Defense Articles

Shotguns come in many shapes and varieties. Some shotguns are made for hunting purposes and some are made for tactical uses. This article is only concerned with shotguns intended for the purpose of hunting. Shotguns come in many different actions and gauges.

The 12 gauge is king of the hunting world. It can do most anything that a hunter calls on it to do. The 12’s big brother is the 10 gauge. This gauge is used mainly for high flying geese and ducks. Turkey hunters also use this gauge because of it’s superior knockdown power.

You still can find 16 gauges on the used gun market. The 20 and 28 gauge shotguns have their uses mainly for bird hunters. The 410 gauge is a minuscule number that should only be used by experienced hunters if lethal hits are to be considered.

Shotguns come in many fascinating actions. The pump and semi automatic shotguns probably rule the roost here in the United States. The semi’s come in several configurations

One version uses a piston in the forearm that bleeds off gas from a fired shell that is used to cycle the action. This permits a fired shell to be expelled and a new shell to be made ready for firing. Inertia driven shotguns are operated by the rearward force of the recoil which activates a mechanism that does the same thing as the semi’s. It expels a fired shell and inserts a new shell into the chamber. Bolt action shotguns have been made to suit the gun lovers fancy. Prices vary in shotguns with this action. Double barreled shotguns are made for general use along with cowboy action shooting and bird hunting. Over and under shotguns have two barrels. One barrel is positioned above the other with each barrel usually having its own defined choked barrel. Single shot shotguns are also offered to the public in prices ranging from the economical to the very pricey.

Shotgun barrels come in many different lengths and sizes. The shorter barrels are usually used for close cover bird hunting. The longer barrels are used for longer range situations like high flying geese and ducks. Studies have been made that suggest a 24 inch barrel is all that you need to achieve maximum speed from a fired shell. I still like longer barrels for distance shooting because the longer barrels enable you to establish a better sight picture on your target. Some of these barrels are ported to reduce felt recoil. Barrels are offered in many configurations for their intended uses. There are rifled barrels for deer hunters. Slug barrels also fit into this category. Stainless steel barrels and coatings from camouflage and blue to green are also offered.

Chokes are used on guns to give the gun a desired patterning effect. Full and turkey chokes offer constricted surfaces that offer longer ranges and tighter groups. Modified chokes are for general purpose use. Improved and improved cylinder offer wide patterns at close ranges.

Every airsoft fan has a favourite type of gun. Regardless of your preferences there’s a certain attraction to shotguns that appeals to us all - to that dark place inside us. Maybe it’s the way they’re portrayed in the movies. The shotgun was always shown as being a real tough guys weapon - you needed to get up close and personal to use it. Shotguns were always shown to be cool and airsoft shotguns are no different in that regard.

There’s a wide variety of shotguns available to the airsoft fan. Everything from the old reliable double barrelled shotguns to far more current styles. The double barrelled model is often sold in a gas variant model and is one of the very few gas powered airsoft shotguns available on the market today.

Some of the most popular airsoft shotguns are the old pump action style (which are spring powered) and these have the advantage of allowing you to fire bbs in rapid succession. The vast majority of airsoft shotguns are spring powered and tend to be the tactical style - used by the police and military although you can get many other styles and models.

There is also the option of choosing from the full stock or cutaway model of airsoft shotgun. The cutaway models have a pistol type grip and no stock to put against your shoulder. There’s an even share of this type of gun available to airsoft fans. What suits you most will depend on the style of shotgun you like and your own personal shooting preferences when it comes to buying your airsoft shotgun.

Despite the fact that many of these guns are spring-powered pump action models they can hold 40 or more rounds. This allows for rapid reloading and for you to get back in the fight quickly. This offers a distinct advantage over an airsoft rifle where you need to cock it from a non-firing position. The shotgun allows you to fire from the hip in a rapid firing pump action style. Airsoft shotguns are probably more suited to close quarters airsoft games - maybe a type of urban combat simulation although they would still be useful in most types of airsoft combat.

RAFFLE PRIZES

Charles Daly

Superior II Hunter VR-MC Semi-Auto 20-gauge Shotgun

Columbia River Knife & Tool

Carson M16-13 Knife

Carson M14-14 Knife

Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services

Lo-Pro Classic Semi-Auto .223 Rifle

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

FMG Publications

Denim Jacket with GUNS Magazine logo

Hooded Jacket with GUNS Magazine logo

Two Denim Jackets with American Handgunner Magazine logo

Para-Ordnance

Choice of any pistol from Para’s catalog
Five handcrafted Custom Knives by Chuck Stapel

Taurus International

.22 Raging Hornet, Eight-Shot Revolver

.45 ACP Tracker, Five-Shot Revolver

.44 Magnum, Six-Shot Revolver with 12-inch Barrel

.22 LR Pump Action Rifle

Verona Shotguns

LX680GS-12 Gold Competition Sporting Over/Under Shotgun

The Shooting Industry Masters will held Sept. 24-27 at PMC’s Desert Lake Country Club in Boulder City, Nev. The event, in its second year, supports the Step Outside Program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Last year, 72 industry shooters competed in pistol, rifle and sporting clays to raise money for the program. This year, the number of shooters is expected to double.

“We’ve had a lot of companies that weren’t here last year, tell us they’re going to be at this year’s event,” said David Shaw, PMC’s vice president of marketing, who is also the event’s match director. “We could more than double the number of shooters. It will add to the fun of the shoot, and the amount of money raised for Step Outside.”
To increase the amount of money raised, firearms and accessories were raffled off at last year’s match. That will happen again this year.

“We’re looking for donations right now for the raffle.” Shaw said. “We will sell tickets at the event, but we’ll also send tickets to companies once they sign-up for the match. That way, they can sell tickets to those who will not be able to attend.”

Last year, raffle donations came from Charles Daly, Columbia River Knife & Tool. DPMS, FMG Publications, Para-Ordnance, Rossi Firearms, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Stapel Knives, Taurus and Verona Shotguns.
The First Annual Shooting Industry Masters was a lot of fun, and this year’s match is shaping up to be even better. FMG Publications, publisher of Shooting Industry, GUNS and American Handgunner will field our team again. But don’t let our extraordinary shooting skills discourage you from forming a team and joining us for this great event in support of a great program.

> B.C. Outdoors, a subsidiary of PMC/El Dorado Cartridge, is importing the Verona line of overand-under shotguns from Italy. The three categories of superimposed shotguns are the Hunting (pictured above), the Sporting and the Competition. All three offer Gold models with various options. Standard features include gold-plated, single selective trigger, steel receiver, ejector, ventilated top rib, coil spring-operated firing pins,checkered, oil-finished Turkish walnut stock, Verona Interchoke system (except on 28 and 410 gauges) and a combined barrel selector and safety switch.

CLEANING A GUN SAFELY

To make sure a firearm is performing to its specifications the owner must make sure the gun is clean. Most problems pistols, shotguns, and rifles encounter are due to dirty bores and actions. Gun Powder is fairly corrosive and can cause damage to your firearm if not taken care of regularly. Below you find some good tips on cleaning your gun safely to help insure your firearm is working properly.

SAFETY FIRST

Make sure you are about to clean an empty pistol or rifle! Remove magazine clips and any ammunition in the chamber. Be absolutely sure the weapon is unloaded! It never hurts to check more than once. BE SURE YOUR GUN IS UNLOADED!

DON’T DISASSEMBLE TOO FAR

Read the owner’s manual of your gun and go only as far as they recommend. If you don’t have an owner’s manual you most likely can download one from the manufacturer’s web site usually at no cost. As a rule you should only need to disassemble as far as to reach the major components that need cleaning that powder and residue will build up due to normal use. Typically the bore, chamber and bolt or action.

EXAMINE THE FIREARM AS YOU BREAK IT DOWN

It’s a good idea to inspect all the parts in the firearm as it’s down for warn components due to normal wear and tare of the gun. You should also check for hair-line cracks, rust and signs of too much wear. If you find anything like this you should take the firearm to a professional gun smith for repairs.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLEANING YOUR GUN

REMEMBER: CHECK THE CHAMBER FOR ROUNDS BEFORE YOU START!

1.Clean your gun from the breach end if at all possible. If you can’t clean from this end be sure you don’t “push” any debris down into the action of the gun. Be sure to use a muzzle guard to protect the muzzle “tip” from scratches or nicks. If you damage this part of the gun you will loose a lot of accuracy in your shooting.

2. Be sure you use the proper patch holder for the caliber of your weapon. Soak the patch with a factory approved solvent or copper cutter.

3. Run the patch down the barrel to saturate the bore. Remove the dirty patch at the other end of the barrel. If you pull the patch back through the barrel it can fowl the barrel with debris you just pushed out. Let the solvent “stew” a couple of minutes to break up any stubborn lead or carbon that may have built up.

4. Pull the “empty” rod back out of the barrel, then attach the proper brush to the rod. Soak the brush with solvent and run it up and down the barrel 4 or 5 times to scrub the bore. Replace a patch on the rod and soaked in solvent and run it down the barrel with a new patch each time until the patch goes through free of any discoloration. Run a “dry” patch through to remove any remaining solvent. Check the bore for any debris and if necessary clean again.

5. Apply a few drops of quality gun oil to a new patch and run it through the barrel to leave a LIGHT film of oil inside the barrel. This will go a long way to prevent rust during storage.

6. With a nylon gun brush saturated in solvent brush away any powder that has not been burnt or debris away from the action. After the action is clean use a gun oil to LIGHTLY coat all surfaces and moving parts. Do not use too much lubricant because the action may become sticky and hinder the weapon from operating properly. A light coat is all that is needed to prevent rust and help in increasing the life of the weapon.

7.Reassemble the gun making sure you wipe any areas you have touch with your hands with a cloth lightly oiled or a silicone fabric. The acid on your hands from sweat can do a lot of damage to the steal as well as remove any marks you have deposited while handling. It will also have a “new” look to it when you are finished.

BB guns are something you’re all fairly familiar with but how many of you know anything about airsoft guns? The biggest mistake most gun fans make is to look at airsoft guns as just being toys. This is so far from the truth. The huge range of airsoft guns, rifles, pistols, shotguns and fully automatic machine guns offer a huge amount of fun and entertainment for anybody who wants to get involved. Even if you’re a hardcore gunhead you’ll still get a kick from airsoft weapons.

Gun crime is an increasingly worrying problem internationally. This has led to a total backlash against weapon owners of all kinds. This has been taken to extremes whereby liberal parties have started imposing more and more rules on what types of weapons people can own. There is the common misunderstanding that anybody interested in weapons has violent tendencies - this couldn’t be further from the truth. Appreciating the beauty of a replica firearm is no different to appreciating the lines of a sports car or admiring a piece of modern art. Airsoft guns haven’t been around long but they’ve gathered a large following and are dominating the replica weapon and toy gun markets. So if you’re always wanted to own your own Desert Eagle or M4 rifle then airsoft offers both a safe and fun way to do this.

Standard BB guns fire a small lead pellet which can cause considerable harm when used by a skilled marksman. Unlikely to kill a human bb guns are used to hunt small rodents on farms all over the world - to great effect. Now not every gun enthusiast wants to go hunting. Maybe they just like the look and feel of a particular pistol or rifle. Airsoft guns are ideal for this type of gun fan. Airsoft ammunition is also non-lethal. Instead of a lead pellet a standard airsoft guns fires a 6mm plastic pellet that weighs between 0.12g and 0.20g. The heavier weights provide added accuracy. Do bear in mind that even though these pellets are plastic they can and do hurt when they hit you so never fire an airsoft gun at anybody unless they’re wearing suitable protective clothing. The level of pain is on a par with being hit by a paintball.

There are many different types of airsoft guns available. There are spring powered, gas powered, gas blowback and also finally the electronic type of airsoft gun - also referred to as AEGs. Many of the popular modern weapons are available in airsoft models. For example you can buy a Glock, Desert Eagle, Uzi, AK47 or CAR 15 gun for less money than you probably every imagined. You can even go as far as buying an airsoft minigun - if you have that kind of money.

Airsoft guns provide a novel and interesting hobby for people from all walks of life and for all budgets. You don’t need to spend a fortune getting started and believe me these guns really are great conversation pieces.

HANDGUN SAFETY RULES

We’ve all heard it: firearms are not toys. Since pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles are really only as safe as the handler, everyone needs to know how to operate any type of gun safely. The safety rules below are recommended by EVERY firearm maker in the world and all who use pistols and rifles would do well to adhere to all of these safety rules. No one wants to turn an enjoyable outing of shooting into a terrible tragedy. So, read them well and APPLY them to your shooting experience, and above all, have fun with your gun!

ALWAYS…

1. POINT GUN IN A SAFE DIRECTION.

This rule will prevent 99% of all shooting accidents. The pistol or rifle should be pointed in a direction so that even if it goes off accidentally it will not injure anyone or damage anything. When handling the gun, it is up to the shooter to control the muzzle in the safe direction at all times (loaded or not). You need to use common sense to determine that direction whenever the gun is being handled.

2. KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO SHOOT.

You should rest your trigger finger on the OUTSIDE of the trigger guard. Even better, keep your shooting hand away from trigger/trigger guard. Not until you are ready to fire are you to put your finger ON the trigger.

3. KEEP THE GUN UNLOADED UNITL YOU ARE READY TO USE IT.

When picking up ANY gun you must make sure the safety is ON! Then check the firing chamber by working the action back out of the way and checking the chamber visually to make sure it is empty. Remove any remaining rounds, if any, from the chamber. If you don’t know how to work the action LEAVE THE GUN ALONE! Put it down! Find someone who knows how and they can show you.

SUMMARY

In order for all to safely enjoy the sport of shooting EVERYONE must hold to these simple rules for firearm safety. Shooting is such a pleasurable sport and can be as fun as anything you do with your family or as a “solitaire” experience. So PLEASE apply these safety rules and have a good time.

Gun Storage Safety

One child is accidentally shot to death every day in the USA. These tragedies can be prevented with proper education and gun storage.

In 2004, a 6-year-old boy was killed when his 9-year-old sister accidentally shot him with their family’s 9mm pistol. It was not locked up in proper gun storage; it was accessible to the kids — and fatally, it was loaded.

To Play or Not To Play?

It is up to you whether you allow your children to play with toy guns. Real guns, however, are never, ever toys. Guns kill. Make sure your child understands the difference between toy guns and real guns.

Proper Gun Storage (from KidsHealth.org)

• Take the ammunition out of the gun.
• Lock the gun and keep it out of reach of children.
• Lock the ammunition and store it apart from the gun.
• Store the keys for the gun and the ammunition in a different area from where you store household keys. Keep the keys out of reach of children.
• Lock up gun-cleaning supplies, which are often poisonous.

Gun Safety in the Event of Improper Gun Storage

The National Rifle Association suggests you instruct your children on what to do if they see a gun out of proper gun storage.

• Stop
• Don’t touch
• Remove yourself from the area
• Tell an adult

A child as young as three has enough finger strength to pull a trigger. Instruct your children to get as far away from the gun as they can.

Secure Gun Storage

A shoebox on the top shelf of your closet is not proper gun storage. Hiding your pistol in your sock drawer is not proper gun storage. Keeping your shotguns on a rack in the garage is not proper gun storage. The only truly secure gun storage is a locking safe.

Safes for Gun Storage

Home Security Store offers several sturdy safes large enough for gun storage.

1, The Fire Fyter safe with 2.5 cubic feet of storage can hold jewelry, documents, heirlooms, and your average pistol.

2, The Fire Fyter safe with 3 cubic feet of storage can hold larger weapons.

3, When it comes to gun storage for large guns and shotguns, secure them in a cabinet with a sturdy lock and a door alarm that will alert you if the cabinet is open.

Gun storage is serious business. Carelessness when it comes to gun storage can lead to injury or even death. If you choose to keep a gun in your home, follow all the proper gun storage steps to ensure that your family is safe.

RAFFLE PRIZES

Charles Daly

Superior II Hunter VR-MC Semi-Auto 20-gauge Shotgun

Columbia River Knife & Tool

Carson M16-13 Knife

Carson M14-14 Knife

Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services

Lo-Pro Classic Semi-Auto .223 Rifle

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

FMG Publications

Denim Jacket with GUNS Magazine logo

Hooded Jacket with GUNS Magazine logo

Two Denim Jackets with American Handgunner Magazine logo

Para-Ordnance

Choice of any pistol from Para’s catalog