Pre-NRAAM Glock 43 Launch Party in Nashville
On the evening before opening day of the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Nashville, Tennessee – just weeks after the early rumors and official announcement – a small group of attendees was invited to the Nashville Armory for the official Glock 43 launch party. The GunLink team was among that group and we had a chance to see, handle, and shoot the new single-stack 9mm pistol before most people even see them show up at their gun shop. There isn’t much that can improve on shooting “free” ammo out of other people’s guns (and we took the opportunity to make two trips each through the firing queue with 3 mags on each round) – but being a brand-new pistol made it that much better.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be impressed. On paper, the specs didn’t seem that ground breaking. It has roughly the same profile as a double-stack G26, albeit thinner, but with a significantly reduced capacity (6+1). The Glock representative at the event referred to it as basically a “Glock 26 Slim” (see the comparison below, left-to-right: G42, G43, G26) It is too big for pocket carry but too small for a high round count and, I thought, too small to be comfortable to shoot.
The G43 is a good example of why you cannot judge a book by its cover, or a pistol by its spec sheet. Continue reading
Ah, Memories. Your First Firearm.
People tend to remember their first. Motorheads probably fondly (or not) recall their first car, just as motorcyclists probably vividly remember their first two-wheeler that sparked their love for bikes. Guitar virtuosos likely look back on their first axe. Perhaps the modern-day Don Juan thinks back to their first romantic conquest. Firearms enthusiasts are no different.
While being bombarded with throwback-Thursday #TBT posts on various social media outlets today, I came across a couple that made me a little nostalgic for some of the now-obsolete tech from the seemingly not-so-distant past and since, obviously, I had a number of other browser windows open with gun related stuff going on, my mind drifted in that direction.
Rather than just prattling on about about my first firearm (although I had a number before it, I consider the Ruger 10/22 that I spent my own money on to possess that honor), I thought that we should have a reader-driven firearm-themed throwback.
Post below in the comments section (or pop over to this old thread on the GunLink Forums) and tell us about an old firearm that you own or used to own. Maybe it was the first gun that you shot, the first one you owned, or the first one that you bought. Maybe it was a special gift to you or maybe it was one that you gifted to someone else. Perhaps it was one that you sold or traded but wish that you still had.
Whatever it is, tell us about it!
2nd Amendment Media Launches Shotgun Value Guide
2nd Amendment Media is further bolstering their lineup of firearms-related publications – which already includes a number of concealed carry guides and the Carry Gun Companion. This latest addition is A Guide Book of Shotgun Values, an addition which supplements the existing Carry Gun Values and Rifle Values guide books.
This first edition covers a wide variety or shotguns. Full color and fully illustrated, this book offers accurate pricing estimates along with shotgun specifications, production history, and other valuable information. Also introduced in A Guide Book of Shotgun Values is the original Redbook Code, a universal system of organizing firearms on the secondary market. Along with the Redbook Code, the book also establishes a consumer-friendly pricing model. The editors offer values for multiple buying and selling scenarios, making it easy for both consumers and dealers to access accurate pricing. Our model includes pricing for the following:
- Dealer-to-Consumer (D2C)
- Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)
- Consumer-to-Dealer (C2D)
- Last Manufacturer’s Price (LMP)
Additionally, since wear is a huge factor in determining a firearm’s value, A Guide Book of Shotgun Values offers a firearm condition grading scale, rating guns at NIB (New in Box), Mint, Excellent, VG+ (Very Good Plus), Good, Fair, and Poor. With all of these elements to offer, this book will quickly become your go-to reference guide for shotgun pricing.
In addition to these existing firearm value guides, 2nd Amendment Media has plans to expand the lineup even further with a comprehensive guide of pistol, rifle, and shotgun values which will be released this summer and is currently available for pre-order.
130 Year Old Winchester Rifle Found in Great Basin National Park
The Winchester Repeating Rifle Model 1873 was so prevalent on the American frontier – with nearly 3/4 of a million produced between 1873 and 1916 – that it was dubbed The Gun that Won the West. One particular 1873 was also The Gun that was Lost in the West.
Workers in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park found the rifle propped against a tree last November and have been working to track down its origins. Although severely weathered after having been exposed to the elements, the rifle appears to be in relatively good condition with the serial number and other barrel markings readable. Those markings were used to help trace the rifle back to its 1882 date of manufacter, according to records held at the Cody Firearms Museum’s Center for the West in Cody, Wyoming.
It is unclear exactly how long the rifle has been waiting to be discovered in Great Basin NP or why it was left there. Researchers continue to hunt for clues to find out whether it was left there by a forgetful real life Old West cowboy or perhaps in more recent decades by a hunter who may have lost track of the lever-action rifle during a pit stop.
Although the date of manufacture was tracked down, there do not appear to be any records of who purchased the rifle or from which warehouse it was shipped. According to the park’s Facebook page, more than 25,000 such rifles were produced that year with a price tag of $25, lowered that year from the original price of $50. The historic firearm will be preserved the condition in which was found – including weathered wood and rusted metal – to become part of the display commemorating the park’s 30th year in 2016.
Check out more photos below from the US National Park Service: Continue reading
What Will We See at SHOT Show 2015?
It is hard to believe, but SHOT Show 2015 is less than four days away. The eagerly anticipated Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show is the largest show of its kind, featuring more than 1,600 exhibitors and drawing tens of thousands of industry-member attendees as they seek out the next trend setting products and services in the shooting industry. Simply put, this is the show to find out about new firearms and gear product launches.
As usual, GunLink will be covering the show again this year – from the SHOT Show Range Day before the official show opening to the 170,000 square feet of show floor exhibit space. There will no doubt be many great product unveiled this year and GunLink will be covering them live during the show and continuing coverage after the show closes.
So, what can we expect to see from SHOT this year?
Heckler & Koch is rolling out several new updates to the handgun and long gun categories, including new HK45 Cerakote colors, the brand new USP9 Tactical, and the now-shipping MR556A1 rifle – a semi-auto version of the HK416. Range day attendees will also have a chance to get their hands on the new striker-fired VP9 pistol.
Charter Arms adds another model to its Pitbull line of rimless cartridge revolvers. The stable will now include a .45 ACP model in addition to the existing 9mm and .40 S&W models. IWI US will be showing off their $1200-range UZI Pro pistols, one of which features a now-ubiquitous arm brace.
A perennial hot topic is what new products Glock will unveil at SHOT. Rumors of a single-stack 9mm pistol have been Continue reading
BATFE Q&A on AR15 Receiver Blanks
1. Is ATF aware of the receiver blanks, commonly referred to as 80% receivers?
ATF routinely collaborates with the firearms industry and law enforcement to monitor new technologies and current manufacturing trends that could potentially impact the safety of the public.
2. What is an “80%” or “unfinished” receiver?
“80% receiver,” “80% finished,” “80% complete,” “unfinished receiver” are all terms referring to an item that some may believe has not yet reached a stage of manufacture that meets the definition of firearm frame or receiver found in the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). These are not statutory terms or terms ATF employs or endorses.
3. Are “80%” or “unfinished” receivers illegal?
Receiver blanks that do not meet the definition of a “firearm” are not subject to regulation under the GCA. The ATF has long held that items such as receiver blanks, “castings” or “machined bodies” in which the fire-control cavity area is completely solid and un-machined have not reached the “stage of manufacture” which would result in the classification of a firearm per the GCA.
See the photos below for a comparison of which partial receivers are firearms and which are not:
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- Receiver Blank: Not a Firearm
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- Receiver Blank: Not a Firearm
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- Receiver: Firearm
