Prolific gun magazine publisher, Harris Publications, announced to its staff today that it is closing down effective April 29, 2016. This move will eliminate 16 different shooting and firearms related periodicals and annuals.
Among the magazines shuttered:
Fighting back against a spree killer (often incorrectly called an ‘active shooter’) is something that many in the mainstream media has unconscionably railed against. From anti-gun opinion pieces disguised as news articles to videos showing the poor performance of armed citizens in contrived situations, much of the old media has been wrongly beating the idea that you cannot fight back into the brains of viewers.
Tonight, however, there will be a different look at the situation. For the Record, an investigative journalism television program, takes on actively resisting a mass murderer.
For the Record is an hour long television news program that does in-depth investigations into various topics. I’ve seen some of its work on Islamic extremism, the Fort Hood shooting, the 2008 financial crisis, drug cartel violence and BMA land grabs. While much of the information they provide is unsettling, I have always found it to be accurate and apolitical. So, I am looking forward to watching this show tonight.
The above video is a preview clip with Rob Pincus, the owner of I.C.E. Training and developer of the Combat Focus Shooting techniques. In addition to operating a successful self-defense firearms school, Pincus is an author and frequent guest on news programs. He is extremely knowledgable on the defensive use of force including how the body alarm response plays into the encounter. Pincus is also one of the driving forces behind the new PD10 pistols from Avidity Arms.
Below is a video teaser from For the Record on the episode:
For what it is worth, I have taken a Combat Focus Shooting class taught by Deryck Poole of Echo-5 Training. Poole, an instructor affiliated with I.C.E. Training, provided top notch training and offered great insight into the shooting system. Whether you train with Pincus or one of his affiliated instructors, the courses are worth taking.
The show also highlights Endeavor Defense and Fitness in Hilliard, OH. In fact, Endeavor Fitness seems to have been the inspiration for the program, as For the Record did a short piece on them last December. Based on that video, it looks like these guys are offering some solid advice on how to respond if confronted with a nightmare scenario in a gun free environment.
I recommend taking the time to watch the show. Though I’ve not yet seen it, I am confident in the ability of both Pincus and For the Record to deliver informative and engaging content that is worth my time.
The Blaze is a multi-media network that started online and is now carried on a number of cable and satellite providers such as Verizon FIOS and the DISH Network. Additionally, the network is available as a streaming service (with apps for Roku, Apple TV and Amazon’s FireTV in addition to your computer and phone/tablet.) The streaming service is a subscription, but you can join for only $1 for 30 days and then cancel if you just want to watch this show. (Note: I’m not an affiliate of The Blaze, and I don’t make a dime if you choose to subscribe to its service. I am, however, a subscriber myself.)
Kimber America did something that I had not expected: the company went retro and introduced a wheel gun at the 2016 SHOT Show. The new Kimber K6s is a compact 6-shot Magnum revolver that is likely to get a lot of attention in the coming months.
For the 2016 SHOT Show, Savage Arms pulled the cover off of its new .22 Magnum rifle called the A22.
Based on the company’s ingenious A17 rifle that was introduced at the 2015 SHOT Show, the new A22 is chambered for the .22 WMR rimfire cartridge. The company is using the same delayed blowback operation developed for the A17 rifle in this gun to ensure safe, reliable operation.
The new A22 Magnum will have a 21″ barrel and black synthetic stock. The barrel and receiver have a blued finish.
The guns use a detachable rotary magazine that hold 10 rounds. For Savage fans – yes, the guns have the company’s AccuTrigger as a standard part.
The suggested retail price on these new guns is $473.
What is interesting is what was not said in the Savage Arms announcement. There was no mention of the .22 LR in the announcement, which is a bit curious. The company now has a new model semi-automatic rifle for two of the hottest running rimfires – the .22 WMR and .17 HMR – but no announcement about an updated offering for the extremely popular .22 LR round.
A check of distributor catalogs, however, suggested there may be a version of the A22 chambered for the .22 LR after all.
According to the information I was given, the .22 LR version of the A22 will be very similar to the .22 Mag gun. It will have a 22″ barrel (instead of 21″) and 10-round rotary magazine. This rifle will also have a black synthetic stock and a blued finish.
The .22 LR gun would be less expensive at only $281. I would guess that the cost savings are realized in a less expensive action. Instead of the fancier delayed blowback needed on the higher pressure rounds, the .22 LR would likely have a straight blow back design.
One other thing of note: Savage Arms appeared to have changed the company’s logo. Previously, the company has used a logo that depicted a Native American with a headdress:
The new logo is something less distinctive, but more modern:
Korth announced a new 9mm conversion kit to transform a Smith & Wesson L-frame revolver chambered in .357 Magnum. The conversion allows for the use of 9mm “rimless” cartridges in the revolver without needing a moon clip.
The conversion kit comes with the cylinder assembly and speed loader. To convert the gun, all one has to do is remove the lock screw that holds the cylinder assembly in the gun. Then slide out the old cylinder and replace it with the new. Tighten the screw down and that’s it: you now have a 9mm revolver.
The key to efficiently operating a revolver with rimless cartridges is the extraction of the fired shells. When a round is fired, the case expands and creates a tight fit inside the charge hole. The extractor star on a normal revolver pulls the empty case out and allows it to drop free. With a rimless cartridge such as the 9mm, there is no overhanging rim for the typical extractor to use to yank the spent case from the chamber.
Another problem with the 9mm is that the case is tapered. This means that an unfired round has relatively little contact with the inside of the chamber and can back out during fire. A round that backs out of the cylinder can lock up a revolver. This will prevent the gun from firing until the “jam” is cleared.
Typically, the use of a thin piece of metal – a moon clip – would be used to overcome these problems. A moon clip requires the shooter to snap cartridges into it. Then all of the cartridges are inserted and extracted en masse. This system works well for many shooters, and I found it worked well with the Taurus 905 9mm revolver I previously reviewed. Revolver master Jerry Miculek has used these kinds of guns to win competitions and set world records.
However, a number of companies have tried – with varying success – to create revolvers that will run rimless cartridges without a moon clip. A number of decades ago Smith & Wesson did it with the model 547 built on a K-frame.
In more modern times, Charter Arms has made the Pitbull. The Pitbull is a series of revolvers that are chambered for the 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. While my experience with the guns have been mixed, some people like them a lot. My main issue with the Pitbull was reliable extraction.
Korth has not listed a MSRP on the conversion kits. If the kits are reliable and reasonably priced, I could see the company selling quite a few of them.
It is true that the 9mm doesn’t offer a lot that the .357 Magnum won’t do, but there are some self defense cartridges that simply are not made in the Magnum caliber. Also there are a number of odd people like me that just like doing weird things – like shooting 9mm from a revolver.