Firearm History

Precision rifle shooting is experiencing an all-time high in popularity and .22 rimfire shooting is experiencing a similar reception. The reasons for the coincident rise in rimfire shooting are the absence of recoil, the relatively short target distances, which makes ranges easier to find, and the slightly lower expenses associated with rimfire competition.

Generally, rifle logbooks are thought to only be applicable to snipers and competitive shooters who compete at extreme distances. But I also started keeping detailed records for all my rifles. Over time it has proved extremely helpful is several ways.

In the history of metallic cartridges, the 40 S&W is unique. Like a boy band pushed to prominence by millions of teenage girls, cops across the United States made the .40 S&W incredibly popular. Shortly after its introduction in 1990 it was the most popular cartridge for the law enforcement handgun. However, it turned out the .40 S&W’s half-life was only about 25 years. It’s quarter century reign as the policemen’s pistol was ended by the very agency that inspired its creation.

The Failure Drill was conceived by Gunsite Academy founder, former Marine, and gun writer, Jeff Cooper. It consists of placing two center-of-mass shots on the target followed by a single shot to the target's head. It is one of the most pratical and useful shooting drills and can be conducted in two ways—as a skill drill and as a tactical drill. This article explains each.

Over the years there have been quite a few rimfire cartridges in calibers as small as .17 to larger than .50. However, by the early 1900s most of the rimfire cartridges were obsolete and about all that remained were .22-caliber rimfires. Since then, we have seen the introduction of several new rimfires, and today there are only really six rimfire cartridges that are commonly used, with one that’s barely hanging on. Here’s a look at the rimfire cartridges of the 21^st century.

The Second Amendment (known simply as “2A” in many firearm circles) is an amendment of the United States Constitution that was added as part of The Bill of Rights. It guarantees the right of the people to bear arms. Many feel it bestows essential rights in personal defense and home defense. Some call it an anachronism that does more harm than good. This article will explore how the Second Amendment is perceived, how it has fared legally, and what may lie ahead for it.

Guns and the United States are practically synonymous throughout the world. From the necessity of hunting for food in the days of early settlers to reliance on militias for national defense in formative years, gun ownership is woven into the fabric of American history. And the statistics reflect that reality: there are millions upon millions of guns in the United States. We break down the statistics in this article to get a better sense for just how many there are and what the ownership demographics look like.

A lot of science is involved in making firearms and ammo. Modern ammunition features, including the shape of the projectile, are all the result of extensive testing and research. There are a lot of factors that go into the design of a round, and oftentimes the shape of the round is dictated by those other factors. Read on to learn why this has resulted in rounder ammunition for handguns.

It’s clear from the Biden campaign’s official statements on the matter that a Biden administration will result in changes for the gun world. So what exactly does life look like for the gun owner during a Biden administration? It may change quite a bit. While no president is ever going to get their full legislative wish list, the Biden campaign has planned to accomplish some of its gun control goals through executive action. This blog post discusses the administration’s proposed policy goals and their implications on gun owners.

The names for certain types of ammunition are so common that they roll off our tongues without a second thought. We may think of 9mm or .223 instantly without even stopping to wonder how those names came to be. But on second look, it becomes clear that the many, many names we have for different types of ammo are all over the map. How did it get this way? What’s the standard? Learn more about the wonky history of ammo naming conventions by reading on.