Guns & Ammo

106 Pages·2015·33.43 MB·English

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GUNS & AMMO
APRIL 2015|VOLUME 59, NUMBER 4|PUBLISHED MONTHLY
CONTENTS
BERETTA
The subscriber
edition of this
issue features
Someone needs to teach Uncle Sam
the new Steyr
AUG/A3 M1 in
how to recognize a good deal.
a Mud-colored
stock and ftted
with an optional
BY TOM BECKSTRAND
1.5X optic. p. 64
COVER PHOTOS: SEAN UTLEY, ABOVE: BERETTA USA
64 72 78 86
“HELL, TALE OF THE
CLEAR AS MUD HE WAS THERE!” MONKEY TAIL HOOKS & HORNS
Nearing 40 years in maturity and A rare opportunity to own a piece The Westley Richards capping Testing the fexibility of pairing
now built in the U.S., the Steyr AUG of Elmer Keith’s legend and lore is breechloader was recognized as Merkel’s Helix RX with Meopta
remains incredibly futuristic. Is coming to James D. Julia Auctions. one of the best, and it lived on into glass on plains game in Robin
America fnally ready for a bullpup? the self-contained-cartridge era. Hurt’s Namibia.
staff report
by eric r. poole by garry james by len waldron
Reader Blowback� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �6 Rifes & Glass by Tom Beckstrand � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �39
Editorial by Eric R� Poole � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �13 Lock, Stock & Barrel by SGM Kyle Lamb [Ret�] � � � � � � � � � � � �47
Gun Room by Garry James� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �15 Proofhouse Marlin 1894� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �96
Gun Notes by Craig Boddington � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �21 G&A Almanac� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �101
Handgunning by Patrick Sweeney � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �25 Spent Cases Man-Eating Lions� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �104
The Carry Rig CrossBreed Appendix Carry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �33
GUNS & AMMO Magazine, Copyright 2015 by InterMedia Outdoors Inc. All rights reserved.
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4 G&A april 2015
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EDITORIAL ENDEMIC AD SALES
EDiTOr Eric R. Poole NaTiONal ENDEMiC SalES MaNaGEr
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arT DirECTOr Michael Ulrich WESTErN rEGiON
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WEST rEGiON
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HaNDGUNS EDiTOr Patrick Sweeney SOUTHWEST rEGiON
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MiDWEST rEGiON
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Tom Beckstrand, Richard King, Kyle Lamb, Lukas Lamb,
EaST rEGiON
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Braxton Lee Petty, Alfredo Rico, Jeremy Stafford,
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READER
WRITE US! “Letters,” Guns & Ammo, 2 News Plaza, 3rd Floor, Peoria, IL 61614, or email us at [email protected].
BLOWBACK
Please include your city and state of residence. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.
APRIL ’81 aptitude going to school
to learn welding, machine
Originally known as the
repair, etc., he or she is
“Police Self-loading Pistol,” or
PSP, this unusual Heckler & encouraged to go to col-
Koch 9mm was redesignated
lege and get a “modern”
the P7 once it was adopted for
degree. Here I’ll be clear
service by the West German
police. Though it wasn’t whom I’m insulting: Anyone
BOND ARMS technically a new handgun
who thinks a degree in
in 1981, it was frst imported
I think you missed the boat on why the Bond Arms derrin- gender studies (just to
to the U.S. market that year,
ger shoots the top barrel higher than the bottom. When gaining enough interest for pick one) is going to help
April’s cover story. No manual
the bottom barrel fres, the recoil force is pretty much when it comes time for job
safety lever was included in
straight back into the hand through the center of the gun. interviews is going to be
this design. Instead, as much
When the top barrel fres, the recoil force is from the top of as 11 pounds of pressure was sorely mistaken and heavily
required to squeeze the cock-
the gun; the gun rotates up in the hand, causing the bullet in debt. When I want my (fll
ing lever to ready the striker
to exit pointed slightly up. The faster bullet is in the barrel in the blank) fxed, I want
for fring. HK discontinued
a shorter amount of time, meaning less time for the gun to production of all subsequent someone like you, who has
variants in 2008.
rotate. See anything wrong with this reasoning? learned through feld ex-
Rick Neale perience and has satisfed
Norton, Ohio customers to prove it.
— P. Sweeney
Rick, you are correct that, amount of readers like
GOOD BALANCE
due to a low bore axis, me who are not college
IN G&A
the recoil from the bottom educated, Mr. Sweeney. I
barrel causes the gun to am referring to a statement As a long-time subscriber
come straight back in your published in your Febru- to Guns & Ammo, I would
hand, and because the top ary column “How To Be A like to commend you and
barrel has a higher bore Gunwriter,” regarding his the entire staff for pro-
axis, it will slightly rotate recommendation for having ducing such an enjoyable,
up with the recoil. Slower a college education. The well-written, entertaining
bullets such as the .45 Colt lack of a college degree has magazine. Having just read
will have a wider spread, not adversely affected my gence. The decision to stop your “Reader Blowback”
whereas faster ones such as ability to shoot and enjoy enjoying G&A, which has column in the January
the .357 Mag. will be much all kinds of frearms for well been a part of my life for issue, it never ceases to
closer together. The way over 50 years. I am every bit years, is not an easy one. amaze me when so-called
the gun is designed is that as much of a professional This being said, I will not re- frearms enthusiasts take
the bottom barrel is lined as you, Mr. Sweeney. It has new or buy your publication exception with the percent-
up with the sights; the top been my pleasure to have from the newsstand. age of features covering
barrel, even when braced, been a union plumber/pipe- anonymous this or that type of frearm.
will still shoot slightly high ftter for 35 years. Along email I love to read about all fre-
since the bores are parallel with this, I have been an arms, those I use and own,
and only one can be lined apprentice instructor for the My comment was not may someday use or own,
up with the sights. last 15 years. Words carry meant to insult surfers; just and the ones I will never
— Gordon Bond, a lot of weight and, along the opposite. The unending own. Likewise, I love to
Bond Arms with that, responsibility. I emphasis on every student read about exotic hunts and
would bet that there are going to college and get- safaris that in all likelihood
DUUUUUUUUDE!
quite a few professional ting a degree, regardless of I will never experience frst-
It would seem to me that “surfer dudes” who would the subject matter, is a real hand; that’s just the point.
it is entirely possible that take notice of Mr. Sweeney problem. Instead of a stu- I am just as interested in
there are a substantial alluding to their intelli- dent who shows mechanical ammo and ballistics as

8 G&A april 2015
well as optics, holsters and gun-care
products. No other publication even
comes close to covering all of these
facets of the frearms world. Thanks
again for a job well done.
Albert Sophiea
Warren, Michigan
SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER
RESTRICTIONS
The article on Aguila Ammunition in
the January 2015 issue was troubling
to me. I have nothing against Aguila
specifcally or imported ammo in
general. As the article unfolds, it is
stated that “frearms are heavily re-
stricted in Mexico.” Then it is further
stated, “Since legal gun ownership
is highly restricted and controlled by
the Secretariat of National Defense
(SEDENA), legally shooting a fre-
arm is a privilege that few Mexican
citizens enjoy.” Of course, that didn’t
stop author Alfredo Rico and Patrick
Sweeney from shooting up a bunch of
Aguila ammo, including running 9mm
through a full-auto carbine. Then
they junketed over to Acapulco to a
“private shooting range” to enjoy the
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