Guns Magazine articles from May 2006

Guns Magazine archives from May 2006

Sticker shock.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... As I thumb through and read GUNS, American COE Combat Handguns, and American Handgunnner I see all the fine new sidearms. Smith, Para, Baer, Wilson, Springfield just to name a few. Outstanding firearms all to be sure. But WOW Zowee! Great...

Return of the special.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... In 1953, L. "Slim" Hollembaek, 26, joined the Casper, Wyoming, Police Department. An avid shooter, fan and reader of Elmer Keith, Officer Hollembaek was inspired to order a Smith & Wesson Model 1950.44 Special revolver. The 6 1/2" barrel...

Is the .357 dead? The truth is somewhere in between.(AMMO)
May 1, 2006... I'm sure some of you remember how Dick Tracy touted the .357 Magnum as, "The world's most powerful handgun." And it had a cachet of its own, not nearly as great as Dirty Harry's .44 a couple of decades later, but it definitely started magnum...

IDPA enhanced service pistol: single action, medium-caliber autoloaders shoot fast for IDPA.(HANDGUNS)
May 1, 2006... The least heavily populated of the three semiautomatic pistol classes of the International Defensive Pistol Association is Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP). Designed originally around the Browning Hi Power and the CZ75 and its clones, the ESP...

Springs: those little hidden parts your AR can't live without.(UP ON ARs)
May 1, 2006... Whoa. This has to be boring. With all the uber-cool things to talk about, like magazine loaders, why spend time on springs? Fair question, and, of course, I have an answer. AR-15s, like all semiautomatics, run on springs. Without springs your...

Austin & Halleck fields a fowler: hunting the stinky, old-fashioned way.(SHOTGUNNER)
May 1, 2006... If trap is getting a bit boring and skeet a bit too groovy, maybe you should consider adding a modern muzzleloading shotgun to your game. I have this season, and it has brought back memories of my teenage years when I hunted regularly with an...

Big bell, low mount: the VX-L scope is brighter and sits lower for a good cheekweld.(RIFLEMAN)
May 1, 2006... "Thinking outside the box" is one of today's popular cliches. At Leupold, they don't just think outside the box, they think outside the circle; the circle in this case being the round objective lens on scope sights. The Leupold VX-L with...

Spain's FR-8: what's a country to do with its old bolt-action rifles?(SURPLUS LOCKER)
May 1, 2006... It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's an FR-8. While not high on my priority list, I have seen three FR-8's in the last week at either gunshops or gun shows, so it's time we examined this interesting surplus Mauser hybrid. What do you get...

Brick slingers: bigger and slower is sometimes better.(RANGING SHOTS)
May 1, 2006... Over the last 30 or 40 years I have grown up--or older depending on who you talk to--with guns. I have been privy to watching the transition from the .30-06 to the .308 to the .223 militarily, and that's just sort of the normal calibers...

Factory letters: some surprises may just await.(MONTANA MUSINGS)
May 1, 2006... Something I would urge every owner of an antique firearm to obtain whenever possible would be factory letters, as in "factory letters of authentication." A letter from a recognized research source can add considerable value to an otherwise...

Door gunner mounts: where do I put all these guns?(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
May 1, 2006... One of the great things about America is we are always thinking up new ways to solve problems. I recently found a solution to one of my long-standing problems--gun storage. Specifically, handgun storage. I don't have that many handguns, but I...

Charles Daly Zda: a modestly priced double-action semiauto pistol.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
May 1, 2006... The Zastava-produced ZDA, a clone of the Sig P226, functioned perfectly, digesting a modest sampling of ball and JHP ammunition. If this sample is representative, the ZDA is more than capable of satisfying the needs of the "average" person who...

.308 Swiss K31.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
May 1, 2006... Q: I own a Swiss K31 straight-pull bolt-action rifle which fires the 7.5x55 Schmidt Rubin round. I was going through a book at Borders bookstore about different ammo from around the world and it talked about how the K31 can also fire the .308...

Velocity.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
May 1, 2006... Q: I'm shooting Fiocchi 124-grain 9mm ammo which is listed as going 1,250 fps from a 4" barrel. How much velocity do I lose from my 3 1/2" barreled 9mm? Mark Reede via e-mail A: We can only guess. The rule of thumb is somewhere...

High volume magnum.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
May 1, 2006... Q: I shrift a blue Taurus Model 66 .357 Mag, 6" barrel and have been told several times I shouldn't shoot a steady diet of full-power .357 Mag loads because the forcing cone will be damaged and the revolver will not stay timed properly. I shoot...

25 hour match: strength and stamina play a hand in this most arduous competition.
May 1, 2006... For several years, Rifles Only, a small-arms training center in south Texas, has held two annual sniper/tactical matches at its facility. The first is held in March and is comprised of approximately 20 to 25 events shot over three days and...

Smith & Wesson's new M & P: it's not your daddy's revolver.(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... Even the slightest knowledge of Smith & Wesson history would allow one to know M&P stands for "Military and Police," which was--since 1899--descriptive of a line of no frills revolvers intended for, and widely used by, police and military...

Hunting handloads the old timey way: if black powder cartridges wiped out the buffalo, they'll harvest deer and elk just fine.
May 1, 2006... One day many years ago upon returning home from a shooting session with my new Shiloh Sharps Model 1874 .50-90 my wife took one look at my face and said, "Duke, it's not normal for a grown man to get that upset over how a rifle shoots." She was...

The good, the bad and the ugly: choosing your first custom knife.
May 1, 2006... A helicopter crashes into the sea. Rescue personnel arrive quickly as the aircraft was known to be in trouble. As the chopper sinks, rescue divers enter the water. One is able to enter the sinking craft and finds personnel tangled in webbing,...

Guns of "the late unpleasantness": militia arms of the US Civil War.
May 1, 2006... The onset of the American Civil War found both sides ill prepared for a protracted conflict. While armed conflict seemed inevitable and had already occurred in the Missouri-Kansas debacle, prevailing opinion predicted a limited war would settle...

O Canada.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... It's bad enough they missed their target estimate a thousandfold. Passed in 1995 with a projected cost of $2 million, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports the gun registry program has now passed the $2 billion mark, with no end in...

Fighting off the bambi factor.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... Some reports estimate that nearly half of all employees of state conservation agencies, including more than 75 percent of those in leadership positions, will retire in the next 10 years. Unfortunately, many incoming replacements--mostly new...

Trail Boss powder wins SASS Award.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... IMR Powder Company was presented the Wooly New Product of the Year Award for Trail Boss powder at the Single Action Shooting Society's (SASS) convention last December. SASS recognized "Best of The Year" Affiliated Club, Annual Match,...

Operation Santa's Helpers.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... Christmas Day passed uneventfully for most of us at Forward Operating Base Camp Korean Village. It was a day like most days; had it not been for the Santa hats and everyone greeting each other with "Merry Christmas!" it would have been like any...

Martin boosts handgun sales.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... Gun storeowners in Saskatchewan, Canada, say Prime Minister Paul Martin s announcement of a plan to further restrict handgun ownership in Canada has triggered a boost in handgun sales, reports CBC News. "Not only us, but handgun sales have gone...

Safest season ever in NY.(VIEWS, NEWS AND REVIEWS: GUNS MAGAZINE RIGHTS WATCH)
May 1, 2006... Predictions the new rifle-hunting areas would become high-casualty combat zones did not come to pass this year, as New York hunters achieved the safest season on record. Statewide, there were 14 injuries reported during the big-game season, a...

Creepy crawlies.(CROSSFIRE: LETTERS TO GUNS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... ROFLMAO ("Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A** Off")!! Your "Creepy Crawlie Safari" (February 2006 issue) sent me flying from my chair with paroxysms of laughter. I've been a six-legged shooter for years. In fact, when I evaluate a .22 handgun,...

S&W Model 27-2.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
May 1, 2006... Q: I just bought a used handgun (like I needed another!) and I'd like to find out the year of manufacture and whether or not I should shoot it or just put it away someplace safe. It is an S&W, Model 27-2, 6 1/2", serial number N116XXX. The...

Pinfire cartridges.(QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
May 1, 2006... Q: A friend of mine was going through some old stuff and came across a couple of boxes of Eley Brothers 16-gauge Pinfire shotgun cartridges and asked me about them. I have never heard of Pinfire cartridges and am looking for any information you...

Dixie Gun works scissor molds.(QUARTERMASTER)
May 1, 2006... A perennial product in the labyrinthine basement of Dixie Gunworks is the scissors mold--a cheap and straightforward way of obtaining both common and esoteric projectiles. We had our first experience with them in the early 1960s when a friend...

Big job for a little vise.(QUARTERMASTER)
May 1, 2006... Initially I got this PanaVise a couple of years ago to help polish small parts and do other yeoman chores around my gun bench. Little did I know it would soon be called upon to hold barreled actions for polishing, a task it was never meant for....

1956 Guns Magazine.
May 1, 2006... It was so popular last year we're doing it again. Each month the corresponding month's issue of GUNS from 1956 will be posted on our Web site in a searchable PDF file for you to download free.

Three new additions.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From LaserMax LaserMax has expanded its line of internal laser sights to include three more popular models. New for 2006 are the LMS-P90 laser sights for the Ruger P90 in blue or stainless steel finish, the LMS-89 for the Ruger P89 in blue...

Warbird tactical.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Uselton Arms Rick Uselton is offering his Warbird rifle in a tactical version delivering the powerful 7.82 (.308) Warbird bullet at a velocity of nearly 4,000 fps. The Warbird Tactical produces 2" groups at a range of 400 yards. Other...

Witness in wonder finish.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From European American Armory The popular Witness line of semiautomatic pistols from European American Armory is now available in Wonder finish from Tanfoglio of Italy. Wonder finish is applied by heat-treating the steel, not plating. It...

New US 45 folder.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Lone Wolf Knives The new US 45 folder from Lone Wolf Knives is inspired by the design of the .45 ACP semiautomatic pistol. The 3.3" 440 C stainless steel blade is accompanied by a checkered rosewood handle with stainless steel frame...

Custom Model 76.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Dakota Arms The famed Dakota Model 76 is now available with custom features for all three grades, the Classic, African and Safari. Included in the wide selection of custom options are right- or left-hand configuration, Teflon coating,...

New Aged Ivory Polymer.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Ajax Grips Ajax Custom Grips introduces its new Aged Ivory Polymer, which gives your handgun the feel and look of genuine classic ivory. Ajax also offers factory medallions for Colt and Smith & Wesson. The Texas Star may also be...

Model SSP-SE1.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Para-Ordnance The .45 ACP Model SSP-SE1 high-performance, full-size pistol from Para-Ordnance special edition features a number of custom extras, including an ambidextrous safety, full-length guide rod, three white dot sights with the...

Carbon one challenge rifle.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... From Christensen Arms The Carbon One Challenge varmint hunting and target rifle offers a lightweight carbon barrel and a rigid composite or laminated wood stock for maximum accuracy and shooting comfort. The Christensen large diameter,...

Streamlight Stylus LED: little package, big light.(SPOTLIGHT)
May 1, 2006... GUNS Magazine recently put together some very special care packages going to our troops overseas. The packages included some cool flashlights from Streamlight. They sent along 10 of their key lights and 10 of these little pen lights in green so...

STI--the search for terrestrial intelligence.(ODD ANGRY SHOT)
May 1, 2006... You're no doubt familiar with our better-known sister institute, SETI: The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence--but you've never heard of us, laboring in ignominy here at STI--the Search for Terrestrial Intelligence. SETI gets all the...

Specialized big boars.(CAMPFIRE TALES[TM])
May 1, 2006... It was hot! The temperature was in the 90s and we were getting ready to go in for lunch and replenish our cold-drink supply. The game had stopped moving and even the bison had found shade to rest in during the middle of the day. We were not...