Table of contents for Issue 11 in GUNS

News stories in which the criminal use of firearms causes innocent victims systematically bring to the fore the issue of legal possession by citizens of weapons intended for shooting or hunting sports, In the United States, the ideological and political clash between Republicans and Democrats is now increasingly evident, with the former increasingly committed to creating measures that drastically limit the possession and, above all, the carrying of legal weapons; the others are more aligned with the passionate gun owners. In Europe and in other countries involved in bloody events caused by criminals with firearms, things are even worse: there are few sides or politicians openly on the side of those who legally own and use sporting or hunting weapons. And those few are often cautious about publicly expressing “liberal”…

With the Boarbuster Mark II series, Pedersoli has significantly renewed the archetype of the largecaliber lever-action rifle, especially concerning lever-action rifles based on the Winchester 1886/71 action. This series, centered around the .45-70 caliber, includes a variety of configurations with either wood or polymer stocks, and it represents a successful blend of the rugged classicism of the Winchester 1886 action and the modernity of highly flexible sights tailored to the shooter's needs. Now, from the Boarbuster Mark II series, the Droptine model has emerged, which is still based on the 1886/71 action but adapted for .30-30 Winchester, another classic large-caliber lever-action cartridge. What is the Droptine? The term Droptine refers to an anomaly in the development of a deer's antlers, in which one or both of the tines grow downward…

Among the sport pistols for action shooting that have made a significant impact on the international market in the last 10 years, the CZ Shadow 2 is certainly one of the most famous. Its qualities were immediately recognized by shooters, and especially in the first two years, the demand consistently exceeded the company's production capacity. Now, CZ has decided to introduce a new compact version, which intuitively goes by the name Shadow 2 Compact. How it's made It's not the first time that CZ has developed a compact handgun based on the CZ 75 platform. However, the Shadow 2 Compact marks a milestone, since it was designed primarily for sports shooting and only secondarily for concealed carry, with a particular focus on the CCP category of IDPA. The most substantial…

Beretta chose the DSEI exhibition in London for the official debut of the NARP (New Assault Rifle Platform). This decision was not by chance, as DSEI is one of the most important international events in the industry. There had been rumors of a new Beretta assault rifle for a few years, but no speculation hit the mark because of the utmost confidentiality was maintained, due to the strategic importance of this project. It wasn't until the company deemed the NARP mature and ready for production that it was presented to the press. The presentation to which we were invited, held a few days before the London exhibition, saw Beretta's executives and technicians sharing the development history of the firearm, explaining the reasons behind certain choices, discussing the rifle's operation and…

Many people have worked on the development of the NARP project, including Andrea Candian, a former Italian Army officer and Beretta's Military & Law Enforcement Product Marketing Director. With Candian, we retraced the crucial phases that led to the launch of Beretta's new assault rifle. When did the design process for this new assault rifle begin? “The design phase started in 2018 and experienced an inevitable slowdown during the COVID pandemic, which caused a delay of almost two years, although the team of engineers and technicians never stopped working. We are currently in the low-rate initial production phase, meaning the initial production phase where the first units will undergo NATO tests by the first quarter of 2024, with full deliveries expected by the third quarter of next year”. What are…

Tanfoglio offers a truly comprehensive range of sport pistols designed for competitive action shooting, which are the result of skillful evolution and constant updates to a timeless archetype. In particular, the Stock I represents an entry-level model among handguns designed for the Production division of IPSC and IDPA, and it's characterized by an objectively hard-to-beat price-to-quality ratio. The gun I had the opportunity to test is the Green variant with a NATO green Cerakote finish on the frame and slide. Most notably, it features new aluminum grips with a finetextured checkering pattern. How it's made The gun leverages some established solutions of Tanfoglio's production, dating back to its origins, and others (especially from an ergonomic standpoint) resulting from a much more recent evolution. The heart of the system is the…

After several years, the Valtro brand is back in business. Enthusiasts had come to appreciate Valtro, in particular, for its high-quality 1911 pistols. Today, the brand is part of Tuscan group Carbon Dream and is starting from scratch with a completely new project that we can confidently describe as very modern: a series of “Glockcompatible” pistols, meaning they are made following the archetype of the famous Austrian pistol, with complete interchangeability of parts but, at the same time, with some innovations that refine the design, making it effectively custom. For Valtro, this concept has materialized with the PF9 series, designed by Pietro Buzzi and Andrea Forcella, which is dimensionally similar to the Glock 17, with future versions that are dimensionally inspired by the Glock 19 and 19X. How it's made…

Beretta's experience with assault rifles dates back to the 1950s when the company, thanks to designer Domenico Salza, developed the FAL BM59 in 7.62x51. This was a modern rifle for its time that could be produced relatively inexpensively by converting the M1 Garand, which almost all NATO countries had received from the United States after World War II. With the BM59, Beretta introduced the concept of “weapon system” for the first time. This concept included a rifle with a fixed stock for infantry, a folding stock for alpine troops, a folding stock and a removable flash hider for paratroopers, and a heavy barrel version (MK IV) designed as a light machine gun (later not adopted by Italy). In 1970, Beretta introduced its first 5.56 assault rifle to the military market,…

Since the 1930s, with the introduction of the iconic 409 hammerless shotgun, and even earlier with external hammer models like the Vittoria, Beretta's catalog has always included a side-by-side hunting shotgun. The latest side-by-side made by Beretta is the 486 Parallelo, which this year has undergone further updates, making it even more refined and elegant. The 486 Parallelo has maintained a strong connection to tradition, as it still uses the Anson & Deeley-type locks that have always characterized Beretta's side-by-side shotguns. The company, however, has also chosen cutting-edge technical solutions without altering the gun's classic design, which is still loved by many hunters. The shotgun is available in 12 and 20 gauge, with the latter also offered in the EL configuration with longer barrels. I tested the 12-gauge model at…

Collectors of Italian military firearms and history enthusiasts agree that the service pistols used during the Second World War were the Beretta 34 chambered in .380 ACP for the Royal Italian Army, and the Beretta 35 chambered in 7.65 for the Air Force and Navy. However, especially in the dramatic months immediately preceding the armistice of September 8th, even those armed forces, such as the Air Force and Navy, which had always purchased and distributed pistols in 7.65 acquired several hundred Beretta 34 pistols. What most people don't know is that, in reality, alongside these “military” models, hundreds, even thousands, of examples of various models of Beretta pistols in 6.35 were used, belonging to the generation of the Brevetto 1919. Since its appearance in the immediate post-World War I period,…

Since the Beretta 418 was not an officially issued firearm, the holsters do not belong to a specific model. Instead, you can find numerous variations in the type of leather, color (brown or black), shape, and whether or not they have a pouch for a spare magazine. Generally, what qualifies a holster as “military” is the height of the belt loop, which must allow for a belt that is 60 mm in height.…

CURRENT EVENTS BODY ARMOR FOR OPERATORS Each type of security operator is subject to specific risks related to the nature of their profession and their functions. Furthermore, the specific tasks they are assigned to carry out determine even more specific risks. It's precisely because of the specific risks an operator is exposed to that countermeasures are identified, among which training and suitable equipment play a significant role. Finally, passive protections must also be considered as part of this equipment. The choice of protection, therefore, depends on how risks are identified and managed. For a long time, security operators were primarily considered to be at risk of firearm-related incidents, excluding other forms of aggression. Or rather, it's certain that, for a long time, other forms of aggression did not have dedicated…

CSG, the aerospace and defense giant of the Czech Republic, which at the end of 2022 had acquired 70 percent of Fiocchi ammunition, has scored another coup, this time overseas: an agreement has, in fact, been finalized for the sale of the “Sporting products” branch of the US group Vista outdoor. The sale, worth 1.91 billion dollars, includes legendary brands in the production of ammunition, such as Remington ammunition, Federal, Cci, Speer, Hevi-shot and, as regards propellants, Alliant powder. Both in terms of financial value and the number of workers affected by the change of ownership (around 4 thousand in the United States), this is the most important transaction in the history of the defense industry of the Czech Republic and the actual change of ownership, a once the bureaucratic…