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There is one sure fire way to always survive an attack on the streets—avoidance. If you can avoid a confrontation, you will survive a confrontation. While carrying a concealed handgun means you can probably go anywhere with confidence, it doesn’t mean you should.
June 01, 2011
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Colt’s landmark factory in Hartford, referred to as the Colt Armory, was called “the greatest individual enterprise ever attempted in this country” when it opened in 1855. Heated by steam and lit by gas lamps, the factory was topped by a sapphire blue-onion dome in the style of the Byzantine churches Sam Colt had seen in Russia. Atop the dome pranced a gold-plated rampant Colt holding a broken spear, Colt’s distinctive trademark that continues to this day.
May 31, 2011
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There appears to be a modern misuse of gun terms in magazine articles, on the web and even conversationally that is causing some problems. In some quarters, it has become popular to describe certain objects incorrectly, because some folks regard this as kind of cute. It's akin to saying “ain't” when you really mean “am not.” What do you load into a modern handgun? Is it a bullet or a cartridge? It is probably a cartridge, but if that's true, the cartridge contains a bullet. Confused?
May 25, 2011
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It’s been at least 15 years since I last visited the Colt factory, but it might as well have been a lifetime. Three (or is it four?) presidents came in and out in the interim before a stellar Marine grabbed the reins of Colt and put his spurs into the faltering stallion.
May 25, 2011
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Undoubtedly, the coolest gun I saw at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Pittsburgh was a half-scale, mechanical marvel, beautifully rendered in polished brass and sitting on a table Navy Arms/U.S. Armament booth. Gleaming under the florescent lighting of the show hall was a newly manufactured two-barreled Gardner Gun chambered in .22 Win. Mag.
May 24, 2011
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“What is Leupold thinking with the CQBSS? It costs more than most used cars,” wrote one budget-conscious NRA member. “Who can afford $6,000 for a scope?” Yes, it is indeed spendy, and to paraphrase my friend and colleague American Rifleman Shooting Editor Glenn M. Gilbert as he wrote in the May issue, if one has the means, it is an impressive optical device that is innovative, feature-laden and rugged. It is the first of its kind; capable of handling several different roles—from door-kicking to sniping—currently served by different optics within the same military unit. But with that versatility comes cost, weight and size.
May 19, 2011
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In between all of the training, the recent attendees at Gunsite had some time to shoot a few rounds into ballistic gel for fun and to view the effectiveness of DoubleTap ammunition.
May 19, 2011
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The Holy Grail of tactical-grade M4 rifles (including the military’s M4) is a chalice of electrons, a way to power any and all accessories from a single battery source—wirelessly. Wilcox Industries, a New Hampshire-based producer of a wide range of military and commercial products, has finally found the sacred cup and solved this age-old problem.
May 19, 2011
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Since returning from the Annual Meetings two weeks ago I have been putting myself through a crash familiarization with a newly introduced model—the Sako 85 Brown Bear. Most days after work I've stopped by my local range on the way home for 10-15 deliberate shots, and in addition have been escaping my desk for brief sessions on NRA's in-house range. Twice I have taken it out on the family farm where I can shoot at longer distances and practice rapid follow-ups from field positions. It will group about 1-1/2 moa off the bench, and from supported field positions I can hold about 5 inches rapid-fire out at 200 yards. So far I have worked out with Barnes Vor-TX, Winchester Supreme and Norma Oryx ammo, and all are plenty accurate for hunting purposes.
May 16, 2011
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Early on in my NRA career (1980s) our star writer was Col. Charles Askins, a Border Patrol lifer, ex-military attaché, pistol champ, worldwide big-game hunter and all-around gun expert. Askins was a mainstay in NRA's magazines for years, carrying on a legacy begun by his father, Capt. Charles Askins, who wrote for American Rifleman throughout the century's early decades. But by 1987, the colonel had worn out his welcome with our boss, George Martin, and their relationship became downright toxic.
May 16, 2011
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Trigger-cocking is a term first used in the Frontier era and almost never used today. It describes a form of trigger action where pressure on the trigger cocks a hammer from the down position all the way through to full tension and release to fire. Modern terminology for this system is double action.
May 16, 2011
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The U.S. military is soon to field a new projectile in its standard issue 5.56 mm NATO cartridge. There are two purposes to the new projectile: increased performance and less toxicity in the environment (i.e., lead-free).
May 16, 2011
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After the sun went down, the Crimson Trace Lightquards came out, but not before we conducted several shooting strings without lights or lasers in fairly dark conditions. Considering my abysmal night vision—there is a reason why I always carry a flashlight—I discovered that I am a much better shot in low-light situations than I ever would have thought. Even though I couldn’t use the sights and could only see an outline of the target, I was able to keep the majority of my shots in the center-of-mass ring at 7 yards.
May 16, 2011
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