October 2007

.40 S&W Concealables: M&P40 Edges Out Sigarms' P229 SAS
The ammo development program at Winchester had been a closely guarded secret. The goal: to make a suped-down version of the 10mm Auto. When the FBI began testing the 10mm, the agency found that a 180-grain bullet with velocities between 950 to 1,000 fps had great defensive potential. But the 10mm Auto, introduced in 1983, was too hot and dealt the shooter too much recoil for practical law enforcement use. What was needed, essentially, was a shortened 10mm cartridge that would fit in a smaller pistol platform—that is, S&W’s 9mm frames. Also, the cartridge needed to deliver a 180-grain payload at 950 to 1,000 fps with chamber pressures under 35,000 psi, the established ceiling for the 9mm.

Heavy-Barreled Autoloaders: TC Benchmark Classic Rates A-
Whether the handler is into hunting, plinking or target shooting—and the majority of .22 owners probably venture into all three areas—there is a rifle style to suit their fancy. The semi-serious will likely own a bull-barreled version at some time in their lives—a step above the standard model with an implied accuracy advantage that appeals to both hunter and target shooter. To see how bigger, heavier fancier .22s performed, we shot and compared three heavy-barreled versions of longstanding .22 LR autoloaders. All featured bull barrels with recessed "target" crowns and blow-back bolt cycling designs, 10-shot detachable magazines, heavy laminate stocks with no checkering, sling swivel studs, and were packed with keyed locking devices.

Compact ARs: The Bushmaster Patrolman's Carbine Is Our Pick
The wildly popular AR15 platform is spurring modifications on over-the-counter guns that heretofore were the province of do-it-yourselfers who had a Brownells catalog and a credit card handy. Two modifications of the original design found on more and more ARs are the "tactical" forend, consisting of a four-sided Picatinny rail and flip-up sights that can be raised into position when needed. The tactical forend is especially useful when applied to a flat-topped receiver topped with a matching Picatinny rail. The forend rail can receive any type of laser or illuminating device that carries a clamp. These features were developed to answer the needs of military and law enforcement and action-rifle competitors.

More .22 Revolvers for the Trail: S&W AirLite Still Our Choice
In our ongoing search for the best .22 handgun for the trail, wherever that trail may take us, we’ve looked at a bunch of .22 handguns and have rejected quite a few. This time we mix the single-action stainless Bearcat from Ruger ($480) with a DA Model 94SS4 from Taurus ($406), and take a look back at one of our earlier test guns from March 2006, the eight-shot S&W AirLite Model 317 ($735) with "HIVIZ" sights. Below, we recap the earlier results from the AirLite first, add long-term results we’ve gleaned about it since our original test, and then mix in facts and opinions about the other two guns to produce grades for the Ruger and Taurus guns.