Innholdsfortegnelse for Volume 73, Issue 21 i Firearms News

The story of the Nambu Type 94 pistol begins in the Fall of 1600 A.D., at the Battle of Sekigahara. As a result of winning that battle, the Tokugawa family, beginning with Ieyasu Tokugawa, controlled Japan. The period came to be called the Tokugawa Shogunate, where the Tokugawa family were the Shogun, the head of the government of Japan, and the Emperor was simply the current occupant of the throne. The Shogun was in charge, and the Tokugawa family was not interested in change. The Shogunate closed Japan to outsiders, strictly controlling trade, the movement of foreigners, and what books, objects and knowledge could be brought into Japan. Technology stopped, except where it could be used to maintain control. That’s less than 100 words to describe a period that takes…

When your brand name has become synonymous with a product — Kleenex, Band-Aid, Q-Tips, Dumpster — you’ve achieved the highest success possible, at least on the advertising side. For over half a century, whether they were new Colt factory guns or military surplus models made by Remington Rand, Ithaca, or Singer, they were ALL “Colt .45s” in the mind of Americans. While currently there are dozens of companies making what we now refer to as “1911s”, the name Colt still has the kind of gravitas in the industry most manufacturers can only dream of having. They currently make 52 different versions of the 1911, everything from the compact Officer’s Model to full-size “Government Models”, and that doesn’t even include the .380 Mustang, which is nothing more than a sized-down 1911.…

In the fading light I could see a bit of muzzle flash coming off the PPS-43C’s distinctive muzzle brake. Every time I pressed the trigger a small bit of flame was shooting horizontally to 3 and 9 o’clock. I could feel the brake working too, helping to keep the gun on target as it spit empty cases out. With every shot a red tracer zipped from the muzzle to the steel silhouette in front of me, leaving a black dot on its white paint. I was finishing up testing, but was enjoying myself enough I didn’t really want to call it a day. What made this range session particularly enjoyable was the fact the PPS-43C I was shooting was equipped with a SB Tactical/SIG Sauer stabilizing arm brace AND a…

For many years the only ammo was surplus brought back from the Pacific. These were a few cartridges, mostly tripped out of magazines, and maybe the occasional box of rounds, all of which were snapped up by collectors. This was hardly enough to even test-fire pistols. Nambus of all types languished unfired, which was probably good, because the Japanese ammo was as corrosive as Democrat promises. There were some attempts to make ammo, which required heavily modifying cases not designed for the purpose. I recall seeing Nambu cases made from .38 Special (grossly undersized) .30-30 and .41 Magnum (excessively thick neck walls) and they all required lathe work to turn down rims and create extractor grooves. Empty cases could run a dollar per, back when a dollar could get you…

The most recognized Soviet submachine gun of World War II is probably the PPSh41, easily identified by its drum magazine, and known by Korean War vets as the “Burp Gun.” Estimates are that as many as 6,000,000 PPSh41 SMGs were built. It was an ideal weapon for the Soviet Army of conscripted troops as it was relatively simple to operate, gave the soldier a lot of firepower during the assault, and was compact and easily carried. Photos of Soviet tank riders armed with the PPSh41 are among the most iconic of the war on the Eastern Front. The 7.62x25mm Tokarev round for which the PPSh41 was chambered offered good penetration to punch through the heavy clothing worn by German troops during the bitter Soviet winter campaigns. For an SMG with…

“I’m not inclined to discuss private conversations with President Trump or other key leaders on this issue,” an “Important Statement from NRA CEO & Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre” announced. His tone came across as commanding. He seemed assured that he calls all the shots and he will brook no questioning. That’s unsurprising posturing, really, when you understand attorneys general for New York and Washington DC are looking to pull the man down as directors jump ship and a donation-dwindling rebellion brews within the ranks. LaPierre is riding a tiger and holding on for dear life. But it’s a situation of his making and some do question the way wagons have been circled, directors seen as potentially dissident have reportedly been taken off committees, and the inner sanctum of LaPierre…