Specialty Longguns

There are groups that undermine and manipulate systems across America to end hunting, trapping and fishing. These same “less-than-honest” groups also often then exploit wildlife and conservation issues in the name of raising dollars for their devious causes. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance has identified a dozen organizations that have taken efforts in the past year to prevent you from hunting or trapping:

ARES Defense Systems is introducing the ARES-15 Mission Configurable Rifle (MCR), which offers dual-feed capabilities and quick-change barrel.

There will always be a need to identify chamberings of firearms that have been inherited or bought at yard sales. The lure of buying for bottom dollar and discovering a real jewel is ingrained in most of us, so a little thing like no chambering marks on a rifle or handgun is no deterrent to a gun fancier.

Varmint X, the new line of predator and varmint ammunition from Winchester, is being touted as a super-accurate lineup of the most popular centerfire rifle calibers for predator hunting: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, .22-250 Rem and .243 Win.

USA Shooting’s National Shotgun Coach Todd Graves (Hamilton, Ga.) has assigned eight highly-respected coaches to assist and participate in the formation of USA Shooting’s re-structured Shotgun program.

The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, in conjunction with the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, will host the 2013 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships Jan 28-Feb. 8.

The 2013 U.S. Army Junior Air Rifle Championship, conducted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, is underway. The USAMU is keeping with its long-standing tradition of supporting America's youth by sponsoring the event for the sixth time after a one-year hiatus.

You'd be surprised how many people view the shooting teams as a good old boys club. They have no idea of the benefit and skill these Soldier-shooters are bringing to the Army Reserve. It's like accusing an NFL team of being nothing more than a group of drinking buddies that play catch on Sunday afternoon. Outsiders to US Army Reserve Shooting Team fail to understand why such a team exists. Unless one has been involved in small arms training or higher level shooting activity, marksmanship experience is typically limited to basic qualification. Just as retaking the same elementary arithmetic test will never teach Calculus, marksmen need to evolve to gain proficiency. Shooting teams were established in enact this and provide other benefits as well.

The Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team (SORT) has chosen SIG Sauer’s SIG516 as its new duty long arm.

Despite its wide appeal, the 12-gauge shotgun and the recoil it produces are not for everybody. But we think we’ve found a shotgun that is—the Mossberg 410 Cruiser (No. 50455-3).

Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd., has released a fully-anodized Colt M4 Carbine. Chambering is in 5.56mm/.223 Rem with a chrome-lined M4 profile barrel, A2 flash hider, bayonette lug and folding front sight.

Larry Vickers AK Operators Course is slated to run Nov. 17-18 in Gainesville, Florida. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days and teach AK-specific topics, including safety, stance, zeroing for iron sights and optics, sight alignment and trigger control. Familiarization with the carbine includes field stripping and maintenance. Cost is $550.