Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i Guns & Ammo

A superb, near-mint .45 Colt Single Action Army revolver with carved pearl grips realized an impressive $66,000, including premiums, at the November 17, 2021, Morphy Auctions sale. Manufactured in 1911, this stunning SAA was fully engraved, the work believed to be by Master Engraver Cuno A. Helfricht. The sixgun was nickel plated, and its two-piece pearl grips were carved with an eagle-and-shield motif. The accompanying factory letter affirms the piece was originally shipped to a dealer in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 14, 1911. For more information about this and future offerings, contact Morphy Auctions at morphyauctions.com or 877-968-8880.…

FOUNDED IN 2005, Crossbreed Holsters made its mark on the concealed carry scene with its leather-backed kydex holsters, including the popular -Tuck and -Slide models. More recently, Crossbreed has managed to stay in the headlines with innovative additions such as the Founder’s Series, Freedom Carry and The Reckoning. Crossbreed championed the so-called “hybrid” category, which comprises of holsters featuring a combination of leather and an outer kydex shell. I can’t see Crossbreed forfeiting its domination of hybrid holster sales, but the brand is boldly moving into the all-kydex segment, and I think it’s about to expand the company’s marketshare with its Rogue System. Crossbreed’s first all-kydex product is the Rogue holster. Instead of predictably launching an inside-the-waistband (IWB) or outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster to carry near the hip, the Rogue launched…

IN EVERY ERA of the firearms and shooting history, there have been standout figures who defined the direction and development of the industry. Eliphalet Remington, Benjamin Tyler Henry, Oliver Winchester, John Marlin, Daniel Wesson, Hiram Maxim, Christian Sharps, Samuel Colt, John M. Browning and John C. Garand; these are a few examples of the inventors. Col. Townsend Whelen, Elmer Keith, and Jack O’Connor are examples of influencers of their time. One figure, Parker Otto Ackley, who went by “P.O.” for most of his life, isn’t thought of as frequently. However, beginning with his experience as a gunsmith in 1936, Ackley made numerous contributions to cartridge design and performance throughout his life. His work and ideas can still be seen today, more than 30 years after his death. Allow me to…

AS I WRITE THIS, I am debating whether to click the “Buy-It-Now” button for a Saginaw-manufactured M1 Carbine. It’s tempting, but $2,500 is a lot of money. Down the webpage, I see a 1944-dated Winchester with a starting bid of $2,250. If I pay that much money for an M1, would I still want to shoot it? Then my phone rings. Coincidence? It was Ron Norton, president of Inland Manufacturing — no, not the old Inland Division of General Motors that produced M1 Carbines and M1A1 Paratrooper models during World War II. Since 2013, Norton has presided over Inland Manufacturing in Dayton, Ohio, which is not that far from where, historically, M1 Carbines were made for the war effort. Today, Inland Manufacturing (inland-mfg.com) is one of only a few companies…

VIRIDIAN WEAPON TECH shook up the red-laser aiming industry with its green-laser technology in 2006. They’ve convinced many that green — which is in the middle of the color spectrum — is easier for the eyes to see than red, especially in daylight. By 2017, Viridian had introduced firearm-mounted camera/light technology. Now they’re into making electro-optics, magnifiers and variable-power scopes. To expand their grip on green technology, Viridian Weapon Tech applied the benefits of seeing green to its new dot sights. According to CEO Brian Hedeen, “The need was clear. Understanding the science behind why green is more visible, along with seeing the adoption and use of red-dot optics, drove our path to development.” Reflex sights are so popular now that almost every major pistol manufacturer offers at least one…

THE PAST FEW YEARS have seen the ascendance and domination of, very low drag (VLD) bullets across various rifle-shooting disciplines. The reason behind this shift is the average consumer’s education on the benefits of VLD bullets, which include flatter trajectory, improved energy retention and less drift in the wind. In the past, limited manufacturing ability left variations in rifle chambers that could make VLD bullets erratic performers. However, modern manufacturing and the consistency it produces has eliminated our concerns. The latest chapter in rifle bullet modernization comes in the form of Hornady’s CX bullets. These monolithic bullets benefitted from Hornady’s investment in a Doppler radar system that allowed them to test and refine the shape and composition of these advanced projectiles. The CX is the first product the world has…

“Colt started his London operation in 1853 but closed the factory in 1857 because of a lack of substantial British government orders.” GUSSIED-UP LUGER Q: I am trying to find out any information about a pistol that was passed down to me from my father. The story goes that my grandfather brought it home from World War II. Supposedly, it was removed from a general at one of the concentration camps. I was also told that it had been a presentation piece from Hitler to said general; I don’t know, I wasn’t there. Any information you may have would be greatly appreciated. It is a beautiful gun and I’d like to know if it is worth keeping for my grandchildren. Thank you very much. R.W. Email A: From what I…

I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT of the gun for more than 30 years, and a uniformed professional for nearly as long. If you shoot enough, your firearm’s sighting system will fail. Law enforcement agencies, in addition to the public, are moving to accept the use of red-dot optics (RDOs), and there are many schools of thought regarding the need for redundant sights. The truth is they’re all correct — from a certain point of view. In one camp, you have the Luddites. These are shooters who swear the RDO is a fad and offers no value to the shooter. The complaints and concerns of this group are that batteries die, the optics are prone to breakage, and they add bulk to the pistol while reducing reliability. Let’s review the first…

THERE ARE ADVANTAGES to using scopes made in the U.S.A. that go beyond financially supporting American companies. However, the definition of “Made in America” varies from one scope manufacturer to the next. Scopes with the most American components will have assembly, quality control, optical and mechanical engineering design and every part save the glass lenses sourced stateside. These are usually the more expensive optics in a given category. An advantage to using a premium U.S.-made scope is that its features are usually the best fit for the American market. European optics companies have a bad habit of trying to sell us European reticles that we don’t really like, but some tolerate that. There are American companies that have scopes made in various Asian countries; these can have all the right…

The Desert Tech SRS-A2 is a well-designed precision rifle in bullpup configuration. Unlike most bullpup rifles, it has a clean and crisp trigger that allows for precision shooting. It is also a multi-caliber platform where the user can easily reconfigure the same rifle from, for example, a 6.5 Creedmoor to a .338 Lapua Magnum by changing the bolt, magazine and barrel. I’ve owned the rifle that I tested the Hornady CX ammunition for a few years, and I’ve come to value certain characteristics. It has turned in some spectacular groups with traditional cup-and-core bullets, but its most endearing features are its size and chambering flexibility. The SRS-A2 was an ideal choice for hunting from a blind because it doesn’t take up much space; it was easy to move around inside…

IN 2015, Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers placed an amendment on the Defense Appropriations Act that forced the U.S. Army to release 8,000 surplus M1911A1s to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP, thecmp.org). The more rare and collectible guns among them were auctioned off, while the remaining pistols were made available for sale. Demand far exceeded supply, so the CMP set up a lottery system to decide who would have the privilege of purchasing a piece of U.S. military history. The administrative burden of the application process, combined with an aversion to paperwork, caused me to miss the first round deadline of drawings. However, I eventually got everything completed in time for round two. When I took my packet to the local post office, the man behind the counter took one glance…