Sommaire pour Issue 5 de GUNS

Discussions have been in place for some time both in Italy and in the United States which aim to establish restrictions on the sale and possession of guns. Let me be clear, we are talking about two realities that have very little in common in this situation and a couple of ideas have emerged in recent weeks to confirm this. Thus, while in the United States President Joe Biden is forced to intervene to prevent the advertising of weapons aimed at youngsters, in Italy the strategy is to reduce, up to zero, the issue and renewal of licenses that authorize a citizen with “demonstrated need” to carry a gun for personal defense. To perfect the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act against gun violence, President Joe Biden has instructed the Federal…

THE CIRCULAR Below are the most important passages of the explanatory circular. The regulation and its interpretative difficulties. On 25 January 2021, the European Commission issued the Regulation amending Annex XVII of Regulation (EC) number 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, concerning the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (Reach) regarding the lead contained in ammunition used in or near wetlands. The Regulation will go into effect throughout the European Union from 15 February 2023. The Regulation was adopted by Berlaymont following a comitology procedure which saw the involvement of the Committee which assists the Commission in the implementation of the Reach Regulation and in which the competent administrations of the Member States directly participate. On 3 September 2020, the Committee approved the regulation, despite the…

TEST SHOTGUNS BERETTA A400 XTREME PLUS Among the many versions of the A400, Beretta's flagship hunting semi-auto shotgun, the one called Xtreme Plus is designed specifically for waterfowl hunting. This version is characterized by the availability of camouflage finishes and by a series of features that make it perfect for occasions when many cartridges are fired. After the popular 12-gauge version, this year Beretta has launched a new 20-gauge model, which shares some of the salient features of its “big brother”, but with some changes. Like the 12-gauge version, the A400 Xtreme Plus 20 is also available in numerous colors with a polymer stock. In addition to the black Synthetic version, you can opt for the Realtree Max-7, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Optifade Timber and True Timber Prairie finishes. We had…

TEST HANDGUNS IWI MASADA TACTICAL IN 9MM Israel Weapon Industries is a company that needs little introduction: active on the military and civilian market since the birth of the State of Israel, it has created some cornerstones of 20th century firearm design: from the Uzi submachine gun to the Galil assault rifle, without forgetting handguns such as the Jericho. In 2017, the company launched the Masada, a striker fired handgun with a polymer frame that is equipped with all the features of a modern firearm. We tested the optics-ready Tactical version, which comes with a threaded barrel. How it's made Masada is the name of an Israeli fortification that, during the First Jewish–Roman War, preferred death over defeat. It's a very fitting name for a product that represents IWI's most…

TEST HANDGUNS RUGER LCP MAX IN .380 ACP The thriving market of micro-compact handguns for concealed carry is evolving: in recent years, thanks to polymer frames and the use of modified Browning locking mechanisms, we have seen a plethora of micro-compact handguns that can be divided into two groups: those chambered in .380 ACP and those in 9mm. The former requires maximum containment of the external dimensions, all in all the latter also, but in a slightly less marked way. And it is for this reason that, recently, traditional 9mm single stack micro-compacts are being joined by micro pistols, still in 9mm, but with a double-stack magazine, to obtain a fire capacity of at least 10 rounds if not more. Of course, subcompact handguns, like the Glock 26, aren't a…

TEST SHOTGUNS COSMI IL SOVRAPPOSTO IN 12 GAUGE When you enter Cosmi's production plant, located a few meters from Ancona's seafront, you have the distinct feeling of being transported into another dimension. It's like going back in time to a place where almost forgotten traditional techniques and secrets are preserved. In the workshop, however, wooden tables with oil, files, lamps and magnifying glasses coexist with modern CNC machines, which for some years now have completely supplanted hammer and chisel in the preliminary machining of the metal parts. These two souls of Cosmi are embodied by Luca Gaeti and Rodolfo Cosmi, who respectively represent the spirit of innovation and the link with tradition. Luca, CEO since 2018, has the merit of having brought new life into the company, relaunching the brand…

TEST RIFLES KELBLY NANOOK IN .300 NORMA MAGNUM For some years now, Kelbly has found inspiration for his products from the world of bears: this was the case for the Black Bear and Golden Bear actions, which also in Italy have garnered much acclaim among precision shooting enthusiasts, in particular among fans of long range shooting. The same applies to Kelbly's latest rifle: the Nanook. In this case, the name comes from the mythology of Inuit, the original inhabitants of the Arctic and subarctic coastal regions of North America. More often identified as Eskimos, which they consider a derogatory term, the Inuit are famous for being expert hunters and among their prey there are also polar bears. Since Kelbly's new rifle was designed from the ground up for hunting large…

TEST AIR GUNS STOEGER XM1 BULLPUP IN 6.35 MM A couple of years ago Stoeger Airguns launched its first PCP, the XM1, which was a true success thanks to its good quality/price ratio combined with an innovative look and great ergonomics. In 2022 the company, which is part of Beretta holding, launched a bullpup version of the XM1. The most interesting feature of the new XM1 bullpup is the size: with a 22.8-inch barrel-shroud assembly (against the 22.2 inches of the traditional XM1), the rifle measures just 700 mm (27.5”), while the original XM1 measures 990 mm (38.9”). Furthermore, the bullpup design allows the center of gravity of the gun to almost coincide with the pistol grip, so handling is extraordinary and, if desired, the shooter can fire the gun…

HISTORY – MILITARY GUNS BERNARDELLI PROTOTYPE SUBMACHINE GUNS Bernardelli was a famous name in the gunmaking tradition of Valtrompia: its side-by-side shotguns are known and esteemed all over the world but, after WWII, the company (officially founded in 1865, but whose origins date back at least to the 18th century) also designed some handguns and revolvers for self-defense and target shooting, as well as hunting semi-auto shotguns. Bernardelli has also periodically explored the military market: first during WWI, making parts at the request of the Royal Arsenal of Gardone Val Trompia, then between the end of the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, when the company made around 10,000 Bodeo 1889 revolvers for the Royal Italian Army and undertook the complex process of converting the Chamelot Delvigne revolvers, used…

TEST MILITARY GUNS BERETTA PM12 IN 9MM The PM12 submachine gun represented a leap forward in modernity, both for Beretta, whose previous submachine gun was the MAB (dating back to WWII), and for military and of police forces at an international level, who immediately appreciated the compactness and excellent controllability of the gun, without forgetting the ruggedness typical of a true military firearm. The most extensive users were Italian police forces, who adopted the PM12 and used it for years, until it was replaced with the almost identical PM12S (launched in 1978) which, compared to the original, featured only minor changes, confirming the quality of the original design. For years, the PM12 has been a forbidden dream for enthusiasts and collectors, since owning a full auto firearm is illegal in…

TEST HANDGUNS GLOCK P80 SPECIAL EDITION IN 9MM Glock is celebrating the fortieth birthday of the gun that won the Austrian army trials that took place in the early ‘80s. Also adopted by the Norwegian army, the P80 was introduced on the civilian market as the model 17. To design the polymer frame, a feature that was already present on the H&K VP70, Glock used his experience with this material and, along with his team, he revolutionized the semi-auto handguns market. At the moment, the Austrian company offers a wide range of guns that share the same mechanical design. Glocks are known for their light weight, reliability, ease of use and accuracy. The latter feature is not essential for a personal defense/service pistol, but it proves the quality of gun.…

TEST OPTICS ZEISS RS V8 1,1-8X24 The V8 series consists of Zeiss' top of the line scopes. In the second half of 2021, the series underwent a restyling, which resulted in a substantial decrease in tube diameter: from 34 or 40 mm to 30 mm for the 1.1-8×24, 1.8-1×50 and 2.8-20×56. Compared to the first generation V8s, the reticle options have also been expanded, while the optical quality has remained unchanged: the quality of Schott fluoride lenses is combined with the Zeiss T* multicoating treatment, which enhances brightness and contrast, while the LotuTec treatment on the external lenses minimizes the adherence of water, dust and dirt. How it's made The scope now features a 24 mm objective (against the 30 mm of the previous generation). The redesign of the main…

The Canadian government takes a step back on the road to prohibition of guns: in particular, the withdrawal of the G4 amendment included in the C21 bill was requested, the one relating to the definition of “assault weapon”. Also withdrawn the G46 amendment, which contained a list of more than 300 pages with all the models of guns that would be banned under the expanded definition of “assault weapon”. The amendment was withdrawn following mounting protests not only from associations of legal gun owners, hunters, but also from liberal members of Parliament. The associations for the protection of legal gun owners celebrated this decision positively, underlining however that the battle is far from being considered over, because the goal is to have the draft law C21 withdrawn in its entirety,…

TEST REVOLVER TAURUS TX 22 COMPETITION With the TX 22, Taurus has entered the new market of .22 plinking pistols that have the same size of modern striker-fired 9 mm handguns. With the Competition version, the Brazilian-American company raises the bar a little more, offering a long barrel set-up but, above all, an innovative universal plate to mount micro red dots. This feature makes the Competition one of the few optics ready striker-fired .22 pistols on the market (together with the Volquartsen Mamba-X): of course, .22 caliber handguns that allow the use of a red dot are not exactly a new thing, but in the vast majority of cases they use a Picatinny rail, which raises the optic over the natural line of sight of the gun. On the Taurus…