Silencerco Saker Brings New Suppressor Features to the Table
Silencerco, the driving force behind last spring’s Silencers Are Legal Shoot, which drew attention to the legality of firearms suppressors, has just released their latest product, the 5.56 Saker suppressor. First unveiled at the 2012 SHOT Show and now in full production, the Saker is billed as “the most advanced rifle suppressor on the market” and offers several key new features.
The first feature, which they call the Multiple Accessory Attachment Device (MAAD), is an interchangeable certerfire rifle mounting platform that allows the Saker to be attached to a variety of popular flash hiders and mounting systems. In addition to offering flexibility, the capability to attach the suppressor to existing mounting systems is a potential money saver. The Saker specifications page lists the Trifecta RS Flash Hider Mount, 51 Tooth Mount, Direct Thread Mount, Y-Mount and Specwar Mounts as compatible mounting solutions with support for more to come in the future. Continue reading
Next Edition of Firearms Guide Packs Even More Info Than Before
After a few hiccups with the release date, the long-awaited 3rd Edition of the Firearms Guide is finally available. I spoke with Chris from Impressum Media, creators of the Multimedia Firearms Guide, at the 2012 SHOT Show earlier this year where he told me of the coming updates. During the show, Chris had anticipated the release within a few weeks, which turned into early March, which turned into late March and then early May. The wait is over and users now have access to detailed information on ammunition and firearms from over 250 manufacturers spanning 38 countries totaling over 55,000 entries. The creators tout the Firearms Guide 3rd Edition as “the most extensive firearms, ammo and air guns reference guide and schematics library.”
The Firearms Guide isn’t just a list of guns, either. The entries include a great deal of detail including price, manufacturer info, barrel length, sight radius, caliber, features list and more. This volume of information could easily overwhelm you if it were not so easy to navigate. Entries can be searched for by name or narrowed down by selecting from 14 different criteria – including caliber, country of origin, price, action and more. Continue reading
GunLink’s Best of SHOT Show 2012
Well, the 2012 NSSF Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show has come and gone from Fabulous Las Vegas and the 1,600 exhibiting companies brought with them many great innovations in the firearms, law enforcement, personal and home protection and outdoor realms. It also brought out many faces familiar to firearms and outdoor enthusiasts. The NSSF reports record setting buyer attendance (36,383 to be exact – which lead to record-setting numbers of sales orders being written at the show) and what they describe as “what may be the highest level of enthusiasm our industry has shown to start a new year.” The record-setting attendance of 61,000 may have been a part of what prompted the 3-year contract extension which guarantees that the show will remain in Las Vegas at least through 2015.
With a show as huge as SHOT, it can take a little time to digest everything that one sees and does during the show. The 2012 SHOT Show festivities lasted from January 16th through 20th 2012 and included shooting range time, company exhibits, movie screenings, celebrity appearances, meetings and more. By now, we’ve had just about enough time to come up with a brief list of some of our favorite things from this year’s show. Continue reading
Mossberg Breaks into AR15 Scene with 11 New Rifles
O.F. Mossberg & Sons slipped into the AR-15 platform market largely under the radar last summer when they unveiled their Mossberg Modern Rifle (MMR) line of rifles alongside their line of MVP bolt-action varmint rifles which accept AR-15 magazines. It is clear that Mossberg sees the obvious and growing interest in this platform, but with the current near-saturation of the AR market, both for complete rifles as well as aftermarket accessories, it may be a tough market for a new player to break in to. The veteran hunting rifle and shotgun manufacturer needs to bring a lot to the table.
Mossberg’s play may be all in the marketing, though. Along with the relative newcomer R15 from Remington, these camo-ed up AR-15s may be just what the doctor ordered to bring together two of the supposedly divided factions of gun owners: the hunting and sporting purpose crowd and the devout pro-Second Amendment crowd. Examples of such divisions can be seen in Continue reading
Heizer’s DoubleTap Pint Sized Pistol Packs a Punch
I first became intrigued with the Heizer Defense Double Tap when I saw an ad for it in the NRA’s American Rifleman magazine. For some reason, there is something I just can’t resist about this type of pint sized pistol.
The DoubleTap, available in both 9mm and .45ACP versions, comes in a package significantly smaller than other firearms in the same class. In fact, Heizer bills the DoubleTap as “the world’s smallest and lightest .45 ACP concealed carry pistol on the market today.” At just 5.5 inches long, 3.9 inches tall and less than 0.7 inches wide, the DoubleTap can easily disappear into a pocket or purse and be at the ready should you need it. With both aluminum and titanium models available (weighing in at 12 and 14 ounces, respectively), the pistol won’t weigh you down either.
With only two rounds chambered and another two stowed on a speed strip inside the grip, some people might feel a little under-gunned with that low of a round count. The DoubleTap might not be the right choice for someone who wants to be ready to take on a small army but it definitely looks like it would serve its intended purpose of offering .45ACP stopping power in an ultra-concealable package. This makes the DoubleTap perfect for a last-ditch backup gun or an EDC concealed carry piece for someone who wants to keep size and weight at a minimum.
Operating the DoubleTap is a breeze. The ten pound double action trigger pull is butter-smooth thanks to precision ball bearings and then breaks crisply. Each successive pull of the trigger drops the snag-free internal hammer on each Continue reading
Springfield Armory Introduces New Compact XD-S .45ACP Pistol
GunLink had a chance to stop by the Springfield Armory spot on the shooting line at the 2012 NSSF SHOT show Media Day at the Range and shoot their latest offering. The XD-s is so new, in fact, that this range time is the first time it’s been in the hands of people who didn’t make it.
The XD-s, the newest addition to Springfield Armory’s line of XD pistols, is a slimmer, lighter pistol that still packs the punch of a .45 ACP round. With an overall length of just over six inches and a height of four inches, the XD-s weighs in at only 29 ounces. The single stack 5+1 magazine capacity also allows it to be easily concealable with its width of just one inch (0.9” along the slide).
With a weight of just 29 ounces and a 3.3 inch barrel, one might think that recoil would be an issue with a .45 ACP caliber weapon, but that’s not the case. During our test fire, the recoil didn’t seem to be much, if any, worse than other polymer framed pistols of the same caliber, even full sized models. The manageable recoil, along with the low profile snag-free fiber optic front and steel dovetail rear sights came together to ensure that each shot fired was put on target with a satisfying “ding” following each smooth pull of the trigger.
The XD-s, which disassembles the same way as other XD models (with very minor differences regarding magazine insertion/removal when the disassembly lever is being manipulated), also shares other features with its XD brethren. The XD-s also has the Ultra Safety Assurance trigger system, grip safety, loaded chamber indicator, textured grip, Melonite finish and under-barrel, single-position Picatinny rail. Given the small stature of the XD-s, it felt a little small in my relatively large hands although, thankfully, the interchangeable backstraps and well positioned magazine release from the XD-M made it into the design along with its short trigger reset.
If you want to add an XD-s to your collection, however, you will have to wait. This slim striker-fired pistol won’t be hitting shelves until at least March of 2012 and Springfield Armory has not yet announced the price.
