Gun Digest September 2021

I’ve never been a fan of selling guns. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve got nothing against it, and I’ve certainly scored some excellent finds from those willing to sell. However, when a gun makes a stop in one of my safes, it’s gonna stay for a long while. Now, are there guns in the back that deserve more range time than they see? Absolutely. I’ve got my favorites, whether I’m plinking or hunting. But parting with a gun just because I don’t shoot it much? No, thanks. With all that said, I’m still able to admit that not all of them in my safe carry equal importance in my eyes, again, regardless of how many rounds they fire annually. There are those select few that, come hell or high water, I would…

HISTORICAL NOTES Designed by Winchester in 1925 for its Model 54 bolt-action rifle, the .270 caused quite a stir in shooting circles. At the time of introduction, it offered better long-range performance than any big-game cartridge available on the American market. The cartridge is based on the .30-06 case necked down to .277 inch. The case neck is .050-inch longer but, except for the neck and headstamp, the .270 Winchester is otherwise identical to the .30-06. GENERAL COMMENTS Along with the .30-06, this is one of the most accurate and effective all-round American big-game cartridges. Its reputation and popularity have increased steadily since its introduction. Although not intended as a varmint cartridge, the .270 will serve very well in that capacity when loaded with bullets of 90 to 110 grains. The 130-grain bullet at…

I sold my first gun article a quarter-century ago while I was still working as a patrol officer. The article was about holstering a handgun. I’m not sure it was all that well written; I think it was partly accepted by the magazine because the topic was one that was important and often overlooked. The thrust of the piece was safety related because negligent, self-inflicted gunshot wounds often occur when holstering. Nothing’s changed. Because shooters often holster too hurriedly with their finger on the trigger, it’s still a problem. I highly doubt anyone who read that article is reading this magazine, and since a lot of folks have been born since the original article was written, I felt the topic worth revisiting. It could save you from a scare capable of…

If you’re a reloader and you don’t already know about UniqueTek, here’s your chance. They make, among other things, reloading press upgrades, as well as small accessories, improved parts or specialized extras—the little items that make life so much easier. The first one I’ll cover (and we’re going back to UT again and again in the future) is the spent-primer feed addition. I’ve been doing a lot of reloading in the last 30-plus years on a Dillon 550B. It’s a versatile, adaptable and quick-enough loading setup, but there are a few details that just needed a bit more work. One is the spent primer handling process. The Dillon process uses a hinged box beneath the shell plate. The ram goes up, and the primer is decapped by the sizing die. The pushed-out…

There are some obvious and not-so-obvious investments you need to make in becoming a gun owner. In the patently apparent category goes a gun … and ammo wouldn’t hurt, either. Less intuitively, you need somewhere to store your soon-to-be favorite tool when it’s not in use. And no, the corner of the guest bedroom closet or the utility draw won’t cut it. At the top of the must-have list for any gun owner should be a high-quality gun storage system, whether it’s a gun safe, gun locker or otherwise. To ensure your new, beloved pistol or class-act shotgun doesn’t end up in some criminal jack-a-ninny’s possession, these systems give you peace of mind and show a serious commitment to your investment. Unfortunately, you aren’t done by simply putting your gun under lock and…

The other day, my niece and her husband approached me regarding the topic of purchasing a handgun for home security. Previous to this, they hadn’t considered the issue, but with the increasing crime all around, they’ve made the decision to obtain a handgun, and they wanted to know which one to buy. Of course, they’ve been seduced by the plethora of small semi-automatics on the market, but I also knew that they weren’t the type who’d likely train sufficiently to have a mastery of the small polymer pistols. I recommended a revolver like the type I was carrying at the time, a Smith & Wesson Model 66, 2.5-inch. And, since we were in an area with a safe backstop and no other people around, I felt it would be wise to just…