Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Gun Digest

Iwas at a safety meeting the other day with a bunch of parents who have girls on my daughter’s hockey team. And, to accurately set the stage, it must first be admitted that a “safety meeting” entails a bunch of adults gathering in the parking lot prior to said sporting event, consuming drinks and talking about anything but safety. This team has been playing together for nearly a decade, so I know these girls and their families very well. All come from different towns, from varying social and economic standings … and they’re now at the age where it’s both joyous and heartbreaking to watch them all age out of this particular team, disperse and attend their various high schools. And remember that I said we talk about anything but…

When I was 15, I convinced my father I needed to handload ammunition. I purchased a kit, built a bench in my closet, and the first thing I did was stick a fired case in a sizing die. I hid that die from Dad, saved some money and bought a new one. Then, I broke the bench I’d built when I cranked down on the loading press handle, effectively demonstrating my lacking carpentry skills. I finally figured it all out—mostly on my own—because in those days information was not as readily available. I’ve been handloading for 45 years, have gotten pretty good at it, and you can too. And you can do it all a lot easier than I did. I think a lot of shooters are uneasy about reloading…

How many of you have heard of Marie Kondo? Don’t be bashful; it won’t create deductions on your man-card to admit it. She is an organizing genius who can make life easier. Unfortunately, it also makes your living environment simpler. Her idea of an ideal environment is pretty much bare walls and two to three of each item you need, all tucked in drawers out of sight. Getting her “spark of joy” doesn’t always mesh well with our “lots of firearms and ammunition” acquisition lifestyle. But being organized does. When I started this life of living with firearms, the mavens suggested organization with cans, glass jars and cigar boxes. Looking back, that was my first encounter with “life wasn’t so good in the ‘good old days’ epiphany.” Basically, they sucked.…

HISTORICAL NOTES One of several high-velocity rimless cartridges designed by Charles Newton for his bolt-action rifles, the .256 Newton was introduced in 1913 by the Western Cartridge Co. Until the .264 Winchester Magnum came along in 1958, this was the only Americandesigned 6.5mm to be offered on a commercial basis. The last of the Newton rifle companies failed in the early 1920s, and Western quit loading Newton cartridges in 1938. The .256 Newton is based on the .30-06 case necked down. GENERAL COMMENTS The .256 Newton has hung on as a wildcat cartridge and, occasionally, custom rifles are made for it. Cases can be made by necking down, reforming and shortening .30-06 brass. It’s adequate for practically all North American big game but is not as effective as the .270…

I love that line from Major League. Tactical flashlights are cool and everything, but sometimes you have to use both hands. Then, what? Well, the er has a hand of its own. Sidewind- The basic Sidewinder is, to most ple, a combat tactical helmet-mount light that looks cool, but “who wears a peohelmet all the time?” Not many. But you do wear clothes, right? Or a hat? And is there a shelf nearby? There are a lot of places you can clip the Sidewinder to so you can light what you’re working on. And for those situations where the work location might be a bit tight (working under an engine hood, inside an enclosure … you know the drill), you can’t always fit a work light. Or you don’t want…

Many times on these pages, I’ve explained what I like to call my “box dilemma,” a theory that the innovation we have in the industry is based on established physical dimensions … such as bolt face diameter, magazine well size, screw spacing and so on. The issue with this concept in practice is that innovation begins and ends in a predetermined set of dimensions and any new technology largely remains proprietary. Many good designs end up in the dustbin because they are unable to make the jump into mainstream. However, a result of this widespread set of common parts for a given design led to modularity and a complex system of interchangeable components. Take bolt-action rifle stocks, the subject of this article, for instance. TAKING STOCK OF THE SITUATION Rifle…

01 GForce Arms Jawbone PCC If you don’t already own a pistol-caliber carbine, you need to be asking yourself why not. From range toy to home defense, and from competition shooting to truck guns, large-format AR pistols in 9mm are as fun as they are practical. GForce Arms’ Jawbone is one of the latest models worth considering. The PCC is compatible with 9mm Glock-pattern magazines, features a 5-inch barrel and an Ace of Brace paddle pistol brace. The safety, magazine release and charging handle are all ambidextrous as well, and the M-Lok handguard and full-length Picatinny rail make customization a breeze. MSRP: $439 02 Warne Vapor Bipod Everyone wants a rock-solid bipod, but nobody wants to pay the cost that usually accompanies high-quality equipment. That’s why Warne’s new Vapor bipod…

There are numerous ways to zero a hunting rifle. I’m not talking about the mechanical process of adjusting the riflescope’s reticle, so it coincides with your bullet’s point of impact. I’m talking about the distances where you make this happen. For years, the standard has been the 100-yard zero, but is it the best? And is it the best for your rifle/cartridge combination? Here are some things to consider when zeroing your rifle, and you might be surprised to learn the best approach is one that will work with any rifle and cartridge. 25-YARD ZERO Many public rifle ranges have target stands positioned in increments of 25 yards, and often when a riflescope is mounted to a rifle—even when bore sighted by some “expert” at the gun store—you’ll still not…

It wasn’t love at first sight, but a relationship born of necessity. I’ve never been a fan of synthetic stock, stainless rifles, even though I owned one for my “truck gun.” I considered myself old school, preferring the feel of a walnut stock and the luster of a quality blued finish. The previous deer season had left me reconsidering those values. Five days of torrential rain spent on an open stand trying to keep my rifle somewhat protected, then wiping it down every night to keep rust from setting in and worrying that the wood stock would be damaged was enough. I made it through the season without the rifle being harmed but decided to start searching for something that I could use during inclement weather without as much worry.…