The Firearm Blog

This Ruger 10/22 was heavily customized by JBLee. Click to expand the image.

Very cool. I love the magazine release.

Hat Tip: RFC

This is major news. Cerberus Capital Management, which owns Remington purchased Bushmaster last year. They seem to be consolidating the American firearms industry! Marlin in turn owns H&R 1871, Inc., makers of single shot firearms.

My instincts tell me this cannot be good for consumers. I would not call bushmaster and remington competitors, but remington and marlin are. Less competition usually means higher prices.

From the outdoorwire’s newsletter (which reads as a press release):

The Outdoor Wires has learned that Remington Arms of Madison, North Carolina has acquired another of America’s longest-operating firearms companies, Marlin Firearms of North Haven, Connecticut.

….

This acquisition also adds H&R 1871, Inc. the Gardner, Massachusetts based manufacturer of single-shot rifles and L.C. Smith shotguns to the Remington line. Their single shots, marketed as Harrington & Richardson and New England Firearms make H&R 1871 is the largest manufacturer of single shot rifles and shotguns in the world. That company was acquired by Marlin in November of 2000.

Tommy Millner Remington’s CEO, says, “I am pleased to announce that Marlin’s well known brands with a long heritage of providing quality rifles and shotguns to hunters and shooters around the world will join the Remington family. The opportunity to combine two historic U.S. based companies with such storied and proud histories, is both challenging and exhilarating.”

“We look forward to working with Bob Behn, a well respected member of our industry. He will remain as president of Marlin, charting a course of further growth and operational improvement,” Millner continued.

With this acquisition, another longtime family-owned firearm company comes under a corporate umbrella. And that umbrella (Remington Arms) is part of a still larger umbrella, Cerberus Capital Partners. Today, Cerebus owns significant segments of the firearms market in every category except handguns.

Closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions, including regulatory approvals. Credit Suisse acted as financial advisor to Remington with respect to this acquisition. Duff & Phelps Securities, LLC, a unit of Duff & Phelps Corporation (NYSE:DUF), initiated the transaction, assisted in the negotiations and acted as exclusive financial advisor to Marlin.

Frank Kenna III, Marlin’s Chairman, said, “Marlin has been a family run business since 1924 and through a number of important steps, we have grown it into the company it is today. We knew it was time to find the right partner for Marlin to ensure our brands maintain their leadership positions and move into the next century.”

Mr. Kenna III continued, “We believe Remington’s commitment to the industry, shooters and hunters alike, combined with their resources from a manufacturing and sales and marketing position, will reinforce the confidence, hard work and dedication that our employees and management have put into our brands.”

E. Scott Blackwell, Remington’s President of Global Sales/Marketing and Product Development, said, “The history of our two companies in innovation and meeting the needs of hunters and shooters around the globe, combined with the opportunity to further develop the Remington, Marlin, H&R, NEF and LC Smith brands, is not only beneficial to the Company and our channel partners, but especially to our to the end customer. And it is these customers and our employees that have contributed to the success and longevity of these brands.”

No actual financials are available for Marlin, but the family-owned company employs 575 and is estimated by Hoover’s/D&B to have annual revenues of approximately $28.3 million. When added to Remington’s sales, the combined companies will have revenues approaching a half-billion dollars. Additionally, the addition of Marlin/H&R 1871 will give Remington the distinction of being owner of the world’s largest producer of single shot rifles and shotguns as well as the only manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products in the United States, and Cerberus Capital Partners ownership of the largest holding of firearms companies in the United States.

The Blue Book of Gun Values is the definitive source of gun values. It is immensely useful if you are buying or selling used firearms.

If you do not do a lot of buying or selling, and do not want to purchase a US$30 book every year, then the Blue Book of Gun Values online database may be very useful.

A lot of the Blue book content is available for free. The modern/popular manufacturer, such as Marlin and Ruger, information costs $10.

The database is available here.

Suburban has written a program to work out how many clicks are

needed to adjust your scope. It runs on TI-83 calculators.

I wrote this program for use on a TI-83. I’m not sure if it will work as written on newer models. You input the range, the click values for your scope, and how many inches you need to move the impacts, and it spits out the number of clicks. Works good with high quality scopes, but the click values for cheaper scopes don’t always turn out to be exactly what the manufacturer says they are.

More here.

mike123456 posted high-res photos of his beautiful custom Tromix Saiga-12 shotguns. I love the drum magazine!

(Click to enlarge)

More photos here.

Sear and Hammer created this poster:

Zimbabwe is a state in chaos. The dictator president, Robert Mugabe, has destroyed the country.

Zimbabwe police have ordered all civilians to surrender firearms in what insiders said was a precautionary measure in a charged country after the government demolished thousands of homes and informal businesses in a controversial urban clean-up exercise - ZWNEWS.com

According to human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch the government of Zimbabwe violates the rights to shelter, food, freedom of movement and residence, freedom of assembly and the protection of the law. There are assaults on the media, the political opposition, civil society activists, and human rights defenders.

From Wikipedia.

A bigger version is available at Sear and Hammer

Photo from MilitaryPhotos

I interviewed Drake Clark from Magpul about their new Masada rifle, the firearms industry and internet marketing. I was very impressed at the passion Drake and Magpul have for creating the next American fighting rifle.

Could you tell me a bit about yourself, your background in the Firearms industry and involvement in the Masada project?

I was in the Air Force for four years. Got out in ‘99 and became a cop in California for about four years and was on the entry team. I moved on to Colorado and was a deputy sheriff. I got an offer from Rich, the owner of Magpul, to work at Magpul. Prior to that I was doing consultancy work for them. I have been working with magpul for about four years and full time for about a year. I am constantly keeping my skills up to date. I do a lot of training. I do some three gun shooting and recreational stuff.

Masada Rifle

Like everyone else I was amazed that it only took 4 months from idea to a working prototype. Is this common in the firearms industry? Ruger, for example, have recently said their new SR9 pistol was 20 years in the making!

It’s not common. For us it has been a project that has been in Rich and CEO Mike Mayberry’s minds for several years probably been ten years that we have had ideas about revamping the AR platform. Rich and Mike talked about it and we finally decided about this time last year, November to abandon the idea of a revamped AR. We went in a different direction and ended up drawing some sketches on a napkin at a breakfast meeting, four months later we had a functional prototype. So we had a lot of the ideas worked out before hand in our minds before going down and blueprinting the design of the rifle. We knew what goals we had and what we wanted to achieve and had a really good game plan going.

Overall it probably took us ten years to get the ideas squared away and then four months to put them on paper and make a functioning prototype.

That was still quick!

We have all the right resources and skills in plastic and prototyping. We have a lot of contacts in machining and injection molding. So for us to use those resources in combination with the talent we have got at Magpul it was just a matter of getting it done. We actually didn’t think it would happen that fast but we wanted to get something ready for SHOT Show. We were testing firing the day before we went up there!

Are you considering offering more exotic calibers such as 6.8 SPC, .50 Beowulf and .458 SOCOM in the future?

Yes. Specifically we are working on getting the 5.56mm prototype up and running. We put several thousands of rounds through six guns, I would put the estimate at 75,000-100,000 rounds. Which isn’t a lot but is decent amount for were we are at in the project.

We do have a functioning 6.8 SPC prototype that we have got up and running recently. Other calibers that we plan on doing are 5.45×39mm (AK-74), 6.5mm Grendel and 7.62×39mm.

6.8mm SPC

Is there going to be much demand for the 5.45×39mm round?

With current prices of 5.56mm rounds going through the roof, with similar ballistics to the 5.45mm and the 5.45mm being dramatically less expensive, although not as widely available, we think there is a possibility that it will be something that will take off.

5.45×39mm. Note the hollow tip.

Should we be expecting an AK compatible PMAG?

We plan on using existing AK-47 mags. It is undecided at this time whether or not we will offer a propriety 7.62×39mm mag.

Magpul 5.56mm PMAG

Is the semi-auto 16″ civilian versions’ projected price still going to be around $1400 and available next year?

That’s what we are shooting for. It will be around that price. We think that is a reasonable guesstimate.

The Masada seems to share the same goals as the Robinson Armament XCR Modular Weapon System. What advantages does the Masada have over the XCR?

Some background history, we make M16/AR-15 accessories, grips, rail panels, magazines, etc. we are not really a firearms manufacturer and never have been. We see the current mindset in the US market as being very stagnant as far as design is concerned I am not going to talk bad about Robinson Armament and the XCR. Its a new weapon, its an American company thats looking forward and trying to come up with something new.

If the XCR had fulfilled all the gaps and requirements of what a fighting rifle can be then we would have never moved forward with the Masada. If they had build something with the Masada’s features we would never have done it because our ultimate goal in this whole project has been to come up with a fighting weapon with specific requirements. These requirements are not necessarily set by the military, government or law enforcement but what the mission needs. It seems like a lot of these weapons do not fit these needs.

That said, we defiantly see the value in the XCR and what Robinson Armament are doing but its not really meeting all these requirements. There are a few things they didn’t do that we have done. Ergonomics for example are not what we think they should have been.

We have picked up the slack where they missed the mark a little bit.

The master goal in Magpul’s mind is to create a weapon that is superior to what is out there now, and with specific requirements. That is our ultimate goal. Whether we do it or whether someone else does it we don’t care. As long as someone does it.

The Masada is way bigger than Magpul. Robinson Armament, I don’t want to say bad things about them, there’s too much of that in the industry already. The internet seems to get a lot of otherwise good guys in trouble. We are both American companies and we want to be successful, the markets been very stagnant for a long time and we are both doing good things. We should embrace the competition and let it grow.

When you say you want to design the next best fighting weapon the trend has been towards bullpup rifles (Australia, NZ, UK, Israel). Why didn’t you go that route?

And the Chinese! We think the western perception would be one of the reasons. The primary reason would be for us is that we believe that the next best combat weapon needs to be a stopgap weapon that may only last 15 years until they can invent a laser gun or something that shoots caseless ammo.

For now they need to work with that they have got such as 5.56 which will be in service for quite a while. We think that making something that is outside what our troops already have is going to be difficult as it will require dramatic retraining for millions of troops so if you look at the Masada features are very similar to the M16 so the crossover training will be minimal. There are a couple of changes that are the M16 such as charging handle and bolt lock, for example, is different but those are things that had to be changed and will not make an difference to the end user. You are getting M16 performance from a weapon that has the safety in the same place. The grip angle is the same. The magazine is the same. Charging the weapon and locking the bolt is a little different.

The Chinese QBZ-95

I read back in August that you were going to enter the Masada in the Army M4 “Sandstorm” test. [Editor: this interview was done before the test results were released)

We were not entered in that. We contacted congressmen and senators and talked to them about this and we just got a reply back today. To be honest with you, we do not have that much knowledge about this, nor do we have the contact in the military and government and we have no lobbyists. We are a small mom and pop shop with 15 employees and do our best to keep up but it’s very hard. To the best of our knowledge outside of Colt the military only looked at foreign manufacturers, HK, FN and no one really had any interest [in other American manufacturers].

We tried to get in with short notice but we were not considered, no one contacted us, no one asked us. It is not open, there is nowhere that tells you how to submit your rifle. We did what we could at the last minute when we found out about the test. Saying that, we have been doing our best to conduct our own testing. I can’t go into the specifics but we are very satisfied with how the Masadas operates and functions in a dusty dirty environment We look forward to any future testing that we are invited to.

Masada with folding stock

From what I have read, the Army is not interested in replacing the M4 despite its obvious limitations and the test is only being held due to Senator Coburn’s efforts. In light of the recent Dragon Skin controversy it seems to me that the tests the rifles will be put under may not be very objective. What is your view on this?

I can tell you that my recent experience with military and government as far as sales of weapons go, and the involvement they have with selecting weapons it is very complex, way over my head. Our knowledge is limited in this area but we’re learning more every day.

To answer your question on whether or not they are fair: its up for interpretation, I don’t know. We have not been involved in one [testing and selection]. It is frustrating for us as an American firearms manufacturers to see foreign governments and companies providing American soldiers with weapons. We have the ingenuity, the know-how, the capabilities for doing this in our country, instead of relying on foreign entities. In my opinion we can do it better.

Don’t you think if American firms were not competing with overseas firms the quality would decrease?

Your right. Foreign ideas and weapon development do push the competition and makes sure we stay on our toes. We just would really like American soldiers carrying American weapons made by Americans and designed by Americans. We want the best for our guys.

There have been several US allies interested in the Masada platform. They are interested in seeing what the future holds for the platform itself.

FN SCAR Rifle

Can you give us any updates on the MagPul PDR?

We are moving forward on it. We are not releasing any info on it right now. We are happy with the design. It’s the bullpup style but a different mission. Its chambered in 5.56, takes GI mags and can easily be integrated into the military for use by tank operators and convoy drivers; the guys that would normally carry an M9 pistol but need the capability to reach out with the 5.56 round. With the short barrel the ballistics are not good after a couple hundred yards but the majority of combat these days is close quarters, anywhere from zero to a couple hundred feet. At the least the idea gives you more options than a pistol.

Magpul PDR

Magpul seems to take an interest in internet marketing. For example, you have many videos on youtube and are doing this interview with me. This is in contrast to Remington, who recently announced the R-15, their AR-15 hunting rifle. As of today their website offers no information or press release. I hope your internet marketing pays off for you in civilian sales.

We found that being a small mom and pop accessories shop we are in touch with the end user and that has a lot of impact in getting feedback. We find out things we need to look at or change or add. Most of our products are pretty well thought out before they go to market but product videos and gorilla marketing is great because it lets the public feel they have inside access to what we do every day. There are a lot of people really interested in the Masada and what we are doing.

Magpul Precision Rifle Stock

Giving someone the options of looking at what I did today and with a new video update showing how you take the Masada apart you get instant feedback and opinions on it. We don’t like to keep guys in the dark. We want to keep them as much in the light as we can. We are very proud of what we do. We have a lot of good ideas and we like to share them. If people can’t get their hands on it the next best thing is to watch it on TV or the computer.

We have hardly any influence on these [military and government] guys. Some of these companies have a lot of influence. They have the lobbyists that work for them that push their stuff. We don’t move in that direction. We want the product to speak for itself. We put our money and time into making the product. Our grassroots campaign is obviously working. I will go out and make a video for the internet and someone in the army will call me and say they want to test it out. Obviously we would love to have lobbyists and afford to say “Hey senator, let me take you out for dinner and have a chat about this new rifle”. At this time our money is better spent designing and making the most superior product we possibly can.

Magpul YouTube Videos. Note the high views!

YouTube Video released by Magpul

From Army Times

One of the upgrades that may be coming in the future is a more reliable magazine. The test revealed that 239 of the 882 stoppages M4 suffered were magazine-related.

The hope is that upgrades, such as stronger springs, will increase the magazine’s ability to feed rounds more effectively, Radcliffe said. If all goes well in testing, the improved magazines could be ready by next spring.

Another upgrade under consideration is a “hammer-forged” barrel, Brown said.

I didn’t think that they were actually planning on replacing the M4 when they announced the testing. Even without magazine stoppages the M4 performed very badly.

DID has a very comprehensive article

“Even with extreme dust test III’s 98.6 percent success rate there was a total of 863 class 1 and 2 weapon/magazine stoppages with 19 class 3 stoppages. During extreme dust test II conducted during the summer, there were 296 total class 1 and 2 stoppages and 11 class 3 stoppages.

A class 1 stoppage is one a Soldier can clear within 10 seconds; a class 2 stoppage is one a Soldier can clear, but requires more than 10 seconds; and, class 3 is a stoppage that requires an armorer to clear.”

DID will simply point out that 10 seconds can be a rather fatally long time when people are shooting at you, and at your friends. So, what happens when the Extreme Dust Test III stoppages are broken out by weapon?

The M4 Carbine is the Army’s existing weapon.

* 882 jams, 1 jam every 68 rounds, again using heavy lubrication. In addition all 10 of the M4 barrels needed to be replaced, and a number of their parts were replaced during the test. None of the cold hammer forged HK416 and XM-8 barrels needed replacement.

The HK416 is a modified M4 carbine, which can be and has been converted from existing rifles. Used by US Special Forces.

* 233 jams, 1 jam every 257 rounds, 3.77x more reliable than the M4.

FN SCAR is US special Forces’ new weapon, designed by SOSOCM. It just went into production in late 2007.

* 226 jams, 1 jam every 265 rounds, 3.85x more reliable than the M4

XM-8 is a developmental rifle. It’s an advanced version of HK’s G36, a rifle in wide use by many NATO armies. The US Army cancelled the XM-8 weapons family 2 years ago.

* 127 jams, I jam every 472 rounds, 6.95x more reliable than the M4.

Hat Tip: Murdoc Online

This poster has been around a while but I did not find out about it until I was browsing the archives of Roys blog (you can always trust Roys to find interesting stuff).

I love these bullet posters. I just have to find someone to print it out for me. It is 32.5″ x 22″ in size. It would also make a good wallpaper for your desktop.

Download the poster here.

This page has a printable template and instructions on making a paper brass catcher for a rimfire autoloader. All you need is a printer, glue and fridge magnet.

More here (scroll down the page)

Ruger are now offering a pistol with the 10/22 action! This is big news. Many Ruger 10/22 fans long to be able to create ‘ultimate’ 10/22 pistols but you cannot legally take a rifle and convert it into a pistol.

I predict that within a few months there are going to be hordes of 3rd party accessories to allow anyone to customize the Charger. We will be seeing ‘1911′ Chargers etc. Already you can use the vast quantity of 10/22 accessories.

It will be selling for $ 369.50 which includes the bi-pod, not not the scope. Seems a bit pricy.

Ruger’s press release:

The Ruger 22 Charger™ Pistol delivers the fun, versatility and reliability of the time tested Ruger 10/22® in a handgun. The 22 Charger features a 10-inch precision-rifled barrel mounted in an ergonomically designed, warp-proof, laminated stock. The adjustable bipod that ships with every 22 Charger pistol provides added control and stability on the range or in the field. A new extended magazine release allows easy removal of the legendary Ruger 10-shot rotary magazine.

Whether you prefer a high magnification scope for long-range varmint shooting, or a red dot sight for quick and sure target acquisition, a combination Weaver®-style and “tip-off” sight mount allows your choice of optics. Either way, it is a great new pistol for long-range target shooting.

The Ruger 22 Chargerâ„¢ pistol has an overall length of 19-1/4 inches and weighs 3-1/2 pounds, without the supplied bipod. The matte black finish compliments the black laminate stock and completes the weather-resistant package. It comes with a gun rug bearing the Ruger logo.

More on the pistol (from Ruger):

• Ruger 10/22® action with extended magazine release for easy removal.
• Ergonomically designed, warp-proof, laminated stock maintains accurate zero.
• Precision-rifled barrel for long-range accuracy.
• A manual safety that positively locks the sear.
• All 22 Chargers come with a precision-adjustable bipod for rock-steady sighting.
• Unique combination Weaver®-style and “tip-off” optical sight mount give shooters freedom to use their choice of optics.
• Compact, light weight package with a barrel length of 10″, overall length of 19 1/4″, and weight of only 3.5 lbs (without bipod).

Specs:

Caliber: .22 LR
Capacity: 10 Rounds
Finish: Black Matte
Grip: Black Laminate
Barrel Length: 10″
Groove: 6
Twist: 1:16″ RH
Overall Length: 19 1/4″
Weight: 3 1/2 lbs
California Approved: No
Massachusetts Approved: No
Front Sight(s): N/A
Rear Sight(s): N/A
Other Features: Cross Bolt Safety; Extended Magazine Release
Suggested Retail Price: $ 369.50
Miscellaneous: Black Matte 22 Charger. Bipod included.

A video showing the Charger. It looks like a lot of fun.

Some more photos:


As you can see it is a standard 10/22 action:

UPDATE

GunBlast have written a review on the Charger

With most firearms that come in for review, I pass it around a bit to other shooters to get their opinions. However, promising to keep the Charger hidden until December 17th, I had to keep this one to myself. My wife did catch me playing with the pistol, and stated ; “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!” That means a lot coming from her, as she is not really into guns, and has become pretty jaded over the past twenty-eight years, seeing a lot of firearms come through here. In fact, for our tenth wedding anniversary, I gave her a brand new Ruger 10/22 rifle. It was our 10th, and we were married on the 22nd, so it seemed like a natural choice to me. She has never fired it. After watching me shoot the Charger, she liked it. She wants to shoot this one.

With the superb pedigree of the famous Ruger 10/22 rifle behind it, I think that the .22 Charger will find a lot of owners. It is a great little plinker, and would just be perfect for shooting the game of rimfire silhouette, or any other animated target game. As a hunting pistol, it should prove to be very successful, as it handles like the good single shot and bolt action pistols on the market, but with the reliable ten-shot semi-auto action of the 10/22 rifle.

UPDATE

It is very similar to Hornet Custom COBRA Pistol which is also based on a 10/22 action.

UPDATE

I have read the reason it is not California legal is because the magazine is outside of the pistol grip. This makes it an AOW (All other weapon) assault weapon under California law, see dogon1013’s comment below.

UPDATE

The, much more expensive, MagnumLite PiCuda Pistols are very similar, based on a 10/22 action, and available in .17 Mach 2

UPDATE

Mr Completely has posted a review:

The trigger pull is a bit heavy but it was quite crisp. It wouldn’t hurt to put in a good trigger kit like a Volquartsen or Jard system. Maybe when we get a warm calm day I’ll get some fresh ammo and try it without handicapping the pistol. If you want to shoot it without the bipod the legs flip forward but it feels kind of awkward. Fortunately the bipod attaches to a sling swivel mount with a pin and comes off with the turn of a thumb screw. My shooting buddy like Mr. C is a lefty and even people who shoot with the wrong hand find the stock comfortable. He didn’t even get hit with the ejected brass. He said that was a plus and claims that brass hitting the forehead is somewhat distracting and affects accuracy.

Both of us were really pleased with the new Charger, and it looks just as good in person as it does in the picture.

Ruger have announced some new products.

Black Slide Ruger SR9 Pistol

I like the look but prefer the stainless.

The recently launched Ruger SR9â„¢ pistol, the first striker-fired pistol from Ruger, is now available with a blackened stainless slide. The multi-step blackening process improves both the durability and corrosion resistance of the stainless steel slide by creating a surface hardness of 68Rc. The extra hard finish also reduces scratching and holster wear.

Super Redhawk in .480 Ruger

Ruger has finally sorted out the problems they were having with the Redhawk .480

The Ruger Super Redhawk revolver chambered in .480 Ruger, specifically designed with the big game sportsman in mind, is back. Production had been suspended early in 2007 to address a fired case extraction issue. After a complete analysis, it was determined that to provide easy and sure extraction, all .480 Ruger Super Redhawk Revolvers, including the easy-to carry Alaskan, will now feature 5-shot cylinders. Beginning in 2008, they will also feature a Hogue® Monogrip® for added comfort. The Target Grey® All-Weather® version adds a low glare matte finish preferred by hunters.

The .480 Ruger cartridge offers handgun hunting performance without the heavy recoil experienced by other big game calibers. This cartridge offers power without excessively heavy recoil using Hornady’s .475” diameter, 325 grain XTP Magnum bullet. The .480 Ruger cartridge can produce a muzzle velocity of 1350 fps - nearly one-third more muzzle energy than the standard .44 Magnum cartridge, with substantially less recoil than the other big bore hunting handgun cartridges. This exciting cartridge developed by Hornady can be said to effectively “split the difference” between the powerful .44 Magnum and other super-powerful, heavier recoiling hunting cartridges.

M77 chambered in Ruger Compact Magnums

I could be wrong but I think this is the first rifle to be chambered in the new RCM cartridges.

The Ruger Compact Magnum cartridges, developed in conjunction with Hornady Manufacturing Co., are extreme cartridges for extreme hunting. Based on the beltless .375 Ruger, the .300 and .338 RCMs are engineered to offer .300 and .338 Win. Magnum performance in a more compact package. With their short actions and 20” barrels, the M77 Ruger Compact Magnums are today’s “mountain rifles and brush guns.”

The new cartridges are chambered in the compact action Ruger M77 Hawkeye rifles with features that include the smooth and crisp Ruger LC6â„¢ trigger for improved out-of-the-box trigger pull, and a red rubber recoil pad that provides more effective recoil reduction. Other features of the Ruger M77 Hawkeye rifles appreciated by knowledgeable shooters are the Mauser-type controlled feeding and powerful claw extractor, 3-position safety, hammer forged steel barrels and free Ruger patented scope rings. The design of the patented steel floorplate, which bears the distinctive Ruger logo, provides easy unloading and eliminates accidental “dumping” of ammunition.

Two compact-action models of the Ruger M77 Hawkeye rifles chambered in the new Ruger Compact Magnums are available. The matte blued version features the M77 Hawkeye’s slimmer walnut stock with wrap-around cut checkering on the forearm and more rounded contours on the bottom of the stock and top of the pistol grips. The matte stainless version features a synthetic stock with a new recoil pad.

The new cartridges designed by Hornady Manufacturing provide unmatched ballistic performance in compact rifles, less felt recoil, longer barrel life, and superior performance at all temperatures. The .300 RCM is available in 150, 165 and 180-grain SST offerings. Each .300 RCM load exceeds comparative .300 Win. Magnum loads from a 20″ barrel. Muzzle velocities for the .300 RCM are 3,170 fps, 3,030 fps, and 2,900 fps, respectively – from a 20″ factory barrel. The .338 RCM is available in the newly developed 200 gr SST, and 225 gr SST offerings. Velocities for the .338 RCMs are 2,850 fps and 2,710 fps respectively, easily out performing the .338 Win. Magnum at equal barrel length.

The Economist.com has a short article about the banning of swords in the UK. Or, more specifically, making swords illegal to sell or import.

EVERY summer, in the Cambridge suburb of Romsey Town, a man emerges from his house dressed from head to foot in black and clutching a katana, a curved Japanese sword. Fortunately for his neighbours, the target of his ire is the weeds that have grown up in his garden. Half an hour later, the undergrowth reduced to stalks, he goes back inside.

Not everyone is so harmlessly eccentric. On December 10th a man appeared at an Inverness court charged with attempting murder with a similar weapon. On the same day, to much fanfare, the Home Office said it would add “samurai swords” to a list of exotic-sounding proscribed weapons. These include butterfly knives, blowpipes and shuriken (throwing stars). It is already illegal to carry bladed weapons; adding the swords to the list will make it illegal to import or sell them.

….

In any case, the precedents for a ban are not encouraging: gun crime has risen dramatically since legislation following the Dunblane massacre in 1996 made handguns of all kinds illegal. The sword ban is less swingeing, since exceptions will be made for martial-arts clubs and collectors. And it seems oddly specific: only “single-edged, curved blades” will be prohibited, leaving straight-bladed or double-edged weapons untouched.

James has written a post on the subject.