Gun Digest December 2022

For those who’ve never done it, shooting any firearm can be intimidating—but because you’ve got this magazine in your hands, I feel safe making the assumption that you’ve moved way beyond that particular challenge. Many of us know people still on that fence, and that hesitation makes sense: the noise, the recoil, the power. But when they get comfortable with it all, the smile always speaks for itself. I hold firm to the belief that nearly every gun control proponent would enjoy the disciplines of shooting if they could get out of their own way and give it an honest try. Even just once. But I digress… Perhaps it’s not surprising, but I see a lot of avid shooters face a similar level of intimidation when it comes to altering a gun in…

HISTORICAL NOTES The .220 Swift was developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935 as a new cartridge for the Model 54 bolt-action rifle. In 1936, when the Model 70 Winchester bolt action was first issued, the .220 Swift was one of the standard cartridges offered and continued to be until it was discontinued in 1964. At one time, the Savage Model 112V, the Ruger Model 77 and the Ruger No. 1V single-shot were offered in the .220 Swift chambering. The Model 70 Winchester is no longer made in this cartridge. Norma of Sweden lists the .220 Swift with a 50-grain bullet at 4,110 fps, and it also sells unprimed brass cases for reloading. Hornady offers 55-grain SP and 60-grain HP loadings, and other commercial loads are available from HSM, Captech-Jamison, Winchester, Remington and…

Hundreds of training drills are available for those wanting to practice with their defensive handgun, and there are two primary reasons we have so many. First, many drills are created to address and focus on a specific skill or set of skills. For example, dot drills are conducted to help you establish better control of your trigger. Then, there are drills like the El Prez, which targets a wide range of skills—such as handgun presentation, engaging multiple targets with multiple shots and reloading. The other reason we have so many handgun drills to choose from is because shooting the same drills all the time can become boring. Many of the drills have overlap in the individual skills they target, but their differences add spice to practice sessions. Between the need for addressing…

From the first time the AR-15 was fielded, the argument of magazine loading began. You see, it’s possible that the dimensions can stack (add up) in such a way that it becomes really tough to click a fully loaded magazine in place with the bolt forward. Just off the top of my head, I can see a dozen dimensions that have a “say” in that fit. And that’s why many advocated “downloading” a magazine. You know, 18 in a 20-round magazine, and 28 in a 30. That’s advice you can still hear. And in all this time, no one looked to see if there was a solution other than counting. Really? Well, Speed Tac stopped and thought. What they did was simple: They changed the machining path of the bottom of the carrier,…

On September 3, 2022, off-duty Adair County, Oklahoma, deputy Travis Adams shot an unarmed man, Justin Hellyer. He is facing charges of aggravated assault and first-degree battery for shooting Hellyer. The shooting was captured on video: Search YouTube for “Oklahoma off duty deputy.” This is a perfect example of what happens when a person brings a gun to an otherwise physical dispute. Despite there being a law enforcement officer involved, there are several lessons that the armed citizen can take away from this example, as Adams was off duty and out of his jurisdiction during the incident. (The shooting occurred across the state line, just inside Arkansas). THE DETAILS MATTER First off, it’s illegal to shoot an unarmed individual unless you have a good reason to believe your life is in danger. That statement…

Sig Sauer is continuing to develop its MCX line of AR-derived firearms, now releasing the third generation dubbed the MCX Spear LT series. This newest iteration features eight models in three distinct calibers, being sold in rifle, pistol and factory SBR configurations … dependent on barrel length, of course. The biggest addition to the MCX Spear LT line is the inclusion of 7.62×39 NATO models, bringing the total number of caliber options up to three, along side 5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout. The .300 Blackout version is available with a 9-inch barrel only, but it can be bought as either a pistol or factory SBR (note that the latter requires a Form 4 to transfer). The 11.5-inch barrel models are available in either 5.56 NATO or 7.62×39 NATO and can be…