Guns Magazine articles from July 2003

Guns Magazine archives from July 2003

This ought to be interesting! (on a Positive Note).
July 1, 2003... It is with great and genuine pleasure we welcome Clint Smith aboard as a regular columnist commencing with this issue. Many of you are already familiar with Clint, and his all too infrequent feature articles always generate a great deal of...

The usual suspects. (On a Positive Note).
July 1, 2003... Certainly you remember the loud hue and cry for a federalized "ballistic fingerprinting" system that arose in the wake of the Washington, D.C., area "sniper" shooting spree. The anti-gun crowd lost no time in capitalizing upon these events. ...

Crossfire letters to guns.
July 1, 2003... We received a great many responses to our request for your "wish lists" of firearms or related products you would like to see introduced. Please feel free to let us know what's on your wish list. Send your ideas to ed@gunsmagazine.com, or you...

Hallway howitzer for home defense? (Ranging Shots).
July 1, 2003... With each new issue of our favorite GUNS magazine, it seems some kind of new handgun comes onto the marketplace. Cruising the first 40 pages I found "The Ultimate," "The Best," "The Biggest Super Magnum" and the "Minimum Magnum" -- you get the...

Bushnell Yardage Pro quest. (Quartermaster).
July 1, 2003... Personally, I've been hoping someone would introduce a light and handy laser rangefinder/binocular. Thanks to Bushnell's Yardage Pro Quest my wait is over. This unit merges an 8x36 binocular with an eye-safe laser rangefinder. Good...

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter. (Quartermaster).
July 1, 2003... Laser rangefinders have done much to ease the difficulty of making precise hits at long range. A push of a button and you instantly know the range to your target. With that dialed into your scope the hard part begins, compensating for wind....

Black Hills Gold Ammunition. (Quartermaster).
July 1, 2003... One brand of ammunition I especially respect is Black Hills Ammunition of Rapid City, S.D. After years of use, I know I can rely on this company to provide me with consistent and accurate rifle and pistol ammunition. In this regard I'm...

Rites, rituals and other ways to waste time. (Handloader).
July 1, 2003... Many of the things we reloaders do come to us by way of the everybody knows rule. We do things because we are told they are beneficial without asking for evidence. Lots of stuff sounds logical or reasonable but fails any objective test. Let me...

Offhand shooting: the rifleman's primary skill.
July 1, 2003... "Define your mission" is an important adage that applies to many projects. In talking about shooting it is inevitable that we talk about technique -- how to hold the rifle, align the sights, release the shot. The danger is getting so caught up...

The guns of Elfego Baca.
July 1, 2003... Many of us yearn for a place and time where all are fairly tested, where everyone has an equal opportunity to become heroes in the eyes of the dusty children that follow behind. A place too big for fences. Out from this misty world of history,...

Winchester's sleek Model 88. (Rifleman).
July 1, 2003... In the early '60s, when my pals and I were impatiently awaiting the opportunity to buy a deer license, the rifle we all wanted was the Winchester Model 88 lever action. Among the adults in our little farm community who let us tag along on...

Fixed vs. adjustable sights. (Handguns).
July 1, 2003... When I was young, the conventional wisdom was that you might want adjustable sights on a target pistol or a hunting revolver, but you definitely wanted fixed sights on a defensive handgun. The theory was that adjustable sights were fragile,...

Fist full o'fury: the new Savage Striker in .300 WSM is a one-hand powerhouse.
July 1, 2003... Striker! The name conjures images of coiled rattlers ready to lash out with deadly fangs. It's a good handle for the new Savage bolt-action hunter's pistol, especially when it's chambered for the 21st century .300 Winchester Short Magnum. ...

Greatest glass! A fine spotting scope is a lifetime investment. Here's the lowdown on two particularly nice units.
July 1, 2003... There are some things in life you can cut corners on -- optics though isn't one of them. Whether it's a rifle-scope, binocular, or spotting scope, it behooves you to buy the very best you can. Of course the hard part is sorting through...

The Single Action Army Colt's legendary Model P.
July 1, 2003... An inventive mind is a wonderful human attribute, however it also requires intelligence and inspiration to function. For myself, it's a waste of time to sit down to write unless I have been inspired. Inspiration might come from a piece of mail,...

Cowboy shooting then and now.
July 1, 2003... As the din of thundering horses' hooves fills the darkened room, the tall man wearing the white hat draws the silver-plated Colt in a flash matched only by lightning. "Drop the gun," our white-hatted friend declares to the mustachioed man in...

You can win this Marlin 1894 CBC.
July 1, 2003... Cowboy shooters aren't the only ones who like Marlin's handy pistol-caliber carbines, but they've sure been the inspiration for some mighty interesting new versions. That's the case here with the Marlin 1894 Cowboy Competition Carbine. The...

Ballard's No. 5 Pacific.
July 1, 2003... Abraham Zettler was a careful and prudent man. The decision to leave his native Pennsylvania for the rich farming land of the Oregon Territory was not made lightly. With the decision behind him, Abraham commenced preparations for the journey...

Where does your gun shoot? (Shotgunner).
July 1, 2003... Do you know where your shotgun shoots? When you line it up on a target, is it really delivering that shot charge where it's aimed? A few weeks ago, our little sporting clays group was out on the course and one of our members had brought...

Can you really wear out a gun?
July 1, 2003... One of the most commonly asked questions about a new gun design is "how durable is it?" Now, to be blunt, that's a silly question because, since it's new nobody really knows. But even if it's one that has been around a long time there is still...

7x50 Nighthunter. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Steiner Pioneer Research is importing the 7x50 power Steiner Nighthunter from Germany. The Nighthunter delivers outstanding optical performance in even the most demanding low light conditions. The 7x50 Nighthunter has an ultra-wide...

FNP-9 polymer pistol. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From FNH USA FNH USAs new polymer frame semi-automatic handgun is chambered in 9 X 19 and .40 S&W and weighs only 25 ounces. The Model; FNP-9 features a four-inch barrel, ambidextrous manual de-cocking lever, reversible magazine catch,...

Micarta Kagemusha. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Katz Knives The popular Kagemusha (Secret Ninja) folding knife from Katz Knives is now available with a handsome white Micarta handle. The XT80 stainless steel blade comes in choice of 3 or 3 1/2-inch blade lengths, one-hand opening...

Duke cross draw holster. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Galco Inter'al Galco's beautiful Duke single action holster rig is now available in a cross draw style. The holster is crafted from premium, top grain tan saddle leather and the three-inch belt is rough side out with a nickel-plated...

Biathlon Basic rifle. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From European American Arms European American Armory is importing the Izhmash Biathlon Basic bolt-action rifle into the U.S. Chambered in both .22LR and .22 WMR, the Biathlon Basic features a heavy barrel, scope rail and a sporter stock to...

24th Bluebook of Gun Values. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... Steve Fjestad has published his 24th edition of the Bluebook of Guns Values, featuring the new 64-page digital Photo Percentage Grading System with hundreds of color images. The 24th edition is expanded to nearly 1,800 pages and details the...

Doc Holiday holster. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From DeSantis Old West traditionalists will love the new Ooc Holiday Model 81 holster from DeSantis Gunhide. Inspired by the design popular in the 1 880s, the Doc Holiday features a high ride design and is crafted from premium fully suede...

Custom engraving. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Cimarron Cimarron Firearms' Custom Shop offers a wide variety of services, including late 19th and early 20th Century-style classic scroll engraving, period-correct finishing and custom grips in genuine ivory, ivory Micarta, ivory...

Model Single-Six .17 HMR. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Storm, Roger Sturm, Ruger now offers the Model Single-Six revolver chambered in the popular high velocity .17 Hornaday Magnum Rimfire cartridge. The .17 HMR offers superior performance and is especially designed for varmint and small...

Lewis & Clark Musket. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Cherry's Cherry's has commissioned famed Italian gunmaker Davide Pedersoli to create a stunning 200th Anniversary fully-functional commemorative 20 gauge Indian Trade flintlock musket. Limited to a production of 250 rifles, it...

BuckRidge Horizon riflescopes. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Optronics The new BuckRidge Horizon Series riflescopes from Optronics feature "horizon high definition," fully-coated optics and are waterproof, fog proof and shock proof. Available in 3x9, 6x24, 8x32, 5x20 and 4x16 powers. Styles...

Stainless HandiRifles. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From N.E Firearms New England Firearms, a division of Marlin, has added two new calibers, .233 Rem. and .243 Rem., to its line of HandiRifles. Both new rifles feature 22-inch matte stainless steel barrels with scope mount rail and hammer...

Cheetah 17 HMR pistol. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Volquartsen Custom Volquartsen Custom's new Cheetah semi-auto pistol is chambered for the .17 HMR caliber. Options include the .17 Aguila, .22LR and .22WMR. The Cheetah has a THM titanium tension barrel, solid aluminum hard anodized...

Axis Auto folder. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Benchmade The new Model 5000 Axis automatic folding knife from Benchmade features a new safety system that locks open and closed, even if the coil spring should fail. The locking mechanism may also be activated with either hand. The...

High capacity option. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Para-Ordnance The Tac-Four is the latest addition to Para-Ordnances line of Carry Option sem-automatic pistols. The .45 ACP stainless steel Tac-Four offers 13+1 rounds of firepower, a 4.25-inch barrel offering extra sight radius and...

Ti-Lite folder. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Cold Steel The Ti-Lite tactical folder, designed by noted custom knife maker Phil Boguszewski, features a super sharp four-inch AUS 8A stainless steel blade and a CNC milled drop-forged Titanium handle. The full-length spring lock...

New stock designs. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From U.S. Repeating Arms U.S. Repeating Arms has added a pair of new stock designs to its line of hunting rifles. Both the Super and the Ultimate Shadow are now available in synthetic stocks featuring handsome, sure-grip textures,...

Gold Series shotguns. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Diamond Guns Diamond Guns, a division of AUCO Sales, introduces its new Gold Series 12-gauge shotguns. The Gold Series is available in barrel lengths from 18 to 30 inches with choice of polished Turkish walnut stock and hand checkered...

New Sauer Model 202 rifle. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Sigorms The new Saurer Model 202 bolt-action Take-Down rifle combines the quality and classic design of old world craftsmanship with modern tech nological advancements. Designed for the hunter, the Model 202 offers quick caliber...

Storm Lite shotgun. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From Ithaca Gun Ithaca introduces its new Storm Lite series of lightweight shotguns. The new Storms, the Turkeyslayer and Waterfowl, feature a Model 37 frame, all solid steel receiver, bottom load and ejection feature and composite...

Folding utility knife. (New Products).
July 1, 2003... From RDR Tools The Superknife is a folding utility knife that offers the versatility of interchangeable standard household size or contractor grade blades. The regular Superknife folds down to 3.5 inches and the mini Superknife folds down...

NAA Guardian 32 NAA. (Out of the Box).
July 1, 2003... There seems to be an insatiable demand today for downsized carry guns. Whether it's the rapid proliferation of "shall issue" concealed carry laws, or the remaining vacuum in the small auto pistol market created by GCA '68, there are more good...

Kahr T9. (Out of the Box).
July 1, 2003... Let's just say it right out -- this is a cool gun. Kind of "Kahr-Cool" I'd say, but I won't, because people would groan and throw things then. But, nonetheless, Kahr has broken a bit of newish ground here, and I'll tell you exactly why. ...

Steyr-Mannlicher SBS "Light Tactical". (Out of the Box).
July 1, 2003... Introduced to appeal to the law enforcement market, the SBS Tactical series rifles were an outgrowth of the earlier SBS ProHunter. Principal modifications were the addition of an over-sized bolt knob, as well as an optional high-capacity (10...

Time Marches On. (Campfire Tales).
July 1, 2003... Ron Elerick was my friend, all 6 feet 10 inches and 390 pounds of him. He was a friend in the deepest and truest sense of the word and the only friend I ever had who made me look small when I was with him. Ron had been a state trooper in Alaska...