Table of contents for March/April 2014 in Recoil

What’s on your list of places to go and places to see? Perhaps Disney World with the family. Maybe the Grand Canyon to see Mother Nature’s majestic beauty. But have you ever thought about making the NRA National Firearms Museum a destination? If you’re a gun enthusiast, it’s one box you must check off your bucket list. The National Firearms Museum is working constantly to preserve American history and the guns that have played a role in it, and the collection traces the evolution of firearms over six centuries of development. The guns range from the earliest of hand cannons to the latest in technology, like the .50-caliber M82A1. Did we mention it has a collection of more than 7,000 pieces? Now do we have your interest piqued? On our…

It was a no-brainer. Like getting free tickets to Disneyland or a VIP keycard to NASA headquarters. Stickman and I were recently invited to not only get hands-on with Mega Arms’ new AR-15 MKM, but also see the factory where it’s crafted. They didn’t have to ask us twice. We jumped at the chance to see up close and personal how one of the best AR-15 manufacturers in the business operates. Mega Arms is located in Tumwater, Washington, a small community of about 17,000 residents. The town was founded next to the falls of the Deschutes River. When pulling into Mega Arms, you wouldn’t know what was going on inside by the low-key appearance of the building. A small sign let me know I was at the right place. Once…

My work as a forensic engineer allows me to see another side of the firearms industry that not a lot of people experience. While many of the actual cases I work on can’t be discussed due to legal reasons, there are lessons that can be learned from them by all of us who shoot. There’s always a common thread when a fatality occurs — at least two events compounded to create the lethal conditions, meaning that at least two of the four fundamental gun safety rules were violated. Repeat after me: it’s always loaded, don’t point it at anything you don’t want to destroy, keep your finger off the trigger, and be sure of your target. My analysis of cases follows certain standards and rules of evidence. While witness statements…

Winter jackets for the outdoor adventurer have come a long way from the days when Cro-Magnons sewed together animal hides so they could stalk woolly mammoths across a frozen landscape. The Aleut American Indians used to wear waterproof ponchos made of whale intestines while spear-hunting from their kayaks. Since then, all those who had to brave the sleet and snow did so wearing jackets that kept them warm, kept them dry, or let them move freely — but never all three simultaneously. Enter the 21st-century soft-shell jacket. This innovative outerwear combines the attributes of various materials like fleece, wool, cotton, and Gore-Tex into one versatile jacket. Hard-shells keep wind and water out, but trap body heat and perspiration in. Fleece provides warmth and breathability, but offers little weather protection. A…

We all know one of those guys? You know, the one who has to recite one-liners or soliloquys from every popular movie made in the past quarter-century. Or maybe it’s your best friend who’s gotta spout TV catchphrases in between every drill or reload. Well, now it’s time to not only join in, but also one-up him by letting your apparel do the talking for you. This issue we zoom in on morale patches inspired by TV and movies. Based on everything from a karate classic to a sketch comedy series, these Velcro-backed badges will evoke a few chuckles, possibly even laughter and backslapping…or some serious eye-rolling. You be the judge. 1 MAKE: Mil-Spec Monkey PATCH: WWJBD? COLORWAY: ACU, arid (shown), SWAT black MSRP: $5 URL: www.milspecmonkey.com WANNA TRADE PATCHES?…

Truly, the year has flown by. Since being given the enormous honor and responsibility of heading up the best firearms publication in the United States, I have seen the past 12 months disappear in a blur of empty cases, tight deadlines, muzzle flashes, exhaust fumes, and departure lounges. During this past year, we gun owners as a community have weathered one of the most serious threats to our proud heritage and way of life since the early ’90s. And we came out on top. Despite throwing enormous amounts of money and influence into passing firearms laws that would have done nothing apart from inconvenience the law-abiding, for the most part anti-gun politicians came away with the square root of bugger all to show for it. In fact, some have gotten…

This beast can tackle some brutal landscapes. A mountainous plateau bombarded by a relentless blizzard? Check. A backcountry path pockmarked by boulders and felled trees? No biggie. Dirt roads and asphalt make this ride laugh. The Hagglunds Bandvagen 206 — or Bv206, as it is more commonly known — is a multipurpose, tracked small unit support vehicle (SUSV) capable of handling extreme terrain and offering accessibility to some of the world’s most remote locations. Built as a successor to the Bv202, made by Volvo, the Hagglunds Bv206 met the Swedish government’s need for an all-purpose vehicle with more power and lower maintenance issues than its Volvo counterpart. While the Volvo Bv202 tracks were iron and easily rusted out, the Hagglunds Bv206 features a track made of reinforced nylon, with some…

Have truer words ever been spoken? Mr. Solo sure knew what he was talking about. Look past the killer custom Cerakote job, and you’ll see LWRC’s take on what a personal defense weapon (PDW) should be. This is the civilian version of the sub-carbine purchased by the Saudis for internal security purposes. And it rocks. Over the past decades, the submachine gun has fallen out of favor for second line troops, and the PDW’s star is ascendant. The requirement to arm cooks and bottle washers with an adequate firearm that is smaller, lighter, and generally less capable than the standard-issue infantry rifle has led to some interesting developments. FN introduced the P90, which has seen limited international sales. H&K’s interpretation, the MP7, has found favor with troops that fall outside…

SAFETY DISCLAIMER The techniques shown are for illustrative purposes only. When handling firearms and training tools, always observe all firearm safety rules. Seek professional instruction before attempting any techniques discussed or shown in this story. There are no mulligans in a death duel. The samurai Miyamoto Musashi competed in more than 60 such duels, winning all, losing none, and eventually passing away in a cave from natural causes at the age of 61. His samurai training did not require 30 cents to $1 per sword swing, nor did he travel hours to train. The secret to the samurais’ success is simple — they trained often, and they trained as a lifestyle. The common protocol for training was to integrate it within their daily living; of course, they did not have…

MYTH 1: “If you put less than 3.2 grains of Bullseye in a .45 case, it will detonate and blow up your gun!” You’ve probably heard the old horror stories of guns blowing up due to theories related to low charge weights of fast powders in big cases. The problem is that there is absolutely no science or testing to substantiate that theory. Multiple tests have been run in controlled laboratory experiments in an attempt to reproduce the theoretical “detonation” of small charges of fast powders. Well, folks, no one has been able to create this effect, apart from in one particular condition. If the powder charge is ground up, then heated significantly, such as to within 5 percent of the auto-ignition temperature — and then subjected to an electronic…

1 Looking to add a quick-detach swivel to your long-gun? Not enough, or any, Picatinny rail for your light and laser? Kill two birds with one stone with the Hogue Extreme Series Picatinny Cuff. Made of aluminum, the cuff fits on any standard 2-inch fore-end tube and provides a secure mounting platform for a sling and various accessories. BRAND: Hogue MODEL: Extreme Series Picatinny Cuff MSRP: $100 URL: www.hoguestore.com 2 Metallic Cartridge Handloading: Pursuit of the Perfect Cartridge is not an instructional manual. It’s an authoritative source on all things reloading and covers everything from improving casings and seating primers to bullet casting and internal ballistics. Written by Mic McPherson, this 425-page softcover includes hundreds of photos and drawings. BRAND: Safari Press MODEL: Metallic Cartridge Handloading: Pursuit of the Perfect…

WARNING! When handling firearms, always observe safety rules and the precautions set forth in the firearm’s owner’s guide. Be certain that your firearm is unloaded and made safe before proceeding with this DIY. Almost any stock AR can be tweaked to improve its performance without breaking the bank. Here are a few modifications that are so simple, they should be part of every rifleman’s toolbox. Start off by following normal safety procedures and separating the upper and lower receivers. TOOLS & PARTS: 1⁄8-inch punch Hammer Dremel with cutoff wheel Bearing grease High-temp barbecue paint JP Enterprises Reduced Power Spring Kit A Mil-spec AR trigger is rated to come in at a pull weight of anywhere between 5.5 and 9.5 pounds. An improved trigger is one of the best modifications you…

In the mid-1970s, when 9mm handguns were busy growing fatter in both size and magazine capacity, Heckler & Koch’s engineers headed in the opposite direction. The German police’s search for a new standardized sidearm led to the development of the unique and innovative P7 PSP (Polizei-Selbstlade- Pistole, or Police Self-Loading Pistol). While the P7 enjoyed brief popularity in the United States, it is viewed as somewhat of a novelty these days with a devoted cult following. We decided to give the P7 another look and see if this retro-futuristic single-stack deserves a fresh start — and made a few modifications to improve performance along the way. While the P7 was innovative in many ways, it’s best known for its squeezecocking grip mechanism that gives it the “combat staple gun” nickname.…

Once the preserve of the military or the ultra-rich, shooting from a helicopter has become more mainstream in the past few years. Several competitions have featured helicopter stages in the main match, crazy Uncle Ted filmed a dubious TV series about aerial hog hunts, and Magpul’s video on the subject has been flying off the shelves (pun intended). We decided to examine the subject and the unique marksmanship challenges it poses, so that should you hopefully get the chance to take to the skies, you’ll have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Ballistically speaking, there are a number of factors to consider when shooting from the door of helicopter moving at 85 knots. We all know that wind will affect our bullet path significantly, but at short range…

We’re trying to overcome the same problems the AK, MP5, FAL, and SCAR all had,” says 2 Vets Arms’ Dean Brandly of his side-charging Bravo rifle. “Oh, wait…They all work don’t they?” The Bravo rifle is what Brandly calls an “M4gery.” Boiled down to the basics, it’s a carbine-length AR-15 with an A2 front-sight post — but there is a lot more to it, and not just the distinctive side-charging reciprocating bolt handle. 2 Vets Arms is aptly named for Mr. and Mrs. Brandly, both of whom are U.S. Army veterans. They’ve been around for less than two years, but have been making a big impression pretty much since day one. Dean is a former diesel mechanic and state champion archer who grew up on a farm in Oklahoma before…

When traveling in the backcountry during winter conditions, the risk always looms of a problem that can plunge you into a survival situation. Even when using a vehicle, something could happen that may cause you to have to spend the night without protection from the weather. Consider this: It’s late afternoon, snow is falling, and more is expected for several hours. Visibility is already poor and it’s starting to get dark. An accident causes an engine fire that quickly spreads to the rest of your vehicle, destroying it completely. Or, you’re traveling on foot and have become lost in the same conditions. Are you prepared? Could you spend the night? What you brought with you — and the preparations made beforehand — could save your life. In cold/wet weather, your…