Table of contents for September 2025 in Gun Digest

I’ve had a long-standing theory that anyone—yes, absolutely anyone—would love shooting if they could put away their fears or prejudices and give it an honest shot (pun intended). That might be shortsighted or overly hopeful, but I truly believe this. Long-range shooting, pistol work, tactical games, plinking: Shooting is so diverse that there’s something for everyone, and each discipline is such a wonderful challenge … regardless of how far you take it. With all that said, I also believe hunting isn’t for everyone. Shooting is a very small piece of the hunt, and all the other pieces that go with it, such as taking a life, is a very personal experience. Some people don’t want that experience, and I completely understand that perspective … and I respect it. But, for…

01 Magpul MOE QD M-Lok Bipod Magpul just made life easier for M-Lok users with the new MOE QD Bipod. It’s got the same rugged reliability and clean design of their original bipod but now attaches directly to M-Lok slots—no adapter needed. Built from high-strength polymer with stainless steel hardware, it offers smooth pan and tilt, rapid leg deployment and quick one-handed adjustments. Best part? It’s lightweight, stable and priced right for everyday use. Whether you’re ringing steel or stretching your rifle’s legs in the field, this bipod is ready to work. MSRP: $80 02 Henry HUSH Rifles Henry’s new HUSH Series isn’t just suppressor-ready—it’s suppressor-optimized. Built by the company’s Special Products Division (SPD), this is a clean-sheet design engineered specifically for running quiet. Each rifle features a carbon-fiber tension-wrapped…

Neophobia is the fear of new things, and though it’s most often thought of in relation to kids who fear trying new food, it also applies to shooters. A lot of shooters scoff at the introduction of any new cartridge, not because they cannot fathom its usefulness and application, but because it challenges the status quo or the ballistic norm they exist in. These folks often say things like, “What does it do that another cartridge cannot?” Or maybe they claim a new cartridge is an answer to a question no one was asking. I expect that, when it comes to the .25 Creedmoor, many afflicted with neophobia—maybe even you—will utter a similar phrase. This neophobic response to new cartridges has always rubbed me wrong. That’s partly because every new…

Designed in 1887, the .22 Long Rifle (LR) is arguably one of the most popular cartridges ever invented, and for good reasons. Of course, other rimfire cartridges were produced, including the .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) and the tiny .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR), but I’ll focus on the .22 LR here in lever-action rimfire applications. This rimfire cartridge has many things going for it from the get-go. First of all, it’s relatively inexpensive and pleasant to shoot. No harsh recoil nor ear-splitting muzzle blast are associated with the .22 LR, although we need hearing protection whenever possible, even with small cartridges. It’s a master at collecting small game, and while it may not be optimal, you can press it into service as a defensive weapon.…

FROM GUN DIGEST’S CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD. ORDER AT GUNDIGESTSTORE.COM. HISTORICAL NOTES In response to special requests from close friends, Roy Weatherby chambered a few rifles for a cartridge in which the case was formed by necking down his .378 Magnum case to .338 caliber. This took place as early as the 1970s, but it wasn't added to the Weatherby lineup of loaded cartridges and rifle chamberings until 1999. The .338-378 Weatherby Magnum is sometimes confused with the earlier .338-378 Keith-Thompson wildcat, but because the K-T version is on the shortened .378 Magnum case, loading data are not interchangeable between the two. GENERAL COMMENTS The .338-378 Weatherby Magnum is in the same performance league as the .338 Remington Ultra Mag and .338 Lapua, and, from a practical point of view,…

Comps on pistols are the hot new thing. But what if you already have a pistol and want a comp? For the most part, it means a new barrel, a comp and perhaps even some pistolsmithing work to get it all behaving properly. And, if you’re doing this to a striker-fired pistol (anything not 1911, really), once the comped barrel is on, you can’t get it off without removing the comp from the barrel. Instead, look to Vantage Point Armory. Their comps slide onto the accessory rail of the frame, match up with the slide and barrel, and provide a setup that doesn’t require comp-barrel surgery to remove. The solution is simple, but it only works for some pistols. (They have a list with 10 very popular pistol models.) You…

We are in the golden age of competition shooting, with different forms and flavors for every marksman. One of the under-appreciated but rapidly growing organizations is NRL Hunter. Fusing traditional hunting scenarios with modern competition standards, NRL Hunter elevates the skill cap and educates people nationwide that marksmanship in the field isn’t shooting fish in a barrel. In essence, it tests your skills to find, range and shoot targets from between 100 and 1,000 yards while layering the diffcult conditions you might face while on a hunt. Even for seasoned competition shooters or hunters, this game isn’t easy. But—it is satisfying, illuminating and oh so much fun. THE SOUL OF A HUNTER As the name suggests, NRL Hunter was started to benefit hunters. While many skills are necessary for a…

Over the past centuries, we have seen a constant focus on the types of pistols and calibers that are suitable for use in the field. In The Prairie Traveler, a contemporary piece on Manifest Destiny, there is a good discussion on what Colt you should carry—the percussion .36 being the surprising recommendation for the era, even over the .44. These older sources are invaluable as we look at the general nature of what we are putting in our belts and chest harnesses today. I’ve been carrying pistols for various uses in the field my entire adult life as a hiker, fisherman, hunter and general outdoorsman. My choices have sometimes been motivated by nostalgia as much as practicality, but what is true is that there’s no one right answer for you.…

Chances are, no matter your geographic point, you live hours—if not minutes—from a spit of land where you can call in or flush out one of the nation’s multitudes of avian game. Even better news: As far as hunting goes, wingshooting is one of the more affordable options on the table. Certainly, you can pay a mint and take the Cadillac route to knock pintails out of the sky. But you needn’t. Over the past couple of decades, the price of decent shotguns has dropped to where they’re only slightly more than a good pair of boots or waders. Buyer beware: There are lemons in this class of gun. But with a little research, there are also gems. This leads me to the Spandau S2. With a predilection for downing…

Every so often a rifle comes along that is so utilitarian—and affordable—that it becomes nearly ubiquitous. Everyone, it seems, either has one or wants one. The Ruger American is one such rifle. Following its introduction in 2011, it rapidly became one of America’s most popular affordable bolt-actions, and sales quickly exceeded Ruger’s expectations. To date, Ruger has delivered well over a million of them in 28 different chamberings and more than 250 distinct models. What most people don’t know is that the American was intended to be something entirely different. Ruger engineers initially tried to create a more affordable version of the company’s venerable M77 Hawkeye flagship bolt-action rifle, but they could only go so far working with the legacy design. A CLEAN-SHEET DESIGN That prompted a decision to go…