Viewpoints

Another big-name firearms manufacturer - Colt - is moving at least some of its operations out of an anti-gun-rights northeastern state to a gun-friendly Southern state. In 2011, Florida Gov. Rick Scott offered Hartford, Ct.-based Colt Manufacturing more than $1 million in incentives to open a new plant at a county-owned building in Kissimmee. Colt has not commented about its plans, but the company has confirmed with local officials that it wants to build military weapons at the Osceola County facility. The move has been delayed because of a merger between two companies operating under the Colt name. With the merger resolved, Colts Manufacturing Company LLC plans to move into its Florida building this year.

As the owner of a Beretta CX4 (albeit in 9mm), I was delighted with your write-up in the March 2014 issue. Mine has been a total delight for several years - reliable, accurate, to easy handle, and very easy to maintain. Everyone who has ever fired my CX4 has been taken with it, particularly with a red dot sight.- Kirk Wyss

The FBI's semi-annual uniform crime data for the first half of 2013 confirms once again what the firearms community already knew, that violent crime has continued to decline while gun sales have continued to climb.

Savage has sold thousands of Model 110 rifles to hunters seeking an inexpensive rifle. Watch for several things when they need fixing.

GunBroker.com has released its list of Top 5 best-selling firearms for January 2014, topped by Smith & Wesson's M&P semi-automatic pistol.

The modern-day shotgunner is now waking up to the benefits of back-boring in certain sporting applications. This may be just the common cycle of the trend, or perhaps this feature has finally found a permanent place in our list of optional features for the shotgun bore. Both Remington and Browning now offer this feature in their target guns. This may fool some gun owners into thinking their trap guns are obsolete; indeed, many will trade in perfectly good and serviceable guns and barrels to obtain this "new" feature.

Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger have announced they will stop selling their pistols in California rather than manufacturing those firearms to comply with the state’s new microstamping law. Both companies announced these moves after the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for firearms manufacturers, filed suit against California for requiring that all new semi-automatic handguns that are not already on the state’s approved gun roster have the microstamping technology.

Dr. Weaver takes us to task for an extended-magazine review. Our answer was, and is, caveat emptor. Reader Gantt would like some advice on a 22 pistol purchase — voilà, already done.

Dr. Weaver takes us to task for an extended-magazine review. Our answer was, and is, caveat emptor. Reader Gantt would like some advice on a 22 pistol purchase — voilà, already done.

If you’ve ever wanted to own a SIG Sauer handgun, now may be the best time ever. The company is offering a “Buy One Get One Free” 1911 promotion through April 30, 2014.

In the April 2012 issue, Gun Tests magazine tested three semi-automatic rimfire rifles that showed promise of being more than just plinkers. They were the $325 Savage Arms model 64 TR SR V Savage, CZ-USA's $465 model 512, and the $595 Remington 597 TVP. Following is an excerpt from that test, used with permission:

SHOT Show Product Spotlight went inside the Ares Armor booth to check out their latest products debuting at the 2014 SHOT Show.