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, during Operation Spotlight last July. The intelligence-driven...

Wounded Marine awarded Navy Cross: hall of heroes.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... Sgt. Maj. Bradley A. Kasal, for his extraordinary heroism and leadership in Fallujah, Iraq, as the Weapons Company first sergeant for 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, was awarded the Navy Cross last May. When...

8.1 metric tons of cocaine seized.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... (Another Kind Of Terror) The guided missile frigate USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29) recently scored her third successful takedown of narcotics trafficking vessels in less than two weeks, and assisted in the takedown of a fourth,...

Helping mend: unsung heroes.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... Dear Colonel Folsom, Since my husband was killed in October 2005, my kids' have not had a chance to just be children and have some fun. They are paying the price for our freedom: the loss of their father: Wounded Warriors' most generous...

Keeping extremists at bay.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... Spec. Jose Pantoja shows off the danger of his mission along the border region of eastern Afghanistan: a scar on his cheek from an enemy bullet. During one of the longest firefights his company has encountered--nearly four hours long--three...

Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... Matthew Bracken's latest novel is a brave, book. It s brave because it s a sequel, and expectations from a readership that embraced his first book, Enemies Foreign and Domestic, are high. It's brave because he believes in the grand purpose of...

USAF's new flywatter.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS)
February 1, 2007... The new Boeing-built GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb I has been delivered for use on the F-15E Strike Eagle ahead of schedule and under cost. Future platforms include the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, F-22 Raptor and F-35...

Sight picture.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2007... Q: What is the proper sight picture for shooting buckhorn sights? Are they similar to peep sights in that the front sight is centered between the horns? My Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt is great, but I am not consistent in my shooting, though I am a...

Ammo switch.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2007... Q: What kind of ammo can the Taurus Titanium Tracker handle? My similar revolver is the stainless steel version, ported with adjustable sights. Can it also safely fire .45 Colt ammo? There certainly seems to be enough room to fit the longer...

GAP in ACP?(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
February 1, 2007... Q: Can I shoot the .45 GAP in my .45 ACP 19117 I'd like to try it out before I put out the money for a new gun. Alex Orville via e-mail A: No, it's not a good idea at all. The majority of auto pistols headspace on the case mouth,...

A pair of sevens: two custom gems from the Guild.(A GUNS MEDLEY)
February 1, 2007... Each year, the American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) and the Firearms Engravers Guild of America (FEGA), hast a joint exhibition, usually held in Reno, Nevada. As a part of this annual event, the ACGG sponsors a firearms raffle project each...

Frankford Arsenal Electronic Digital Caliper.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... I sometimes think of myself (and often regarded by others) as somewhat of a dinosaur. I think the 1950s were the best and the older classic firearms stir my heart, soul, mind and spirit more than 21st century types even though the latter are...

Insight's Integrated Sighting Module for small arms.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... Six months ago I was writing an article on electronic optical gun-sights, visible lasers, weaponlights and IR aiming and illumination units for military rifles, and predicting some smart outfit was going to combine these goodies into one neatly...

Comp-Tac Victory Gear.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... Having been a proponent of good leather holsters ever the years, I prefer the inside the waistband versions made by Milt Sparks for daily defensive carry and teaching. Yet, there being a thorn to most roses, I also developed a monster sciatic...

Eagle grips.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... Sixgunners will find many grip materials of interest at Eagle including ivory, buffalo horn (a very deep gloss-black material from the horns of the Asian buffalo), mother of pearl and, occasionally, genuine Sambar stag which has been very hard...

California leather works.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... Much ado is often made over beefsteaks, even I have been known to partake of the residue of cows... even though I don't care much for the creature. I think primarily after the thing was killed for the hide somebody came up with the idea to...

Frontier Holsters CDs.(QUARTERMASTER)
February 1, 2007... One of the great benefits of Cowboy Action Shooting has been the great interest in authentic leather of the period with several leather makers offering high quality, old-style patterns. One of those individuals is Chuck Burrows of Wild Rose...

New Strikeforce accessories: from Advanced Technology.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Advanced Technology and LaserLyte have teamed to produce the new StrikeForce 5mw/500-yard laser and mount system for the Hi-Point 9mm carbine replacement stock. The laser and mount combination is integrated inside the stock, directly under the...

New compact XD 45 ACP: from Springfield.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Springfield has expanded its popular XD line of semiautomatics to include a new compact .45 ACP with a 4" barrel and a shortened grip. Other features include a 10-round compact magazine and a 13-round Service Model with XD Gear X-Tension. The...

New "Power Center": from Sinclair Int.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... The new Power Center from Sinclair Int. is a compact, quiet, low rpm motor with enough torque to handle turning thick case necks. The motor is attached to a gear head and turns at 200 rpm with a torque rating of 43 in-lbs. The motor and gear...

The "Silent Partner": from BlackHawk.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... BlackHawk Blades, the new cutlery division of BlackHawk Products Group, introduced the Silent Partner tactical knife. The Silent Partner features a 3.2" precision ground 440C stainless steel hollow-ground, drop-point blade, textured G-10 scales...

New Outdoors catalog: from BlackHawk.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... BlackHawk Products Group has published its first catalog for hunters and shooters. BlackHawk Outdoors is a 120-page color catalog featuring products, gear and accessories for the sports enthusiast. It features the finest in packs, slings and...

New Charge multi-tool: from Leatherman.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Leatherman Products has added three new models to its line of Charge multitool series. The TTi, AL and ALX feature locking blades, diamond-coated files, multiple bit drivers and a knife blade with one of the longest cutting edges of any...

New Howa hunting rifle: from Legacy Sports Int.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Legacy Sports introduces the new Howa Axiom hunting and benchrest rifle. The Axiom features a rugged billet aluminum or fiber glass-reinforced polymer construction stock, instantly adjustable length-of-pull from 11.5" to 15.5", dual recoil...

Bushmaster accessories: from MidwayUSA.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Owners of the popular Bushmaster line of high performance rifles will rejoice at the convenience of one-stop shopping for accessories at MidwayUSA. The Bushmaster accessory lineup includes AR-15 uppers in several configurations, magazines,...

Palm-size telescope: from Minox/USA.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... The new 8x25 Macroscope from Minox/USA is a minitelescope that fits in the palm of your hand. It measures 3 5/8 x 2 1/4 x 1 3/4", weighs only 5.3 ounces and still delivers high-quality optical performance from a close-focus distance of just 13...

New searchlights: from Xousia Systems.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Xousia Systems Group has added two new searchlights to its line of innovative lighting products. The Polarion Model PH40 and PF40 portable high-intensity-discharge searchlights deliver massive light beams, while measuring just 12' long and...

New 20-round magazine: from Volquartsen Custom.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... Volquartsen Custom has designed a new 20-round magazine for 10/22 rifles chambered in .22 WMR or .17 HMR calibers. Both aftermarket replacement magazines are precision machined from solid billet aluminum and have been tested extensively to...

New Pursuit XLT Extreme: from Traditions Firearms.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... The Pursuit XLT Extreme is a new muzzle-loader.50 caliber rifle from Traditions Performance Firearms featuring an innovative recoil system from Knoxx Industries, which reduces felt recoil up to 75 percent. The system uses a cam, roller and...

New accurizing ring: from R2L Enterprises.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2007... ScopeGhost is a small translucent red vinyl ring that attaches to the outside center of the eyepiece lens of A full-size telescopic rifle sight to eliminate parallax shooting errors. ScopeGhost ensures perfect and consistent eye-to-scope...

Old West Reproductions, Inc.: fabulous frontier-style leather.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 1, 2007... Something about the smell and feel of good leather makes me smile, something you can't say about Kydex. Rick Bachman is the genius behind OWR and he personally handcrafts each piece. The leather is top-notch quality, the workmanship is nothing...

My camel is dying.(ODD ANGRY SHOT)
February 1, 2007... In my heart, I know she kinda wishes her back would just go ahead and break. She'd be crippled, but she d still be alive, and recognizable as a camel. There are so many "last straws" piled haphazardly on her achin' back she now resembles an...

The last of the breed: Col. Jeff Cooper 1920-2006.(CAMPFIRE TALES)
February 1, 2007... I was stuck. I had been working 10 hours a day plus six hours on Saturday morning, leaving only Saturday afternoons for shooting. However, during the recession of 1958 work was cut to 40 hours and now I had Saturday all to myself. Almost....