GunLinkBlog
ATF Offers Reward in Gun Store Burglary
ATF, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Great Falls Police Department and the Firearms Industry Seek Public’s Help in Firearms Theft from North 40 Outfitters FFL
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in conjunction with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, the Great Falls Police Department, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, have announced a reward for information that leads to the recovery of the stolen firearms, arrest, and conviction for those responsible for the theft of firearms from North 40 Outfitters, a federal firearm licensee (FFL).
On November 30, 2019, North 40 Outfitters, 4400 10th Ave S, Great Falls, MT., was burglarized where approximately 28 firearms were reported stolen. ATF Industry Operations Investigators responded to the FFL to conduct an inventory to determine the exact number of firearms stolen.
ATF is offering the reward for the amount of up to $2,500, which will be matched by the NSSF for a total possible reward of up to $5,000. This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF’s reward in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearm retailers.
Anyone with information about this crime should contact ATF at (888) ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office (406-454-6820), or the Great Falls Police Department (406-727-7688).
Information can also be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov, through ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can be submitted anonymously using the Reportit app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.
ATF is the lead federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes, and regulates the firearm industry. More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.
NSSF Thanks Trump Administration for Industry’s Critical Infrastructure Designation
Department of Homeland Security includes firearm manufacturing, distribution, retail and ranges as essential critical services.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearm and ammunition industry, is grateful for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) inclusion of the firearm industry’s manufacturing, distribution, retail and range businesses as essential critical services that should remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic. NSSF has been working closely with the Trump Administration and DHS to convey the important role the firearm and ammunition industry performs for national security, public safety, and the ability for continued exercise of individual constitutional liberties and self-protection.
“We are deeply appreciative to the Trump Administration and Department of Homeland Security for recognizing the vital role our industry fulfills in our nation,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for NSSF. “We have seen over the past week hundreds of thousands, even millions of Americans choosing to exercise their right to keep and bear arms to ensure their safety and the safety of loved ones during these uncertain times. Americans must not be denied the ability to exercise that right to lawfully purchase and acquire firearms during times of emergency. This guidance from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is crucial to governors and local officials as they craft the orders to preserve public health.” Continue reading
Springfield Armory Unveils New Website
Springfield Armory is proud to announce its newly redesigned website live now at springfield-armory.com.
Featuring media-rich content and a streamlined interface, the site provides visitors with an attractive and informative source of information on Springfield Armory products. Customers can browse through Springfield Armory firearms based on their specific needs, and delve deeply into detailed product descriptions and interactive comparative tools.
To help you make the most informed decision on your next purchase, the comparative tool allows you to select various models and compare them directly side-by-side. The result is an extremely helpful interface for selecting just the right Springfield Armory firearm for you.
“This new site has been designed from the ground up to deliver an enhanced user experience,” explains Springfield Armory Vice President of Marketing, Steve Kramer. “We encourage everyone to visit our website and explore our latest features. We want you to have the best resources at your fingertips to make informed decisions about your next Springfield Armory firearm or accessory purchase.”
Additionally, the site is tuned to provide informed suggestions on complementary accessories and merchandise related to what you are viewing, integrating with the Springfield Armory Store. The result is a seamless shopping experience that provides you with the information you need, and suggestions on supporting products that you can drop right into your virtual shopping cart.
The new site also integrates content from www.TheArmoryLife.com, a firearms-oriented lifestyle website that delivers daily content on subjects ranging from EDC to survival to guns and gear and more. This system provides visitors with curated posts related to featured Springfield Armory products, resulting in content that adds additional layers of informative and educational content.
To check out the newly launched Springfield Armory website, please visit https://www.springfield-armory.com/.
Kimber Announces New York Shutdown Impacts Kimber Manufacturing
Due to the New York state decision to shutter non-essential businesses as part of the COVID-19 response plan, Kimber Mfg. Inc. has stopped production at its New York facilities.
Production continues at Kimber’s new, state-of-the-art Troy, Alabama manufacturing facility, with the entire line of handguns and long guns being assembled. Due to the large number of parts manufactured in Yonkers and the state mandated closure in New York, the Troy facility will suspend production on March 31st.
“This situation is unfortunate as we were off to an incredible start in gun shipments in 2020 and were running our factories seven days a week. We would like to thank our dealers and consumers for their overwhelmingly positive response to our new 2020 products,” said Greg Grogan, Kimber president. With that said, if you are in the market for a Kimber firearm, now is the time to make that purchase.” Kimber’s Alabama based customer service and repair services remain open to help customers with any questions they may have.
In addition, the Alabama based Kimber online store is open and products are shipping as long as inventory lasts. Montana based dealer sales and customer service departments also remain open. “We greatly appreciate the patience and understanding of our dealers and our fans,” Grogan said. “Rest assured that any disruptions in product manufacturing are temporary, but the duration is out of our hands. As soon as we are allowed, we have plans in place to restart production as quickly as possible.” In addition to the temporary closure of the Kimber, New York facilities, Kimber has adopted CDC-issued guidelines to protect employee health and prevent the spread of COVID-19 at all Kimber locations.
“Much like all Americans, Kimber will be challenged by these closures,” Grogan said. “But no one here has any doubt that we will all soon be back in production and stronger than ever.”
Introducing the Ruger American Pistol Competition Model with 5″ Barrel
We have one of the original full sized Ruger American Pistols in .45ACP that we bough shortly after they were introduced. I think that they are great feeling, fine shooting, reliable, and underrated pistols. It’s great to see Ruger expanding the line with new variants like this Competition model, not just to provide more options for shooters, but also as a sign of longevity and support for the line.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has introduced a Competition model to the robust Ruger American Pistol line. This new model is packed with match-winning features and boasts Ruger’s legendary reliability.
This new pro model chambered in 9mm Luger features a 5″ competition barrel with durable black nitride finish and a 1:16″ slow twist for enhanced accuracy with lighter-weight match bullets. The lengthened slide has forward cocking serrations and the serrated top features a black nitride finish to reduce glare. The slide is ported to reduce weight and is drilled and tapped under the cover plate to allow direct mounting of a variety of red dot reflex optics. A fully adjustable target rear sight is paired with a fiber optic front sight for rapid target acquisition. The grip frame and grip modules on this pistol feature a new, aggressive competition texturing that enhances control of the pistol.
First introduced in 2016, the Ruger American Pistol was developed and tested to exceed military standards for accuracy and reliability in all environmental conditions and was torture tested through 20,000 rounds of +P ammunition. The precision CNC-machined stainless steel chassis gives the gun a low center of gravity while the recoil-reducing barrel cam and low bore axis allow for rapid follow-up shots. The strong glass-fiber, nylon grip frame features ambidextrous controls and small, medium and large grip modules to achieve an optimal fit for a variety of hand sizes. Continue reading
Ruger Introduces the PC Charger Pistol
Gentlemen, you had my curiosity… but now you have my attention.
We first laid eyes on the Ruger PC Carbine at Range Day during the 2018 SHOT Show and almost immediately fell in love. It’s a take-down pistol caliber carbine that feels and shoots like a real-deal rifle from a great firearms company. While I haven’t had the extra money (or, realistically, the need for another PCC) to put one in my safe, every time I see one out in the wild, I long to have it. Now, Ruger has stepped up their game with a pistol version.
The just announced PC Charger is a 9mm pistol based on Ruger’s popular PC Carbine Chassis model. The PC Charger boasts an abundance of features including a 6.5″ barrel; an integrated rear Picatinny rail that allows for mounting of picatinny-style braces; a glass-filled polymer chassis system; a flared magazine well for improved magazine reloading capabilities; and an ergonomic pistol grip with extended trigger reach.
The glass-filled polymer chassis system allows for the use of standard AR pistol grips. These models utilize a CNC-machined, hard-coat anodized aluminum handguard with Magpul M-LOK-compatible slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions for easy mounting of M-LOK-compatible rails and accessories. The 6 o’clock position of the handguard features a factory-installed handstop for secure support-hand placement.
These models also maintain several hallmark features of the original PC Carbine, including an easily interchangeable magazine well system that allows the pistol to accept Ruger Security-9 and SR9 magazines, as well as Glock double-stack magazines; a dead blow action with a custom tungsten weight that shortens bolt travel and reduces felt recoil and muzzle rise; a reversible magazine release and charging handle to accommodate right- or left-handed use; a simple takedown mechanism to allow for quick separation of the barrel/forend assembly from the action; a durable heat-treated, chrome-moly steel bolt; a cold hammer-forged chrome-moly steel barrel with ultra-precise rifling and a 1/2″ x 28 threaded barrel.
The threaded barrel, coupled with a brace like the SB FS1913, would make this thing a great home defense/range/truck gun that can share magazines with your carry pistol. Or, I guess, if you’re feeling adventurous, it could be your carry pistol.
The PC Charger models ship with the SR-Series and Security-9 pistol magazine well installed and an additional magazine well that accepts newer Glock magazines. A 9mm Luger Ruger American Pistol magazine well is available separately at ShopRuger.com.
The standard model features a 17-round capacity, and an additional 10-round, state compliant model also is available.
At an MSRP of $799, it’s a little steep, cutting into CZ Scorpion territory, but likely to come down in price and go up in availability faster. Add in the handy takedown feature and that it comes with some nice accouterments, if I were going to add a firearm from this genre to my collection, I think this would be the one.
