Viewpoints

Gun Tests’ Contributing Editor Roger Eckstine found Springfield’s brand-new XDS .45 at the Media Range Day at the SHOT Show a couple of weeks ago. The micro-sized XDS was secret, and no one knew that the gun, smaller than a Glock 36, existed until media members showed up and saw the 4-inch-tall .45.

At the recent Media Range Day at the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, video producer J T Woodard goes in front of the camera to set up a video brief on Maglula Ltd. magazine loaders and unloaders.

Beretta USA introduced the BU-9 Nano as its entry into the pocket 9mm pistol category last September. Initial shipments of the American-made pistol left the Accokeek, Maryland factory beginning in November 2011, with a suggested retail price of $475. In this video, Gun Tests’ Contributing Editor Roger Eckstine gets a detailed explanation of how easy the Nano is to break down for maintenance. The Nano's modularity provides for simple disassembly and easy cleaning. Safely disassemble the pistol by first engaging the striker deactivator, a patent pending safety mechanism that eliminates the need to pull the trigger prior to disassembly.

In June 2010, Kahr Arms purchased Minnesota-based firearms manufacturer, Magnum Research, Inc., maker of the Desert Eagle Pistol and BFR Revolvers in .44 Magnum, .45 LC/.410 or .45/70. Kahr Arms offers a selection of other niche-type firearms, such as the “Tommy Gun” and Auto-Ordnance line of M1 .30 caliber carbines. In this video, Gun Tests Contributing Editor Roger Eckstine shows off two of the company’s big-hole BFR wheelguns.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — has learned that FOX Sports Media Group has banned advertisements featuring firearms and ammunition from its coverage of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events.

Gun Tests Magazine Publisher Timothy H. Cole recognized Kel-Tec’s PMR-30 22 WMR as the publication’s “Best in Class Pistol” for 2011 at the just-concluded SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Cole made a special award to Derek Kellgren, Kel-Tec CNC Industries’ Director of Marketing at the show.

At Media Day at the recently concluded SHOT Show in Las Vegas, GunReports.com Publisher Timothy H. Cole gets an overview of Galco’s new products from company representative Mike Barham.

KimSon Handicraft Co. grips from the Republic of Vietnam are great grips and always get noticed. However, it is noteworthy to inform your readers of my experience with KimSon. Worth the wait? Maybe for some, but not for most. I placed my order in March 2008 with a prepayment of $240 for four sets of grips. One was a custom set made from water-buffalo bone with abalone inserts. The work is exceptional, and the grips are beautiful. The only caution was the time of delivery. Even though they promised a delivery of 45 days, it took eight months and at least 45 emails to get my grips. Also, all four sets for different 1911 models had to be adjusted with a file to make them fit.

On Black Friday 2011, gun dealers deluged the FBI with background-check requests for prospective handgun and long-gun buyers, breaking the previous record by more than 30%. Background checks, required by federal law, surged to nearly 130,000 during the day, surpassing the previous high of 97,848 on Black Friday of 2008. The second busiest day on record was two days before this past Christmas, with 102,222 checks. Dennis Henigan, acting president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said he was "skeptical" of the Black Friday gun surge. He said, "I think there may be no real significance at all."

Gun Tests Magazine has named the SSK Industries 300 Whisper AR-15 as the publication’s “Best in Class Rifle” for 2011.

Semi-automatic carbines have become enormously popular. Applications range from law enforcement and home defense to competitive target shooting and hunting. The most popular platform is the AR15-based weapon chambered for 223 Remington. But if you visit your local shooting range, you will find AR-style carbines, circa the 1960s, shooting alongside historical battle-rifle actions made popular in the 1940s. Gun Tests magazine recently tested an M1A variant in the form of Springfield Armory's $2090 Socom II AA9627 with black fiberglass stock.

Surreal experience today. Took an hour for lunch, and while munching on red beans and rice, I remembered I had the season-ending episode of FX's Sons of Anarchy on the TiVo. So I engage the box and start watching the cliffhanger. If you haven't seen that episode yet, stop reading now.