GARY'S GUN NOTES

With the crazy weather and electricity being out from time to time, that is my only excuse for the Gun Notes being a few days late.

Amazingly enough several companies have announced new guns for 2022. One of those is Savage. Since Savage was sold a couple of years back the new owners have gone crazy designing and developing new guns. Here are a couple of them…

First there is their new 110 carbon tactical. This is a new addition to their popular model 110 rifles. With their new carbon fiber wrapped stainless barrel it cuts the weight down considerably. It comes with the Accustock and one piece MOA rail. It is finished in matte black receiver and the rest in a grey and flat black finish. It tops out at a bit over 7 lbs.

Next is their new Magpul Hunter. This one is also based on the popular M-110 action. It features a premium Magpul stock. The new Magpul Hunter features an 18” heavy barrel threaded, naturally. It has a Cerakote Tungsten finish. It has an adjustable stock for length of pull and comb height. It of course has the Savage Accu-Trigger. It also comes in left and right hand.

Next from Savage is a new chambering in their A series of rimfire rifles. The “new” chambering is the 17 WSM. That surprised me a bit as the 17 WSM has pretty much flopped since it’s release a couple of years ago. This may bring the cartridge back to life. The guns will be in the A17 Sporter and A17 Target model. The guns look good with a grey laminate stock, hard chrome bolt, case hardened receiver and have an 8 round rotary magazine. Savage is sticking their neck out on this one, so we shall see.

Next Savage has released 2 new handguns, one semi auto 9mm that will be the first semi auto pistol for Savage in something like a hundred years. This pistol is their Stance, a micro 9mm pistol. It is designed for compact carry and while appearing sort of short and blocky, if it is like all other Savages firearms it should be a good one. They have something like 20 different models of the Stance planned. The new Stance comes with 2 magazines and comes with an ambi safety which will please some folks.

The second handgun is sort of a stretch for Savage. They tried a bolt action pistol several years back with their Striker which didn’t fare too well. This new bolt action pistol is the PCS. It is a magazine fed bolt action with a 10” barrel. It comes in 308, 223, and several other calibers. Being a handgun hunter I would be anxious to see how this one does.

Next we have the new Ruger Wranglers. This little inexpensive revolver became an overnight success for Ruger. It comes in several finishes and in 22 LR caliber. Now to please the cowboy shooters and weekend plinkers even more they have released the Wrangler in a birdshead model These new revolvers feature a 3¾” barrel with the new birdshead gripframe and synthetic grips. The new models come in 3 colors, black, silver and burnt bronze. These new models are sure to do just as well as the standard Wranglers.

Next on the new firearm scene is a new model from S&W. It is the new CSX, a new micro compact pistol in 9mm with a 3” barrel. It has an ambi safety and an ambi slide stop. A new feature seldom seen these days in a striker fired world is a hammer fired handgun. Also getting away from the nylon frames so prevalent these days, the new CSX has an aluminum alloy frame. It comes with 2 magazines, a 10 round and 12 round mag. One unusual thing is 2 magazine release buttons for left and right hand shooters. So you have another micro nine to choose from.

Here is one I have a hard time wrapping my head around. Springfield Armory has announced a new 35 round magazine for their XD-M pistols. When others are making their 9mm pistols super compact for concealed carry, Springfield Armory comes out with a 35 round magazine. Walking around with this magazine in the handgun would be like walking around with an erection. Whatever floats your boat.

Quite a few people I know and shoot with favor the AK-47 line of rifles rather than the AR-15s. Palmetto State Armory is doing their best to please these folks with a couple of new AK rifles and pistols. These guns are the PSA-105 pattern rifles and pistols. Now before confuse anyone the pistol is similar to the AR-15 pistols, simply a shorter more compact AK-105 pattern. They come chambered in the 5.45X39 caliber which may not be the easiest cartridge to find these days. But Palmetto State Armory is working to make that caliber as prevalent as the 7.62X 39. These new guns feature updated internals with hammer forged bolts, bolt carriers and barrel trunions. They come with a full lifetime warranty. Each gun comes with a 30 round magazine.

Sort of on the same subject, IWI lists a very limited run of Galil ACE rifles and pistols also in 5.45X39. Anything the Israelis make or design is top of the line. Those folks don’t make any junk.

Speaking of Israeli guns, if you haven’t see the new series of BUL 1911 pistols, you need to check them out. They make the Kimber look and feel like a cheap Chinese pistol. Internally the fit and finish is absolutely perfect as is the soft satin stainless finish. The trigger pull is on the 3 LB range with some a bit lighter than that. The guns are made in Israel and I can’t think of a standard factory 1911 that will beat this new BUL 1911 in any way.

Taurus has a new small frame pistol just out that is getting high praise from shooters all across the country. I pushed the new G2C pistol a couple of years back and said I thought it would be very hard to beat. The new GX4 has done that. It fits the hand about as perfect as one can. And feels streamlined yet holds 11 rounds of 9mm. It is built here in the U.S. as most new Taurus pistols are and has their normal lifetime warranty. It is only 1” wide yet holds 11 rounds. It is striker fire as most new pistols are and is another micro compact pistol. Taurus has yet to disappoint me in any of their new pistols and this one will easily join those ranks.

Another great pistol that has yet to take it’s place in the line up of compact carry guns is the new SAR9 Compact. The SAR guns are extremely well made and about as perfect in functioning as a semi auto can be. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the line up of SAR pistols, do so soon. You won’t be disappointed.

The folks at FN constantly take military contracts away from other companies and are currently extremely well know all over the world. Their new FN15 TAC 3 is in a new line of top end carbines. The list of special features is as long as your arm. If you are one of 7 people in the U.S. that have not bought an AR type carbine, check out the FN 15 TAC 3 and the FN 15 TAC3 Duty. They just don’t get any better.

Lots of talk lately about the 2 new Hi Powers that are coming out. One of them is the Springfield Armory SA-35. This is one I want to try out before I go hog wild over it. Springfield Armory has disappointed me in the past so I want to see and shoot this one first.

Weatherby shotguns have always interested me. Especially the Orion models. My favorite O/U shotguns have been for years the SKB shotguns. The Orion shotguns were made by SKB for years and were great small frame field shotguns. I am especially partial to the 20 gauge and 28 gauge shotguns. Weatherby has released a new Orion shotgun in 20 gauge and they have 3 new models to choose from. The field model has 26” or 28” barrels. The 26” field model comes with a satin finish on the barrels, frame and wood while the 28” has a high polished metalwork and wood. The 3rd model is a 30” Sporting Clays model that comes with high gloss metal and wood and auto ejectors. If you want a classy O/U without breaking the bank, check out the Weatherby Orion line up.

There are a lot more new items to tell you about but I will get to them next month.

Before I close it out, I need to mention our next Africa hunt is scheduled for April 5 thru 14 in South Africa as usual. The lodge we are staying in looks like a southern mansion but yet we pay the same daily rate as we would if we stayed in a 2 man tent. This hunt will be in the eastern Cape and right on the ocean. The lodge is about 50 yards from the water. There are numerous animals that are only available in the eastern Cape area. The lodge holds 10 hunters and we have 5 signed up already. If you want a great African hunt without spending a lot of money, check with me on this. On this hunt you could spend 8 days hunting in Africa, take 3 or 4 plains game animals and for less than $9000 plus your airfare. I like Alaska too but a hunt like this in Alaska would cost you 3 to 4 times the money spent in Africa. The airlines are flying and don’t expect any problems. This is another great African hunt and if you want to know more, call me at 928-527-4100.

Recently I hired 2 more machinists and we are working on catching up on our 2 year back log. These two new men will join 2 others to work on getting the back log caught up as much as possible. Parts, barrel and cylinder steel, grip material, chemicals for our finishes and more are still in short supply but we are working on catching up as much as possible.

While my new guys and 2 of my regulars are working on the back log, Kase, Nate and I will be working on some very special limited edition handguns. I will have more info on these as we go along.

That’s it for this month. If you have a chance to get out and do some shooting or hunting in this bad weather we are having, make sure and take a lady or youngster with you. Now, more than ever, they are our future.

Til next time, God bless,

Gary