Archive for the 'Firearms' Category

Meateater.

Of course, Federal didn’t name this cartridge the “Competition LaserBeam.” They named it the “Backcountry,” and their current offerings all feature hunting bullets rather than match-grade pills. It’s obviously meant for hunting applications, and in that context, barrel life matters far less. Hunters may never shoot 2,000 rounds with a rifle, even if they use it every season for their entire lives. There are better options for competition shooters, but the Backcountry is meant for the field.

Okay, but wait a minute.

Many guys still have their father’s or even grandfather’s Marlin 30-30, mild recoiling and medium muzzle velocity, that has shot way more rounds than that through their barrels, and because of the mild velocity the rifle still works like a charm. It can be used today for deer hunting, and if kept in good condition, can be turned over to their sons for use with the same type of hunting.

Gun lifetime matters. And that’s one reason I will probably avoid something like the 7mm Backcountry. The chamber pressure and muzzle velocity are a bit too high for my tastes.

Hmm …

I wonder if sticky fired casings is one challenge with making a 500 S&W lever action rifle? I don’t care. I still want one, Smith & Wesson.

At American Hunter.

While I profess to know a lot about firearms, I didn’t know there was a 10mm magnum round, which is different from the 10mm round. I would probably spring for this wheel gun, except for the price: $3,309.

That’s enough for a nice custom 1911, or two thirds of that will get you a Springfield Armory TRP full size 1911. To me, after looking at the tested results for the ammunition, I just don’t see that much to be gained over the .45 ACP+P, and in fact, I don’t see anything at all to be gained over the 450 SMC from Double Tap.

To each his own. If you like 10mm and are willing to spend the money, this may be a nice field option for dangerous game defense.

Patrick Lancaster, an American journalist embedded with Russian troops, films an insane getaway from an armed drone as they take it down with shotguns. pic.twitter.com/HdwaLgZ90Y

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 26, 2025

I’ve brought this up before and most readers were less than enthusiastic. In fact, my suggestion was pretty much panned. It wasn’t a suggestion that was supposed to fix everything all of the time, just another option.

Well, it would appear that sometimes, that option works.

Although I would have chosen a semiautomatic design, probably something with a long barrel like the Beretta 1301 Comp Pro with a magazine extension.

Source.

The statement of work (SOW) for the 6.5 Creedmoor rifle mentions a lot of details about the wanted features.

It states that the weapon should be operable without modification by a right-handed or a left-handed individual. The external metal parts of the weapon should have a “dark subdued, rust/corrosion resistant finish,” which should remain unaffected by commercially available gun-cleaning solvents.

Further, “the weapon shall be chambered in accordance with current SAAMI Specifications in 6.5 Creedmoor, and function with assorted ammunition ranging in weight from 130-145 grain (to include all common SAAMI-spec and Mil-Spec ammunition).”

The height of the Creedmoor rifle should be no taller than 7.75 inches without accessories or magazines. The weight, including the suppressor and excluding other accessories, should be not more than 9.5 pounds, and the overall length with the stock fully collapsed should be 40 inches.

The SOW also mentions that the minimum-maximum length of the barrel of the weapon should be 15.5 to 16.5 inches. Moreover, the barrel should have a minimum service life of 3,500 rounds – and the weapon systems will be tested to 5,000 rounds.

The weapon shall utilize a direct-impingement gas-operated system or a short-stroke gas piston system. It should be semi-automatic in nature.

As per a report by The War Zone, the Secret Service is of the opinion that a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle would offer better accuracy and more range to the firer – as compared to the similar 7.62x51mm types  NATO-standard rounds.

In the past, US agencies had said that rifles chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor could double a shooter’s probability of scoring a hit on targets up to 3,280 feet away (1,000 meters).

The US Secret Service was also looking to source a new sniper rifle for its operatives in the recent past. Currently, the agency’s operatives use 7.62x51mm M110 designated marksman rifles and a .300 Winchester Magnum bolt-action type as the primary sniper rifle.

Interesting. It’s true that the 6.5CM is a flatter shooting round, and it’s also true that they recovery to eye box will be quicker with 6.5CM than for 7.62mm.

I suppose they’re looking at this as a designated marksman rifle rather than a sniper rifle (which is fulfilled with the bolt action rifles they have). I’m not certain why they wouldn’t choose to replace their bolt action rifles with 7mm PRC.

Anyway, it’s beyond me why they would choose a 16″ barrel if this will be employed as a DM rifle. I would have thought 18″ would be the sweet spot. In fact, I know it is.

I would guess they’ll be entertaining submissions from KAC (which would be fine), Daniel Defense (which would be great – I can vouch for that), H&K (oh brother), Sig (oh brother), and maybe other manufacturers.

I certainly wouldn’t choose a piston-driven rifle for the additional weight and bulk it would add. But that’s just my opinion.

This is Tim Sundles, owner of Buffalo Bore Ammunition. As I’ve said before, I’ve never felt undergunned carrying a 1911 for dangerous game, but of course, I was carrying it outfitted with 450 SMC (Short Magnum Cartridge). I would also carry 45 Super since I believe the two are approximately the same. In fact, I’d carry .45 ACP+P as well.

But as always, the choice is up to you. I did find his personal example of use instructive.

Of course they did. With GOA, I’ve claimed that Mexican cartels armed themselves with military grade weaponry from the Mexican armed forces and other Central American countries. But the supreme court is probably too stupid to know this.

Watch the entire GOA video.

But there’s the thing. I don’t care.

I don’t care if arms are flowing south to Mexico from America, nor flowing north from Mexico to America, into or out of Canada, or anywhere else to anywhere else.

That isn’t what causes violence. The wicked heart of man causes violence, and turning our hearts to the Almighty is the only solution for the sick soul.

Additionally, for all I know, firearms are flowing to peaceable men and women in Mexico who want to defend their families against cartel violence. In that case it would be a good thing. If this is not the case, prove it to me.

So, while I agree with and thank GOA for making the video, I just really don’t give a rat’s ass where firearms come from or go to.

Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure it will never happen here. Diversity is our strength.

Remember Herschel’s Dictum. “There aren’t too many human interaction problems that can’t be fixed with a .45 ACP 230-grain fat-boy.”

More here.

The answer to this is easy, quick and simple. Put a .45 ACP fat boy in their brain and it will stop.https://t.co/YA0dAZXaWA

— CaptainsJournal (@BrutusMaximus50) March 10, 2025

Shooting Illustrated.

Remington Ammunition is expanding its Core-Lokt Tipped ammunition line to cover lever-action rifles and carbines with the new Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun product line.

“Big Green is excited to be bringing the Core-Lokt Tipped family into the world of lever guns,” said Jon Langenfeld, research and development engineer at Remington Ammunition. “The resurgence of the lever gun was a welcome sight within Remington. We knew it would only be right to allow every lever-gun shooter, whether novice or expert, the ability to utilize the trusted performance of Remington’s Core-Lokt Tipped in a variety of lever-gun calibers.”

Most lever-action firearms use a tubular magazine, which places cartridges in front and behind each other in the magazine. For safety reasons, lever gun calibers are not loaded with pointed, spitzer-type bullets due to potential danger of a bullet’s point sitting right behind the next round’s primer, which may result in an accidental discharge. Blunt-nosed bullets are used in these magazines to prevent this, but the trade-off has always been less efficient ballistic performance, especially at longer distances.

All Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun bullets use a green polymer ballistic tip which reduces each bullet’s “blunt” profile to boost its ballistic performance in a way that’s safe for the inside a lever-action firearm’s tubular magazine. However, the Core-Lokt bullets still expand into their classic “mushroom” shape to stop game.

It’s about time. I’m surprised it took them this long. Here is list of bullet weights and muzzle velocities.

• .360 Buckhammer, 180 grain: Muzzle velocity 2,400 fps
• .30-30 Win., 150 grain: Muzzle velocity 2,390 fps
• .35 Rem., 200 grain: Muzzle velocity 2,080 fps
• .45-70 Gov’t, 300 grain: Muzzle velocity 1,900 fps
• .444 Marlin, 240 grain: Muzzle velocity 2,350 fps
• .32 Win. Special, 170 grain: Muzzle velocity 2,250 fps

This is a little disappointing. To be quite honest, I’m not sure why they’re not loading them hotter than this. Picking up a box of .444 Marlin jacketed flat nose by Hornady, I see it has a bullet weight of 265 grains with a muzzle velocity of 2400 FPS. That’s a heavier bullet moving slightly faster than the Remington bullet. But then, the Core-Lokt cartridges have always been a bit slower than the competition. It’s the expansion guys love, and too much velocity can actually hurt the ballistics by “penciling” through the game. We’d have to see a gel test to quantify the difference between these manufacturers.

There’s also the issue of sighting in your rifle. The sight-in procedure is good for only a single bullet weight, and so if you’re testing ammunition from a different manufacturer, while the point of impact during testing won’t matter, the final ammunition choice will require sighting in the rifle with whatever you choose.

As to the issue brought up a few days ago by a reader, I still see very high usefulness and viability of the lever action rifle. As I’ve said, this .444 Marlin round will easily put down hogs with a single shot without any movement at all after impact (I’ve seen lesser rounds take longer to accomplish the job).

Also, there’s the issue of cool factor. Lever action guns are just cool to own and shoot, and a .444 Marlin or 45-70 doesn’t exactly go into an AR pattern rifle (it’s short action, including the AR-10s).

I think the lever gun will be around long after I’m gone, as it should be. Every American boy should own a lever gun, or several.

Good procedure. I wasn’t aware of it.

Also, very meticulous torquing passes he made in the scope mounting procedure.