Table of contents for Shooter's Guide SIP #2 in Gun Digest

Sauer introduced its model 100, chambered for Hornady’s 6.5 PRC cartridge, during the 2018 SHOT Show. Yes, I know, that was over a year ago, but it took almost that long for me to get a rifle to test. I almost passed on reporting on it, because, in a way, it’s old news. Almost. However, given that you can pick one up on the street for less than $700, and because it’s chambered for one of the best long-range cartridges now available (the 6.5 PRC), it deserves some recognition. And you deserve to know about it. THE STOCK AND MANUAL SAFETY The Sauer 100 Classic XT is fitted with what’s called an Ergo Max synthetic stock. What sets this stock apart is the reverse slope of the comb: It’s higher…

Like a million other subjects for discussion, the question of what makes the best pistol for personal defense will never be resolved—and for good reason. We all have different lifestyles; but if we were all the same, there would be only one universal defensive pistol—and, I suppose, one each of all other categories of products. THE NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM T4 I recently reviewed a truly exceptional defensive pistol that only a few people will choose to carry: Nighthawk’s T4. However, if there’s a group of gun enthusiasts who appreciate this level of craftsmanship geared for everyday use, it’s the readers of Gun Digest. It’s a high-quality gun built by one gunsmith (who stamps his initials on the gun before it leaves the factory) and is built on the officer-sized frame with…

Each new year brings new gadgets and gizmos to make your gun ownership more fun, safer and more accurate. Sure, new guns and ammo are those shiny new items that everyone loves to purchase, but sometimes, it’s the little stuff that makes the biggest difference. Whether you’ve got $30 or a couple hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket, here are a few of the great new accessories can add to arsenal. TRIUMPH SYSTEMS THREAT DOWN BLEEDING TARGETS Founded by former Navy SEAL and Ultimate Survival star Jared Ogden, Triumph Systems offers its Threat Down Bleeding Targets, which bleed blue and red with a good bullet hit to vital organs—blue for lungs and red for heart and brain. Environmentally friendly and biodegradable gel paint is contained inside individual cells…

SMITH & WESSON MODEL 610 10MM The Model 610 has had an inconsistent history; it was introduced, reintroduced and discontinued a number of times. However, with the surge of interest in the 10mm, the generally well-respected revolver is once again back. The stainless-steel, N-frame revolver is offered in 4- and 6.5-inch-barreled versions. The six-round revolver is outfitted with a black, synthetic finger-groove grip, a fully adjustable white outline rear sight and replaceable front blade, and it comes with three moon clips. The double-action is hefty at 50 ounces. However, when shooting hot loads, this should prove anything but a deterrent. If the latest resurrection of the 610 follows history, 10mm fans might not find a more accurate wheelgun. MSRP: $969 BIRCHWOOD CASEY DUELING TREE CLAY TARGET HOLDER We’re all familiar…

When the double-action revolver was perfected by Smith & Wesson more than a century ago, the idea of a short-barreled revolver wasn’t top on the list of must-haves. People still rode horses. Automobiles were rich men’s playthings. Walking to work was still a “thing.” And men wore actual suits. No, it wasn’t until the 1920s, when Prohibition was in full swing, that the first snub-nosed revolver came about as a factory item. S&W offered its own version of the snubbie. One that’s the "holy grail" of collectors—and was a grand carry revolver—was the Centennial, unveiled in 1952. It was a small-framed DA revolver with the hammer completely enclosed by the frame. Soon afterward, this became the Model 40, which also had a grip safety on the back of the grip…

What better way to test a new rifle than with a new, high-end riflescope from a company with a reputation for delivering high-end, trustworthy products? For 2019, Crimson Trace surprised the world by offering a full line of optical sights, including reflex sights, red-dots, battle sights and even long-range precision rifle-scopes. While filming the first season of “Gunsite Academy NOW!” in mid-March, 2019, I had the opportunity to test a wide range of new optics from Crimson Trace. I was so impressed that I asked to try one on the Sauer 100 in 6.5 PRC. The model Crimson Trace sent is representative of the precision line of rifle-scopes it now offers. It’s built on a 34mm tube. One of the coolest features is the scope ring alignment lines along the…

1 Mossberg MC1sc After 100 years, Mossberg is in the pistol business again, and like everything else that comes out of New Haven (Connecticut), the Mossberg MC1sc is a high-quality product at a reasonable price. It features a safe takedown feature that doesn’t require pulling the trigger for disassembly, as well as nice sights, a well-textured grip, flat-blade trigger and a reversible magazine release. I had reservations about the Clear Count transparent magazines, but they’ve already proven to withstand extensive abuse with zero problems. The MC1sc has an MSRP of $425, but it’s selling online for around $350. It’s a great little gun at a great price. 2 Walther Q5 Match Steel Frame I recently spent a morning shooting the PPQ Match and three other pistols of similar…

Riflescopes are part modern marvel and part work of art. With the earliest designs dating back to the mid-1800s, a once relatively simple product now rivals the finest Swiss chronographs. Optics are not only that precise, they are designed to maintain that precision with every shock they endure. Many methods of achieving this have been in use over the years, and most recent advancements have given way to even more repeatable designs. KEEP IT STEADY Naturally, zero is affected by ammunition type, weather and target distance. However, a scope must not drift out of zero from the standard practices of transport and firing. If a scope is drifting zero by, let’s say, one minute of angle, your gun can only be (at best) one minute of angle accurate because of…

Saved by the .275 Rigby There were several timely articles in the April 2019 issue. In this magazine, and especially many others, I was seeing too much Creedmoor hype and firearms priced beyond the average shooter’s means. The recognition (indirectly) of the great 7x57 Mauser via the Rigby .275 (Phil Massaro’s “Beautility” article on page 34) gave me hope, because I own both the 1895 and 1908 Mausers in 7mm. Also, I liked the “Ballistic BS” article by Richard Mann in that issue—especially the section on stopping power. I did, of course, renew my subscription after reading this issue. Carson Lemmon Savannah, GA I, too, was pleased with each installment of Richard Mann’s “Ballistic BS” series. And, in case it’s not apparent in his writing style, Mann is a no-BS…

Like most Americans, my infatuation with the Walther PPK stemmed from a fictitious British spy. “James Bond” probably did more to drive the interest in the minute German gem than Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” did for the Smith & Wesson Model 29. The deadly, blued masterpiece was as tantalizing as a freshly pressed tuxedo and as mysterious as a plot to rule the world. And from the beginning, I was hooked. PPK/S Of course, coming of age at the turn of the last century, the PPK wasn’t as prevalent. Instead, the PPK/S was all the rage. While it might not have been a faithful facsimile of the pistol that defeated “The Man With the Golden Gun” or sent “Goldfinger” off to play his golden harp, it was close enough for…

There was a time when rifle cartridges did not look as "sexy" as they do today. The cartridge cases were long and short but without shoulders. Cartridges such as the .45-70 Government and .44-40 Winchester—both circa 1873—were common long-gun chamberings. But the self-contained centerfire cartridge advanced into the 20th century, and cartridge cases shaped like those of the .30-30 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield became the norm. For the most part, the straight-wall cartridge has been obsolete for more than 100 years. Ironically, it’s once again becoming popular. The reason has nothing to do with modern ballistics: It’s all about the law. Several states that used to allow only shotguns for deer hunting are now permitting straight-wall rifle cartridges. Even the most ballistically inept hunters—such as those who will not accept…

1 Crimson Trace CTS-1100 Battlesight New for 2019 is Crimson Trace’s new battlesight, the CTS-1100, which offers a fixed 3.5x magnification with an illuminated reticle, complete with holdover that matches most 5.56 rounds out to 500 yards when fired out of a carbine-length barrel. This is a terrific solution for engaging a field of full-sized silhouettes out to standard combat distances or for any hunting for which a large field of view is required. MSRP: $549 2 BSA AIR 4-12x44 Outlook Air Riflescope Included in the line of BSA air riflescopes is this very versatile 4-12x magnification offering. This scope is built specifically to handle the reverse recoil that tears a normal scope to pieces on the inside. With parallax settings all the way down to 10 yards,…