ARTV Preview: Firearm Basics, Heritage Barkeep and The PKM General Purpose Machine Gun

by
posted on July 20, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

There are a lot of new shooters consistently joining the community, many of whom do not know the basics of firearm handling and safety. That's why for this week's feature, we'll join NRA's Larry Quandahl to go over firearms basics, including the handling of long guns.

NRA's Larry QaundahlNRA's Larry Quandahl covering the basics of long guns. 

This week on "Rifleman Review," we test the Heritage Mfg. Inc. Barkeep revolver. This snub-nosed, single-action revolver is chambered in .22 Long Rifle with a six-round cylinder, and comes in several different flavors.

The Heritage Mfg. Inc. Barkeep.The Heritage Mfg. Inc. Barkeep revolver.

Later, we examine the history of the classic Cold War-era Russian general-purpose machine gun, the PKM. Based off the long-stroke Kalashnikov gas-operated action of the AK family of rifles, the PKM is chambered for 7.62x54 R and belt fed. It is still in widespread use today.

The Russian PKM machine gun.The Russian PKM general purpose machine gun.

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.   

Latest

Savage Stance XR
Savage Stance XR

Review: Savage Stance XR

Savage Arms reworked its Stance pistol in 2025 to incorporate desirable features not available in the first iteration, resulting in the new Stance XR.

Preview: Die Free Kung Fu Grip

A replacement pistol grip for AR-10/15-pattern rifles, the Kung Fu Grip from Die Free Co. utilizes a reduced (12 degree) grip angle that makes shooting a gun with a short length of pull much more comfortable on the wrist—making it an ideal choice for practitioners of modern, squared-up shooting stances.

The Elusive Finnish Mausers

In the 1920s, the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation sought to replace the military’s venerable Mosin-Nagant. Its attempts to introduce Mauser target rifles as service rifles were eventually thwarted in the 1930s by design limitations and budgets.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 22, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Rifleman Q&A: Point Of Hold

Q: I have always been a rifle and handgun shooter, with little shotgun experience, and I am a little confused about the “point of hold” shown in the pattern illustrations of our magazine.

Preview: MTM Case-Gard Suppressor Protector Case

Secure, rugged and inexpensive, the Suppressor Protector Case by MTM Case-Gard is a convenient way to transport or store as many as three (cooled) silencers up to 10" in length.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.