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AAll Articles

Long Guns: Czech Vz61 Skorpion Machine Pistol

The Czech Skorpion is a hard weapon to assign a purpose. It’s a machine pistol, which means it isn’t really a pistol or a submachine gun, though it’s usually classified with the latter. Although versions were reportedly made in .32 ACP, .380 ACP, 9x18mm Makarov, and 9x19mm (9mm Luger), in years of encountering the Skorpion, I have only seen .32 ACP versions.
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AAll Articles

Small Caliber, Big Savings: Reloading the .223

My first reloading experience was in Dad’s basement shop, watching, then helping him reload .38s and .30-06. I was about ten, and I still have the trophy he won at a local DCM (Department of Civilian Marksmanship) match with his handloads. Later, during my toolmaking apprenticeship, I moonlighted for a gentleman who made bullet-making dies for the benchrest competition elite. Most top shooters used Bob Simonson’s dies, including the founder of one of today’s premium bullet companies. I learned a ton about accuracy from Bob.
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AAll Articles

Bolt-Action Thumper: .450 Bushmaster Ruger American Ranch Rifle

The .450 Bushmaster is descended from the "Thumper" concept popularized by Jeff Cooper. Cooper was not a fan of the 5.56x45mm NATO round and envisioned a need for a large-bore cartridge in a semi-auto rifle that would provide one-shot kills on big game animals at 250 yards. Bushmaster Firearms worked closely with Hornady and the .450 Bushmaster “Thumper” was born.
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AAll Articles

Nine Inches of .30-Cal Thumpery: Bravo Company Mfg Recce-9 KMR-A Pistol

I’ve spent most of the year shooting the BCM AR pistol, monkeying with different holds and techniques and generally seeing what the gun could do. I compared it head-to-head with a new, box-stock Glock 17 across pages of pistol drills. I stretched it out to carbine applications and compared it to a ROBAR PolymAR-15L I’ve been running. After a healthy pile of brass and a stack of data, I’ve got some idea of what it will and won’t do.