Guns America

Send to Kindle American Technology Network, Corp. http://www.atncorp.com Electronic imaging systems are coming into their own and were much in evidence at this year’s SHOT Show. American Technologies Network, Corp., better known as ATN, has been developing night vision and thermal imaging optics in California since 1995. They introduced a new, high-tech thermal imaging weapons [...]

When Springfield designed the RO 45 Range Officer, the objective was to produce a finely matched 1911 that could be used in competition but wouldn’t cost thousands of dollars. It’s made from close tolerance, match-grade components without all the fancy extras that you may or may not need. The company evidently hit the nail on the head because its selling ROs as fast as they can build them. The newest member of the Range Officer line is the RO 9 in 9mm, introduced a couple of weeks before the 2014 SHOT Show. It has the same dimensions, match grade parts and shooting accuracy, only in the softer recoiling, and less expensive, 9mm cartridge. Springfield also had the new XDs 4.0 to show us. The original XDs had a 3.3” barrel. Extending the barrel to 4” makes for a better balanced pistol with a longer sight radius. Should be easier pointing and more accurate for the average shooter. MSRP starts at $599.

There are lots of new product introductions at SHOT Show, not the least of which is HK’s new competition gun. With input from the HK shooting team and other competitive shooters, HK started with a stock MR556A1 and proceeded to add what competitors wanted. The result is the MR556A1 Competition. The first added component was the new 14” modular rail system. The versatility of adding rails wherever needed while keeping weight down was especially attractive. In addition, the Competition got an extended mag release for quicker reloads, a new design suppressor from Operator Suppressor Systems, and a Magpul CTR adjustable stock. The end result is a fast, competition-ready AR that shoots ½ minute of angle groups, according to HK Shooting Team captain, Jason Koon. MSRP is expected to be in the $2,950 range, and HK plans to start shipping guns in the spring of 2014.

Steyr is making some big claims for this rifle: 55 shots in under 2MOA from 50 meters. That’s solid accuracy, but incredible dependability, and it takes the Anschuetz .RX22 out of the novelty field, for sure. This is the type of rifle you can sling across your back while skiing. Pack it full of snow on when you fall. Shake it dry and shoot. The ergonomics are familiar enough to anyone who has shot a full-sized tactical rifle. Yet the accuracy will set it apart from the pedestrian rimfire rifles.

Caracal has some fantastic new guns. TheCS308 skeletal .308 precision rifle is designed and built entirely by Caracal. The CC 10 is a rocking 9mm carbine.

One of the great things about being at SHOT Show is that you never know what you’re going to find that, once you know it exists, you just can’t do without. We saw a demonstration of the AR-15 charger from Caldwell Shooting Supplies, one of the Battenfeld brands, and it was impressive. Starting with a box of .223 rounds, the spokesperson, Kyle, dumped it into the charger, attached a magazine, and in a matter of seconds had transferred 30 rounds to the magazine. All without having to touch a round. That’s fast! See for yourself what a great accessory this is in the accompanying video or go to www.BTIbrands.com.

Send to Kindle Winchester Ammunition http://www.winchester.com/ The new Winchester Long Beard turkey loads were named the #1 new product at SHOT Show by Real Tree Outdoors. Winchester created what they call Shot-Lok to provide tighter patterns that extend the range of their loads from the typical 40 yards all the way to 60 or 70 [...]

Blackhawk is known far and wide for the quality of its tactical gear and clothing. It’s not surprising since the company was founded by a Navy Seal. While he was negotiating a mine field one day, his pack failed, sending his gear tumbling to the ground around him. You can imagine how that could spike your anxiety level. Then and there he vowed that he’d make gear that worked. True to his goal, Blackhawk has become a source of dependable gear for military and civilians alike. Today we got to see some of the new goodies for all you AR-15 guys and gals. From stocks and grips to rail covers and thumb rests, Blackhawk has a bunch of cool new products. Check out the video for a peek at what they have, then go to www.blackhawk.com to see the whole store.

Nightforce has done the seemingly impossible. To understand the truth of that statement, you have to consider that, rather than compete with the big scope manufacturers that produce a broad range of products, Nightforce has focused on producing high-end scopes. Although one scope may look much like another on the outside, what’s on the inside is another story. There are many elements which go into producing the image that you see when looking downrange. Change one element, and it affects all the others. Such a small thing as the tiny spring that maintains pressure on the windage and elevation adjustments receives critical attention at Nightforce. Night Force5The company wants this part, like all of the others that go into making one of its scopes, to operate smoothly and positively for life.

Ed Weatherby developed many of today’s most popular calibers, especially the flattest shooting, hardest hitting magnums. He also designed and manufactured the strongest bolt action rifle available, to handle the higher pressures of the then-new magnums and wildcat rounds. Their Mark V action is still recognized as the strongest you can get. Weatherby introduced the lower-priced WBY-X line last year and have been developing new camo patterns with the first-time buyer in mind. The most popular seller is the WBY-X Reaper.

We live in a wonderful time for guns, scopes and shooting accessories of all kinds. Never before has there been the selection that we enjoy today. Zeiss optics just added a few more choices for those looking for the perfect scope or binoculars for their hunting/viewing needs and budget. Long known for superior glass, Zeiss has added larger objective lenses to its line of HD binoculars. You now have the tremendous light-gathering ability that 56mm objective lenses afford. They come in 8 power, 10 power, and 15 power magnification. They are all tripod adaptable, and you’ll need a tripod for the 15 power binoculars. It would make viewing easier for the 10 power as well. Big objective lenses make for big binoculars that beg for the stability a tripod provides. For their popular line of scopes, Zeiss has added 50mm objective lenses to get the brightest sight pictures in low-light situations. The Terra Series of entry level scopes are available with the 50mm objectives in 3-9 power, and 4-12 power. MSRP starts at $349. That’s a great price to put the quality of Zeiss glass on your rifle.

Although more visible to the human eye than red lasers, green lasers use more power and generate more heat. Until now, that is. LaserMax, specializing in industrial and scientific lasers, has developed a solid state green laser based on those used in micro recorders. It’s a case of one consumer industry generating sufficient sales to bring the cost of the technology down for other uses. The new solid state green laser uses less energy to produce a brighter light that is even more visible to the human eye than the old pumped green lasers. An added benefit is that battery life is now on a par with that of red lasers. LaserMax calls the new technology Native Green. Guide rod lasers are completely inside the gun so they don’t change your holster fit. There’s no sighting-in required either; just install them in place of your existing guide rod. LaserMax patented guide rod lasers 20 years ago and it’s still the only company that makes them. Prices for the New Native Green guide rod laser sights run from $349 to $449, depending on gun make and model.

Tactical shotguns exist. Some are even highly functional. But an AR lower with a truly modular shotgun upper has been elusive. The fully functional, magazine-fed 12 gauge AR-patterned shotgun has become something of a holy grail. The most successful versions to date have employed specialized ammo. But The Rhino just may change the way everyone thinks about tactical shotguns.

Selecting the perfect hunting or target rifle is only the first step in the process. If you can’t afford to have a custom rifle made for you, (or can’t justify the expense to your spouse), the next step is to make whatever adjustments are necessary to get your rifle to fit you properly. You can’t shoot your best with an ill fitting gun. You can cut the stock down with a saw and build up the comb and butt pad with various aftermarket add-ons, or you can take a more sophisticated approach. Ashbury makes it easy with their modular line of fully adjustable chassis.

Rock River Arms has taken two years perfecting their gun built around the AK magazines. You can buy a new, dependable 7.62x39 rifle, built in America on the more accurate AR platform, from a trusted company. The LAR47 weighs 6.4 pounds and has an MSRP of $1,270. It comes with a six-position tactical CAR stock, A2 pistol grip, CAR handguards and 16” chrome lined barrel. Both the lower and upper are forged not stamped like most AKs. There’s even a two-stage trigger.

Send to Kindle Walther Arms http://www.waltherarms.com/ If you haven’t ever picked up a Walther PPQ M2, you need to. The compact pistol fits in the hand like few other stock pistols model on the market. While it isn’t much to look at, the PPQ defines utilitarian ergonomics. From the aggressive serrations on the slide to [...]

By this point in the development of tactical firearms, the bullpup seems like familiar territory. Yet Desert Tech has created a good deal of buzz with the announcement of its new multi-caliber bullpup design. The company plans to release it in .223 and .308 at first, with 300 BLK, 7.62 x 39 and 6.8 SPC to follow. It will be offered with either a 10.5” or a 16” barrel. One of the most interesting design features of the new gun is a new sighting system that will allow the user to swap between calibers without losing zero. The spent casings will eject above the magazine well forward and to the right via a short chute, which is easily accessible to clear any malfunctions.

After considerable research, I bought a networked trail camera last year. I use it to monitor a site more than a thousand miles from where I live; it communicates over a cell phone network. In order to accomplish that, I had to buy a SIM card for the camera to connect to the cellular network. I also had to subscribe to the SIM card company’s data plan and subscribe to a website where the photos are sent. Wish I’d waited a few months, because I’d have bought a Bushnell Trophy Cam. Why is the Bushnell camera better?

Taylors had their new Alaskan Takedown at the range for SHOT Show, and we put it through its paces. Taylors is well known in the cowboy action shooting and historical circles. The Alaskan Takedown is a departure for Taylors, and a step into the modern era by a company that primarily deals with historical interpretations of firearms from the 19th Century. And we’re smitten. The more utilitarian chamberings and compact design make the Alaskan Takedown the perfect pack gun.

The Browning Automatic Rifle is a beast of a gun. I’m not talking about the svelte modern hunting rifle; I’m talking about the chunky BAR the US Marines lugged across the scraggly patchwork islands in the Pacific. That big son-of-a-bitch the Japanese hated. I don’t blame them. I sure wouldn’t want to face a Leatherneck with a shoulder fired full auto rifle throwing .30-06. The BAR, which was designed way back in 1917, was already dated in the 1940s, as heavy rifles were slowly replaced by lighter and lighter squad automatic rifles. Yet there’s still a mystique to the old gun. Ohio Ordinance has been making semi-automatic BARs for years, but they’re making news with an “updated” version that they showed off at the SHOT Show this year.