The Arms Guide
THE Place to Learn About Firearms in a Friendly Setting
Updated: 3 days 21 hours ago
New Daniel Defense AR: DDM4 V9
During SHOT Show 2014, Daniel Defense debuted a new addition to their popular AR-15 lineup: the DDM4 V9. Fans of the V5 will find a lot to like in the new DDM4 V9. Both rifles are chambered for 5.56×45, feature 16in cold hammer forged, chrome moly vanadium steel government profile barrels (tipped with Daniel Defense [&hellip
Long range Shooting: External Ballistics – Rifle Cant Error
In previous long range shooting articles, I’ve talked about the effect of light and the error derived from shooting uphill/downhill—both aiming and perspective related errors. In this article, however, I’ll talk about another aiming-related error: shooting with the rifle not perpendicular to the ground. When shooting with a canted rifle, the round won’t land where [&hellip
Reloading 101: The Economics of Reloading
In my previous article I identified a desire for cheaper ammunition as a potential reason for wanting to reload. But exactly how cheap is “cheaper” ammunition, and does it justify the cost of the reloading equipment required? To answer these questions, let’s look at the economics of reloading, starting with the direct costs for reloading. [&hellip
“Iron Man” Soldier Suit Real? – TALOS
Do we have the technology to make a super-soldier suit real? According to engineers with MIT and RDECOM (US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command), and a host of other researchers, we do. Enter the TALOS: Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit. The goals outlined on the the Federal Business Opportunities page for TALOS are defensive [&hellip
AR-15 – Upgrading Your Extractor Spring
Having AR issues? I do too. Fortunately, troubleshooting issues on my AR-15s is something I enjoy. I am fond of it for two reasons: I get to learn from the experience, and then, more often than not, I’m ultimately able resolve the issue. On my most recent AR-15 building endeavor, I ran into a setback [&hellip
Slide Fire – “Bump Sled” Prototype
With the wave of popularity bumpfire devices earned over the past couple of years, many of you are likely familiar with Slide Fire bump stocks. In addition to the new expansions to their product line for 2014, Slide Fire brought a prototype into which they’ve been putting some time. While functional, the design is so [&hellip
Long Range Shooting: External Ballistics – Light Effects
In both Bullet Trajectory Part 1 and Part 2, I mentioned how light can act as a variable that affects point of impact. Light doesn’t directly affect bullet trajectory, but it changes the way you see the target through the telescopic sight. Essentially, you perceive the target in a different way, e.g., larger or smaller, and/or [&hellip
Top 10 guns from 2013
Today I spoke with the guys in the inventory department of Hyatt Guns. According to Fox News, Hyatt is the largest independently owned specialty gun store in America. (You may remember them from this story.) With their size in mind, I thought that a list of their top ten best sellers might prove an interesting [&hellip
R.I.P. Ammo – Fad or Functional?
The firearms community recently has been buzzing with discussion about G2 Research’s new 9mm round marketed for self defense: R.I.P. Ammo. Even before getting the round to the range, the R.I.P. projectile makes quite a first impression. This lead-free hollow point is made completely of copper. Each projectile is precisely CNC machined to get its [&hellip
Long Range Shooting: External Ballistics – The Coriolis Effect
Following the long range shooting series? Here’s the next installment of external ballistics theory: the Coriolis Effect. On Bullet Trajectory Part 1 and part 2, I talked about Coriolis Effect as a variable which affect the bullet flight both on the horizontal and the vertical plane of the trajectory. But what exactly is Coriolis Effect? [&hellip
Springfield Armory Introduces the XD-S 4.0
Last year, Springfield Armory debuted a 9mm counterpart as a follow up to their popular single stack .45, the XD-S. This year, at SHOT Show 2014, SA introduced its newest addition to the XD-S lineup: the XD-S 4.0. The XD-S 4.0, like its predecessor, is a 9mm sub-compact pistol. Aside from the four inch barrel, [&hellip
Reloading 101: Is It For Me?
Whilst on the surface the decision to start reloading your own ammunition may seem a simple one, in practice there are several reasons why, or why not, commencing to reload ammunition is for you, personally. There is no doubt that reloading can be a costly capability to set up, and a time consuming one to [&hellip
Photo Friday: Do You Train with Body Armor?
When I visited Nelson Tactical up in Green Bay, one of the requirements was to wear body armor. I didn’t have my own, so they loaned me a vest with trauma plates for the duration of the training event. A little disclaimer for this pic: the photo was taken before making some additional adjustments to [&hellip
Long Range Shooting: External Ballistics – Elevation Part 2
In External Ballistics – Elevation Part 1, I introduced the concept of error derived from shooting at an angle, and gave you a few practical examples. In this article we will examine the real reason for point of impact shift. In many texts around the web, you’ll find one common incorrect explanation of this phenomenon: a [&hellip
Long Range Shooting: External Ballistics – Elevation, Part 1
Learning how to become a better long range shooter? Here’s the next installment in the external ballistics theory mini series: elevation. When I talked about the vertical component of the trajectory, in Bullet Trajectory Part 1, I touched on firing elevation angle. I mentioned that when there is a firing elevation or depression angle, that [&hellip
Keeping A Clear Mind During High Stress
Many times, a self defense situation lasts only seconds, and the blink of an eye may be all the time given to you to decide how to confront it. My most recent self defense encounter lasted for about 30 seconds. In this article I will talk about my self defense situation, the problems I faced, [&hellip
The Twenty-One Foot Rule
I was in my apartment, practicing my draw from concealment (because practice makes proficient), and my brain—being the random tangent machine that it is—immediately leapt to the twenty-one foot rule. Not familiar with it? Allow me to explain. The twenty-one foot rule is not a law, but rather a rule of thumb. When within twenty-one [&hellip