Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Gun Digest

For years, the 9mm has held the undisputed people’s champ title among folks looking to strap a firearm to their hip in the name of personal protection. And it makes sense: The 9mm is capable of offering decent stopping power (with acceptable recoil) in a package that boasts the capacity and concealability to be comfortable yet impactful if needed. And, once the ball of public opinion gets rolling, it takes a whole lot of something to derail that momentum. This same concept—a ballistically “acceptable” caliber that’s available in a platform that hits the sweet spot of capacity and recoil management—holds equally true across most other disciplines as well. When it comes to ARs, the 5.56 NATO is king; if you don’t believe me, then go and try to find a…

The big-bore cartridges have such a wide variation in design, construction and birth dates that it requires a bit of examination to best understand how to approach them as a handloader. For example, the .416 Rigby dates from 1911, the revered .375 H&H from 1912, the .470 NE from 1907, the .458 Winchester Magnum from 1956, the .416 Remington Magnum from 1988 and the .450 Rigby from 1994. Spanning the majority of the 20th century, these cartridges saw the transition from cordite to smokeless powder as the propellant du jour, yet the geometry and pressure levels of these cartridges vary greatly. THE .416 FAMILY Looking at the .416 Rigby, a proprietary design in both cartridge and bore diameter, it remains a popular choice to this day based on field performance,…

The big-bore handgun is something of an anomaly to the current generation of shooters. Many individuals see handguns divided into 9mm for carry and 10mm Auto for hunting, and bypass the .45 ACP as an option due to the belief that it’s substandard compared to the aforementioned rounds. In truth, the .45 ACP has been left by the wayside due to a combination of myths and misleading marketing. 45 ACP AS A GENERALUSE CARTRIDGE Instead of making a head-to-head comparison between the .45 ACP and 10mm Auto, let’s look directly at the .45 ACP and dispel the convoluted and confusing notions behind its ballistics, accuracy and terminal performance in multi-role handguns. It’s a purely functional and predictable cartridge that can master all end uses in just one form. What is…

You’ve perhaps heard the advice: “Don’t hit it harder, get a bigger hammer.” Sometimes, however, you can do both. Case in point: the .460 S&W Magnum. The .460 is the smaller brother to the original big-bore S&W, the .500 S&W Magnum. If the .500 is the equivalent of Chicxulub, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, then the .460 S&W Magnum is the space-based laser that blows a hole through a planet. Yes, while the .500 can hurl a 500-grain bullet (that’s 1? ounces of lead, folks) at 1,400 fps, the .460 can zoom a 200-grain jacketed bullet at up to 2,300 fps. That’s better than what a lot of respectable old deer cartridges can do. To do this, S&W went about it in a pretty straight-forward manner. They took…

There’s a decent selection of modern .45-70 rifles to choose from, in either single-shot or lever-action. With several varieties of their Model 1895, Marlin was probably the primary choice for many. However, with the recent bankruptcy filing of their parent company Remington Arms, and with the acquisition of Marlin by Ruger, the future of the .45-70 in a Marlin lever gun is unknown. Logic would suggest Ruger will honor the cartridge’s current popularity and continue with the production of the 1895, but only time will tell. Fortunately, a lot of these rifles are available on the used market, though they’re carrying a hefty price tag. However, both Winchester and Cimarron offer 1886-styled lever-action rifles in .45-70 Government, and Chiappa offers their takedown Wildlands 1886-like rifle configured similarly to the Marlin…

Alot’s happened since “Dirty” Harry Callahan declared the .44 Magnum “the most powerful handgun in the world.” One example, the .460 Smith & Wesson. Capable of kicking a 300-grain bullet out more than 2,000 fps, the big-bore revolver round tends to make the .44 Mag look like child’s play. Which is to say, little stands in the way of it and its terminal destination. No stranger to handheld power, Taurus recently embraced the .460 Smith & Wesson chambering its popular hunting revolver for the brutish cartridge. The Raging Hunter .460 S&W is certain to prove a favorite among hunters who not only want an option that handles any North American game but nearly everything around the globe. “Handgun hunting is on the upswing as experienced hunters look to expand their…

HISTORICAL NOTES The .416 Rigby began life as a proprietary cartridge, introduced by John Rigby in 1911 for magnum Mauser-action rifles. The cartridge and rifle quickly established a solid record of reliability on dangerous game that endures to this day. Over the years, many makers have built rifles around this cartridge. Today, John Rigby & Co., in conjunction with Mauser, is again producing .416 rifles on German magnum Mauser actions that are close copies of the originals. Also, CZ, Kimber and other outfits make .416 Rigby rifles. Several companies produce .416 Rigby ammunition. GENERAL COMMENTS The .416 Rigby is one of the best magazine-rifle cartridges for big game ever developed. At its inception, it was almost unique, with only the .404 Jeffery having similar power. Today, we also have the…

When it comes to concealed carry pistols, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield has fostered a fairly dedicated following. No surprise. The striker-fired, polymer-frame handgun is among the most reliable, concealed and affordable options to come down the pike. That ticks off a lot of boxes. Now, it’s set to get even better. Smith & Wesson recently introduced the newest addition to the line—the M&P Shield Plus. As its name suggests, the 9mm offers a bit more than previous iterations, in particular enhanced capacity in a micro-compact package. And, boy howdy, does it offer quite a bit of firepower for its class of handgun, feeding off a 13-round magazine. As to its size, the Shield Plus comes in at a very manageable 6.1 inches in length, 1.1 inches in width…

It’s interesting how many new shooters jump to larger-caliber rifles first before understanding the necessity of the tool they’re about to purchase. I often get queried about a rifle purchase before a class by students, and I’m amazed by how many are considering a magnum or larger caliber the first time out. It seems the .338 Lapua class of rifles is the go-to for many new shooters. After all, bigger is better … correct? A CLASS OF THEIR OWN For starters, big guns command a lot of respect. I was one of the first units in the Marine Corps to be issued a .50-caliber SASR. The Iver Johnson .50-cal. was a single-shot bolt-action rifle designed by Daisy. Yes, the air rifle people designed the .50-caliber sniper rifle I was issued—and…

It was one hell of a shot that September afternoon in 1874. “Old Reliable,” Col. John Bodine, stepped to the line at Creedmoor, New York, and cracked off a 1,000-yard bull’s-eye as deft ly as if it were point-blank. Adding a dash of drama, some onlookers reported blood pouring from the marksman’s hand, a mishap with a libation moments before his turn. If that’s the case, we’d all like a sip of whatever he was drinking. The wound, in all likelihood, is a bit of embellishment. Undeniable about the shot, it delivered the Americans a win against the world-renown Irish team. Also indisputable was the instrument at the crack shot’s shoulder—a Remington Rolling Block Rifle. While time and technology shadow the long arm in modern-day shooters’ minds, the absurdly simple,…

If you grew up in a home with firearms, chances are good there was a trusty pump-action shotgun somewhere in the house, likely leaning up behind a door. Versatile, powerful and easier to shoot than a pistol, the scattergun was a natural choice during a time when AR-15s weren’t nearly as common. As a direct result of the shotgun prevalence, there’s no shortage of misunderstandings and gun shop lore when “The Gauge” comes up. Many misconceptions about shotguns stem from how shot performs when hunting birds. Don’t buy into lore like, “you don’t even need to aim it, just point it down the hall,” that so often echoes off gun store walls. Shotguns seem reasonably straightforward compared to a handgun, but the reality is they need to be practiced with…

Listings are FREE! Simply go online to create or manage your Gun Shows Listing. Login or Register to create an account-GunShows.GunDigestMedia.com COLORADO May 15-16 CO, Denver. Colorado Gun Collectors Association Annual Show. Denver Mart, 401 East 58th Avenue. KANSAS Oct 9-10 KS, park city. Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Assoc. Gun Show. Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Dr, Park City, KS. Oct 9-10 KS, park city. Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Assoc. Gun Show. Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Dr, Park City, KS. KENTUCKY Oct 9-10 KY, Louisville. National Gun Day. KY Fair & Expo Center, 937 Phillips Ln. LOUISIANA May 15-16 LA, Gonzales. Gonzales Gun Show. Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St. Landry Ave. Jul 10-11 LA, Gonzales. Gonzales Gun Show. Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St. Landry Ave.…

01 Stoeger M3500 Snow Goose Shotgun Snow geese are a whack’em and stack’em endeavor, which means you’d better have a big-bore brute up to the job. Stoeger arms you upright with a brand-new “Snowy” special, the M3500 Snow Goose. Essentially, the gun is Stoeger’s proven M3500 inertia-driven shotgun, enhanced with an extended capacity tubular magazine. With 10+1 on tap, the smoothbore has more than enough firepower to handle the heaviest action. Additionally, the gun is finished in distressed-white Cerakote, helping it blend into your blind. Chambered in 12-gauge, the gun is capable of handling 3½-inch shots-hells, ensuring you have the payload and reach to make those cold days in the field count. MSRP: $669 02 KelTec P50 5.7x28mm True enough, the 5.7x28mm isn’t a big-bore by any stretch of the…

It all started in 1873. That’s the same year that the two guns that won the West—the Colt Single-Action Army and the 73 Winchester—were introduced. As iconic as both of those guns are, both failed the test of time. Something else that was introduced in 1873 survived, and that’s the .45-70 Government cartridge. Originally developed for the Trapdoor Springfield and even used in some military Gatling guns, the .45-70 is arguably the metallic cartridge that best represents America. I know what you’re thinking: What about the .30-06 Springfield and the .45 ACP? Admittedly, both are iconic American cartridges that served veterans abroad in two World Wars. But neither have been around as long as the .45-70, nor have they bridged the gap from black to smokeless powder. When it was…

Cowboy movies, stories and television almost always show our horseback heroes with a lever-action rifle chambered in a pistol-caliber cartridge. And in many cases, that’s a factual rendition. Real cowboys rarely had the money for a truly big rifle that took advantage of the better ballistics of large-bore cartridges with a profile resembling a panatela. Some, of course, did, but a pistol like a Colt Single Action Army set him back $20. An 1873 Winchester started out at $18 for the carbine. The 1886 was $21 at the time of its first issue. At that time the typical cowboy made $20 to $25 a month. When you also realize that two calibers of ammo were needed to feed an 1886 and his pistol, the issue is not only just the…

The sun was still plenty bright, in spite of my watch indicating it was after 10 p.m. Such is the way of Alaska in June. The marten, which had been completely intrigued with my presence in the blind had abruptly decided it was time to split, indicating to me that something else was coming along. In a matter of seconds, a good boar black bear came into the bait, in that silent mode that bears possess. I looked over at my guide, whose thumbs-up told me it was time to go to work. I settled the forend of the Bansner rifle over the railing of the blind, steadied the crosshairs just behind the boar’s shoulder and broke the trigger of the .404 Jeffery, sending a 450-grain Woodleigh Weldcore into the…