Some New Stuff For '08

Today's oral arguments in DC v. Heller are being well covered by quite a few folks, so I am going to be a bit different.

I just received the April issue of American Rifleman and I thought I would highlight some of the more interesting (to me) stuff they featured in the article "Guns and Gear '08".

The first rifle to catch my eye was this air rifle:

My #3 daughter shot 3 position matches in both air rifle and small bore classes. She would like this rifle.

Airforce Airguns is currently developing a new rifle for the Sporter category in 3 position air rifle competition. This new air rifle capitalizes on the company's ability to bring out accurate precharged pneumatic air guns at an affordable price.

I like the "at an affordable price." part.

Probably the coolest firearm in this article is the new Auto-Ordinance Thompson Pistol.

Thompson 1927A-1
"Lightweight Deluxe Pistol"

(10.5" Barrel, Aluminum Receiver)

.45 ACP with a 50 round drum. I don't think that is going IWB.

Charles Daly has entered the EBR market with 6 reasonably priced models.

The more companies marketing these light weight and fun shooters, the better.

Speaking of EBR's, FNH-USA's Special Combat Automatic Rifle (SCAR) will be available to the shooting public in semi-automatic configuration later this year.

Shooting one of these would be a blast.

KEL-TEC announced a new gas operated bull-pup in 7.62mm NATO (.308 Win) at SHOT. It will be interesting to see what suggested retail is on this.

The above image compared the KEL-TEC RFB with an 18" barrel with a FN FAL Para Rifle. The KEL-TEC accepts standard FAL type magazines.

Legacy Sports has put together an interesting lever action scout rifle package, The Puma Scout.

This package comes complete with a 2.5x32 NikkoStirling riflescope and an adjustable cheek piece. I think the listed MSRP of $739 ($849 for the .454 Casull) may be a tad high, this could be quite the brush gun.

The article mentioned that Nighthawk Custom was getting into the tactical rifle and shotgun markets, but I could find no information on the web site.

When Jim Zumbo called all of us folks who enjoy shooting AR style rifles "terrorists", he created quite a stir. The backlash from the shooting community was such that Remington dropped him like the fabled hot potato. Remington has now entered the market with it's very own version of an AR style firearm.

The are not calling it an EBR, heck, it's not even black. This is the "Model R-15 VTR™ Modular Repeating Rifle" Maybe the Remington brand, the camouflage, and the unassuming name will help folks over their fear of EBR's.

Hornady has expanded it's line of LeverEvolution ammunition, adding several pistol cartridges to the line up.

From Hornady's site:

Typical hollow point pistol bullets deliver good performance at modest velocities, but expand too quickly and sacrifice penetration at the higher velocities achieved with lever action rifles. But Hornady soon discovered that the same Flex Tip® technology that prevents primers from detonating in tubular magazines, also allows the bullet to expand reliably over an unbelievably wide range of velocities.

Upon impact, the Flex Tip® eXpanding bullet is compressed into the front of the bullet, causing the bullet to expand under hydraulic force. Flex Tip® eXpanding bullets will NEVER clog and not expand like some hollow points can. This also transfers a great deal of immediate energy with a devastating temporary cavity, even at low velocity.

I'll be interested to see Fit's take on this.

Well, that's it for this evening. There is a lot more new stuff for '08 in the magazine, but I can't steal all of their thunder.

There is one more thing. Most of the firearms highlighted in this evening's post will be outlawed if a bill such as HR 1022 ever made it in to law.