Author: Aaron

Aaron is a sergeant with a midwestern police department, where he serves as a trainer, supervisor and SWAT sniper. In addition to his broad tactical knowledge, Aaron is an experienced hunter using bow and both modern and blackpowder firearms.

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news Rifles

TAPCO Intrafuse AR Handguard

TAPCO AR HandguardTAPCO produces a fine alternative to the traditional aluminum quad-rail that many AR-15 owners consider as standard equipment today: the TAPCO Intrafuse AR Handguard.

The TAPCO handguard is made of high strength composite and has full-length Picatinny rails on the top and bottom with half-length Picatinny rails on both sides to create the quad-rail. The bottom and side rails have detachable covers, while the top rail remains open at all times.

The covers are made of Santoprene, described as a high strength flexible rubber material, and are designed to be modular to fit the shooter’s desires. The covers can be removed in a matter of seconds, and do not require any tools to do so.

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Rifles

Marlin 1894 CSS

marlin_1894_css_01aThe Marlin Model 1894 CSS was a 2009 SHOT SHOW special exhibition, but the company received such positive feedback from SHOT SHOW attendees and gun enthusiasts alike that they decided to make it a part of their standard product line. The “CSS” stands for Cowboy Stainless Steel.

The rifle comes chambered in .357 Mag./.38 Spl. caliber and has a 9-shot tubular magazine underneath the barrel. That barrel is 18.5″ long, and has Ballard-style rifling (six grooves). The shorter than standard barrel is just another feature that makes this carbine a nice brush gun or fun gun. The overall length of the rifle comes in at 36 inches. As the name implies the barrel, magazine, receiver, trigger, and lever are also stainless steel.

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Rifles

Marlin Model 336 BL

marlin_336bl_01aThe new Marlin Model 336 BL has arrived.  I got to handle one of these rifles at the 2010 SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas.  The BL version stands for “Big Loop Lever”.

This new Model 336 version offers a slight variance of their highly popular lever action rifle with a hint of old West flavor.  The Model 336 BL has an 18.5″ barrel that has a highly polished blued finish.  The stock and fore grip are composed a brown laminate finish that will be familiar to Model 336 owners.  And the Model 336 BL has the standard 6-shot tubular magazine that extends underneath and to the end of the barrel. Interior firing mechanisms are exactly the same as the standard Model 336.

The major difference in this model is the “BL”, the Big Loop Lever and the slightly shorter barrel than the standard Model 336.  Those changes may seem like small differences, but the handling and speed of manipulating the lever are noticeable.

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Optics and Sighting Systems

Crimson Trace to Launch New Products at 2010 SHOT Show

crimsontrace_charterarmsIt would appear that Crimson Trace is preparing to launch several new products at the 2010 SHOT Show.  Michael Bane teased to this in his podcast, Down Range Radio, last week.

In addition to the Lasergrips introduced with new guns (as they did with the Ruger LCR at the 2009 SHOT Show), I think we may see green lasers from Crimson Trace.  A number of CT competitors, including Viridian and LaserMax, have been capitalizing on their green laser products.

If you have not used a green laser-equipped gun before, you may not recognize what a significant difference this is.  I have used various red laser products before, including Crimson Trace.  Frankly, I was never impressed by their capability in daylight or indoor lighting conditions.  In bright daylight, I found them to be completely unusable.  Green lasers, however, are different.

I’ve had the chance to play with various green lasers, and have found them to be much more visible in all lighting conditions.  I can easily see and use a green laser in full daylight.  The difference between green and red is profound.

Don’t be surprised to see Crimson Trace introduce a green laser product at the 2010 SHOT Show.  Blue and purple lasers are probably not terribly likely to be seen.  A green laser, though, is a possibility.

Update

There were no green lasers from Crimson Trace – just more red lasers.  It took Crimson Trace a couple of more years to bring out a viable green laser product for the consumers.  They were not the first to market with a green colored laser, but they did bring out a high-quality line of green lasers.

The 2010 SHOT Show was a good one for Crimson Trace, and for everyone in the shooting industry.  The show was held in Las Vegas, and it looks like it will stay in Vegas for a while.

Categories
Ammunition

Buffalo Bore’s .45 Auto Rim

Buffalo Bore is now manufacturing the .45 Auto Rim in four loadings: two standard pressure and two “+P”.

buffalo_bore_autorimIn standard pressure, you can get a 200 gr JHP at a little over 1000 fps (444+ ft-lb) out of a 4″ S&W revolver.  The 255 gr hard cast FP is clocking almost 870 fps (410+ ft-lb) out of the same 4″ Smith.

With the “+P” designation, the 200 JHP is sizzling at almost 1200 fps (635 ft-lb) out of the 4″ S&W.  The hard cast 255 gr FP is moving at more than 1030 fps (570+ ft-lb).  These are amazing numbers.  It should be noted that there is not a SAAMI specification for “+P” in the .45 Auto Rim.  Consequently, use only a modern firearm with the +P ammunition.  Buffalo Bore does state that the +P loads are safe to use in all post-WWII revolvers chambered for the .45 ACP.

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