Guns and Ammo

Springfield Armory has issued a voluntary safety recall for their .45 ACP and 9mm XD-S pistols.

Issued Aug. 28, 2013, the recall identified the following issue:

“Springfield has determined that under exceptionally rare circumstances, some 3.3 XD-S 9mm and .45ACP caliber pistols could experience an unintended discharge during the loading process when the slide is released, or could experience a double-fire when the trigger is pulled once. The chance of these conditions existing is exceptionally rare, but if they happen, serious injury or death could occur.”

According to Springfield, no injuries have been reported to date. The recall applies to a select number of XD-S pistols based on

A manhunt for an escaped convict in Iowa ended last week with a gunshot from a homeowner protecting himself and his wife.

According to the Des Moines Register, 38-year-old Rodney Long hadn’t apparently counted on 71-year-old Jerome Mauderly protecting himself and his wife, Carolyn, 66, from the armed fugitive. The decision to break into the Mauderlys’ home and hold them hostage proved to be fatal.

Check out the video from KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

For nearly four days, the residents of Bedford, Iowa, were living in fear after Long escaped from the nearby Clarinda Correctional Facility by scaling a 12-foot fence between 4 and 7 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16.

At some point after the escape, authorities believe Long broke into a house just north of Clarinda, stealing a semi-automatic pistol, money and clothes.

Later, Long was spotted walking along Iowa Highway 2. Taylor County Deputy Dan Wyckof

(Photo by The Associated Press)

In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, President Obama issued a list of Executive Orders. Notably among them, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was given $10 million to research gun violence.

“Year after year, those who oppose even modest gun-safety measures have threatened to defund scientific or medical research into the causes of gun violence, I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it,” Obama said on Jan. 16.

As a result, a 1996 Congressional ban on research by the CDC “to advocate or promote gun control” was lifted. Finally, anti-gun proponents—and presumably the Obama Administration—thought gun owners and the NRA would be met with irre

Smith & Wesson has issued a major consumer safety alert for all M&P Shield Pistols manufactured before August 19, 2013.

Released August 22, 2013, the safety alert identified an issue where the M&P Shield’s trigger bar pin could damage the trigger’s drop safety feature—enabling the pistol to potentially discharge when dropped.

Smith & Wesson urgently warns anyone with a Shield to: “STOP USING YOUR PISTOL IMMEDIATELY UNTIL IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND, IF THE CONDITION IS FOUND, REPAIRED.”

Although it is believed the condition is limited to recently manufactured M&P Shields, Smith & Wesson is urg

Bill Alexander, founder and chief product designer of Alexander Arms, gave us a first look at the Alexander Arms Ulfberht .338 Lapua Magnum. This gas piston-driven semi-automatic was designed to provide shooters with long range precision with minimal signature in a portable platform. The Ulfberht (Viking Sword) features a 10-round, double-stack magazine and ambidextrous mag releases; the mags are also designed to eject without having to lift the rifle.

The Ulfberht also features a long-stroke mechanism that prevents the bolt from slamming into the back of the rifle, reducing recoil and eliminating the need for a muzzle brake. Alexander Arms is expecting to begin taking orders for the Ulfberht during the first quarter of 2014, and should retail for about $6,800. Check out the video straight from the range.

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Brandon Renner of Slide Fire Solutions gave us a first look at the brand new Slide Fire SSAR-22 kit. This brand new stock kit features a three-piece chassis system that allows the shooter to attach a Slide Fire OGR stock to a Ruger 10/22, giving the rifle bump-fire capabilities. The kit also comes with a 3-pound 10/22 trigger. The SSAR-22 is available now and retails for $449.99. Check out the SSAR-22 in action at the range.

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It is estimated about one in 10 Americans has hearing loss that affects the ability to understand normal speech. The most common cause of this condition is excessive noise exposure. It just so happens shooting firearms is a popular activity that subjects its participants to noise levels intense enough to cause permanent hearing loss, unless the proper precautions are employed.

But how loud can a gun really be? It varies some depending on the firearm and ammunition used, but the sound is more intense than one might think. If we were to measure the report of a rifle, the sound would be checked for the following:

• Frequency: from low to high sounds, measured in hertz.
• Duration: how long the report last

“We don’t call 911. We use Colt.”

A poster emblazoned with that warning hangs on the wall of Steve Sahin’s restaurant, Pizza Heaven II, in New Haven, Conn. Last week, two wannabe robbers found out the hard way Sahin isn’t bluffing.

According to The (Hartford, Conn.) Courant, two masked men entered Pizza Heaven II shortly before midnight Friday brandishing a rifle and demanding Sahin empty his cash register and his pockets.

“I was scared,” Sahin said, but complied with the robbers’ demands.

However, the robbers got greedy and demanded Sahin take them to his office in the back to grab more cash. The robbers were shocked to see a pistol in Sahin’s drawer, which he pulled on the robbers. Surprised, the wannabe rifleman stumbled and dropped his weapon—which turned out to be a mere pellet rifle.

Check out the video from WTIC in Hartford, Conn.

In 2011, Missouri-based Heizer Defense entered the personal defense market with its diminutive Heizer DoubleTap, a pocket handgun built specifically with concealed carry in mind.

Now, Heizer has taken the pocket pistol concept a step further, introducing the brand new Heizer Defense Pocket Shotgun. This single-shot .410 handgun features a break-open design with a stainless steel or titanium finish. Heizer boasts extreme reliability from the Pocket Shotgun, putting 5,000 rounds through it over the course of two-and-a-half days without a fail. The Pocket Shotgun is expected to hit shelves in November with a price point around $499. Check out the Pocket Shotgun in action at the range.

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President Obama and Attorney General Holder have recently called for an examination of state stand-your-ground laws in reaction to the acquittal of George Zimmerman. Not only is this a vast overreach by federal officials into an area of law that has historically been left to the states, it shows the Obama administration’s eagerness to capitalize on any opportunity to pursue its anti-gun, anti-self-defense agenda.

What the president and attorney general fail to realize is that there has already been an examination of self-defense laws in state legislatures and courts across the country. Simply put, the majority have concluded that stand-your-ground is good public policy, because it fully protects Americans’ fundamental right to self-defense.

Unsatisfied with the call for examination of stand-your-ground by the president and attorney general, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) recently reintroduced H.R. 2812, the “Justice Exists for All of Us Act of 2013.” H.R. 2812 would make deep cuts in federal criminal justice grants to any state that does not repeal its stand-your-ground law. Rep. Jackson Lee does not seem to be bothered that H.R. 2812 would be most detrimental to her law-abiding constituents, while giving violent criminals in her district the upper hand. Texas, like the majority of other states, has a stand-y

With all the subcompact 9mm pistols on the market today, choosing the right one for you can be a truly difficult decision.

The expansion of concealed carry reciprocity across the country has triggered a competitive market among firearm manufacturers. Companies are racing to engineer smaller guns without sacrificing the features and effectiveness of a full-sized platform.

By nature, subcompacts are unforgiving in nearly every sense of the word. A short sight radius, truncated barrel and reduced grip area amplify the slightest operator error. Making each shot count requires some practice, especially when magazine capacity is typically half that of full-sized guns. What seem to be small differences can often give one pocket pistol a significant advantage. So I set out to find the best subcompact out there today.

After firing a majority of subcompacts on the market, the best advice I can give—especially if it’s for concealed carry—is to avoid buying based on brand loyalty. Just because a particular brand makes your favorite full-sized 9×19 doesn’t guarantee i

There are many names for that pack of just-in-case supplies—go-bag, bug-out bag, survival go-bag, grab bag, get-out-of-Dodge-gear. Whatever name your run-for-it bag wears, its contents are a vital part of surviving a super volcano, financial meltdown, hostile government takeover, zombie apocalypse or whatever brand of nightmare your anticipated disaster is.

Meant to get you through the first few days of chaos following a civilization-changing event, your go-bag should contain items that sustain the foundation of life, not luxury. Lightweight food, water, water purifiers, medication, documents, rudimentary shelter and sophisticated weaponry are just a few items to pack away. Other necessary preps include clothing, fire, communication and the most useful tool known to man: a blade.

Most folks choose their go-bag food carefully, and they purchase a quality water filter. Clothing is chosen for durability, warmth and often for an inconspicuous appearance. Then it all gets thrown into your teenager’s cast-off school pack, or a $13 Walmart special that will literally come apart at the seams during the first hard run for your life.

Some folks use a duff

The Darne features a unique sliding breech mechanism allowing the barrels to remain stationary with no movement. Lever on the lower left side of the frame is the safety, and double triggers are standard on this model. Note borders around fine checkering and extensive engraving on both the frame and back of breech.

The French gave us the Statue of Liberty in 1886, and it remains America’s most recognizable national monument. The Eiffel Tower in Paris remains one of the most iconic structures ever built, and it is instantly recognizable worldwide. Achievements in French cuisine put it at the top of any international listing of culinary achievements, and don’t forget the older French Bugattis and Talbot-Lagos are some of the rarest and most expensive automobiles ever produced. But how about French firearms and their importance to both collectors and investors?

It’s hard to keep a secret, especially for two years. For the last few weeks, Arsenal has been sending out newsletters and suggesting the SAM7SF will be the most finely tuned and advanced member of its SAM family the AK community has every known. The result of Arsenal’s secret project, called “The Game Changer,” was shown to the world on August 7th, 2013.

Before that date, a select group of evaluators at Guns & Ammo were given a first look at the very first sample. It’s finished in black, wears a U.S.-manufactured Bulgarian-style handguard with gas tube cover, and looks like it should already be a member of the SAM7R family. But if you look closely, you’ll see why Arsenal is particularly proud of this one.

We have yet to

The bear measured 9-4 and was estimated to weigh 600 pounds. The guide figured he was close to 30 years old and had more facial scars, broken teeth and missing body parts (one ear had been chewed off) than any trophy I’ve taken.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. Here in the Midwest, the dog days of summer give way to Indian summer, where sometime in late September and early October shorter daylight hours, lower daytime temperatures, and cooler nights eventually trigger colorful fall foliage…

Of course, October also means the beginning of the false or early rut for whitetail deer, which is the only big-game animal we can hunt smack dab in the Midwest or Illinois.  The corn and soybeans are being shelled or cut by those big $250,000 combines, and that means more deer will be on the move. And bowhunters are licking their chops, anticipating elevated levels of activity prior to the gun season opener in November.

But my favorite fall (and spring) memory a