Ruger's California Friendly AR-556
Ruger’s AR-556 is a company milestone product. When introduced, its direct gas impingement design was Ruger’s first departure from the company’s gas operated, piston driven Ruger SR 556 and SR 762 MSRs and it was the first Ruger to be designed and manufactured entirely at the company’s Mayodan, NC facility. […] [Read More]
Ruger's SP101® Match Champion™ Part II
"New On Real Guns®, "Ruger's SP101® Match Champion™ Part II It's not just for fancy lads…" "…Measuring the SP101 for handloads, cylinder length checked 1.580". SAAMI maximum cartridge overall length specification for the 357 Magnum is 1.590", however, the 357 Mag headspaces on its 0.060" – 0.070" rim, so only a maximum of 1.530" projects into the cylinder, leaving a minimum of 0.050" between bullet tip and cylinder face. Most of my cast bullet handloads have a cartridge overall length, still leaving a solid 0.040" minimum clearance at the front of the cylinder. Cylinder to barrel gap on this particular revolver was a feeler gauge dragging 0.006" and cylinder to barrel indexing passed a range rod check with flying colors.." [Read More]
Ruger's Precision Rifle in 5.56mm Part 2
The Ruger Precision Rifle’s muzzle brake was removed and an Advanced Armament SR5 silencer was installed. A 14x C4 Burris scope was installed with an American Defense’s AD-RECON-S scope mount. Under sustained shooting during handload development, the silencer radiated view distorting heat waves and was removed. The mature cam-over mount […] [Read More]
Ruger American Rifle Ranch Thirty Part I
Summer is essentially over, visiting families have all returned to distant homes,, the neighborhood kids are back and school and Maine, once again, has fallen quiet. While lawns, woods and fields have remained green, overnight temps have dropped below 50ºF and the writing schedule, as far as the eye can […] [Read More]
Bushmaster's Minimalist SD Part 2
As winter weather stayed with us well into spring, my wife and I have been playing catch-up with home projects and maintenance. Our home is built on a flat on a steep hillside atop lots of granite ledge. So much ledge in fact that a substantial amount of blasting was […] [Read More]
Smith & Wesson's Performance Center Model 41
My professional career can be summed up as forty five stressful years of flying in airplanes, traveling to many U.S. and foreign destinations, managing technology prima donnas and marketing executive divas, and pushing products and services of no real consequence. The effort yielded a comfortable home, kids in good schools, […] [Read More]
Bushmaster's Minimalist SD Part 1
My wife sometimes expresses concern over the work and home projects I engage. Apparently, straying too far from a comfy chair is perilous passage, an outlook which places her squarely at odds with my cardiologist, a woman I believe to be no older than twelve years of age. Her advice […] [Read More]
Marlin Lever Action Trigger Improvements
Made by Marlin or made by Remington, the Marlin closed top Model 336 has been with us since 1948. With numerous variants added along the way, the compact, quick handling lever action has been chambered in everything from varmint intended small bore cartridges to big bore cartridges powerful enough for […] [Read More]
I'd Like a 300 Blackout Well Done... Seconda Parte
In Part 1, it was determined that a public perception campaign would be launched that would pressure Ruger into changing the name of the Ruger American Rifle Ranch, to the Ruger American Ranch Rifle to suit my sensibilities. I have not heard from the Ruger people as yet, but I […] [Read More]
I'd Like a 300 Blackout... Prima parte
While it is typically the AR crowd that lays claim to the 300 AAC Blackout, the cartridge’s origins are deeply rooted in pistol silhouette shooting. In 1963, Remington shortened the 222 Remington to create the 221 Fireball for their bolt action XP-100 silhouette pistol. Shortly thereafter a wildcatter, who couldn’t […] [Read More]