Last night I figured I had 2 or 3 more days before Gun Notes were due, then I realized this month has 28 days. So I am a bit late but it is snowing outside and that is my excuse.

The Florida school shooting is still in the news and the liberals are using this tragedy to promote their agenda of gun control. I can’t think of anything more vile than using the deaths of 17 kids for your own benefit. Unfortunately this is the type of people we have in our leadership these days. I put liberal politicians right up there with child molesters. Thank the good Lord we have Donald Trump in office. I listened to an excerpt from a gathering of leaders today and Trump came right out and mentioned that the leaders of the NRA were his friends and were good people. I bet that chapped the asses of the liberals in the room. Trump may do some small things like ban the future sale of bump stocks (which bothers me not at all) but I really think he will focus on the problem of crazy people getting OK’s by the NICs check most of all. I think he will place some new requirements on reporting instances of mental lapses on people to the proper authorities and make sure the folks that run the NICS check include that in their evaluation of the gun buyer. He said several times when he was running for president that he would not let us down. I have to believe that. We don’t have a helluva lot else we can believe in in politics.

OK, off my soap box. Apparently the gun manufacturers believe in Trump also as the new guns they showed at the SHOT show are actually being made and some being released. This is unusual as in years past the SHOT show was simply a concept show. Manufacturers would show a concept gun and if enough people said ooh and aah they would actually make it sometime in the future. If there were not enough oohs and aahs they would forget it and deny they ever displayed it at the show.

Before we get into the list of new goodies, I know you heard that Remington is right at bankruptcy’s doorstep. That being the case you can expect a lot of Remington products to be at giveaway prices over the next couple of months. But before you run out and grab something with Remington’s name on it, remember why they are bankrupt. This past couple of years they have produced some of the worst firearms on the American market. They simply cannot make a good workable semi auto pistol. Their R1 and the R51, were disasters. The newer semi autos just as bad. They put out the 710 rifle which was absolutely horrible. They dropped it after about an hour and a half. They then brought out the 770 rifle, which was just as bad if not worse. Now the 783 is out but time will tell on it. If they would just produce the model 700 BDL or even the 700 ADL in the quality they had 15 years ago and do so at a price the average man could afford they could pull their asses out of the fire. But they insist on bringing out “new and amazing” guns that are some of the worst guns on the market. So before you run out and grab one of the sale guns, remember why they are bankrupt.

Ruger is on the other end of that spectrum with new guns coming out almost daily and so far I haven’t seen any that are not up to Ruger’s reputation. Excellent guns. Their Precision Rifle set a trend that gets bigger every week. It is a long range target rifle that has been copied by a dozen companies yet never equaled. Some of the copy cats are Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle, Browning’s X Bolt Hells Canyon rifle, Steyr Arms Pro THB (Tactical Heavy Barrel), Nosler’s M48 Long Range carbon, the Mauser M18, Mossberg’s MVP Precision, the Bergara HMR Pro, the new redesigned Savage 110, and a lot more. But Ruger started it all. They have even recently come out with a 22 rimfire version of it and it is doing very well too. Ruger also brought out their PC Carbine. A compact carbine in pistol calibers. It also is doing very well for them. For 2018 you can expect every gun magazine to strongly promote the various precision long range rifles and the super long list of compact handguns. They just seem to get smaller and smaller every year.

One little pet peeve I have with some of the gun magazines is their constant promotion of the top end high dollar scopes and binocs. I realize that is how they make a living but they need to realize that most of those articles go right over the average shooter’s head. Most guys I know cannot spent $3500 to $5000 and more for a scope. Zeiss and Swarovski scopes and binocs are fine glass but at $4000 to $7000 for a scope somebody is smokin’ dope. Especially when the average shooter with average eyes cannot tell a $4000 Zeiss scope from a $850 Leupold scope in clarity or crispness. There are a lot of medium priced scopes and binocs on the market that will do everything the high dollar scopes and binocs will do except impress your snobby friends. On my last few hunts in Africa and here in the states I have used a set of Redfield Rebel binocs. To my old eyes they are extremely clear and they are a bit over $300. Recently an African professional hunter set down some features that he felt hunters in Africa need in a set of binocs. His name is Rudolph and he found a company to build them to his specs. They are aptly called Rudolph Binocs and scopes. Colleen saw them at the mini SHOT show and ordered a batch. She was impressed by their clarity and price plus they have a no question warranty. If you drop them crossing a stream, and a lens breaks or if you drop them and run over them with your truck, send them back and they replace them. Try doing that with Zeiss or Swarovski. Ain’t gonna happen. Plus the 8X binocs are just a bit over $300 and the 10X are less than $400. On this next trip to Africa I will be carrying a pair of the 10X42 Rudolph binocs. I think they are that good.

The folks at CZ who make some of the finest rimfire rifles in the world have brought out their Reaper magnum O/U shotgun. It looks and feels like it was made for you. It is added to their Swamp magnum O/U. Both are great shotguns and are priced well under a grand. I have several of their O/U shotguns in 28 gauge and I haven’t seen any other brand that I would rather have. My older early Ruger Red Label in 28 gauge is the only one I have seen that feels as good. And unfortunately the Red Label is no longer in production.

For you guys back east that use shotguns and slugs for deer and bear you might check out the Winchester Super X 4 semi auto. Great shotgun and comes in a great looking camo finish.

Some of the best made 1911s on the market are those by Rock Island Armory. They have all the features of a $1500 1911 at a fraction of the price. We have a contract with them for their frames for some of our custom 1911s. They are perfect in every way. As good if not better than some high dollar 1911s. Some people turn their noses up at the Rock Island Armory 1911s but that is simply because they either have not tried one or they are idiots. One or the other. They are now producing shotguns in fact 20 new models for this year. I haven’t had a chance to check them out yet but will do so and let you know. If they are made as tight and precise as their 1911s they will be great sellers.

Lots of new stuff in handguns for the new year. You Desert Eagle freaks will be happy to see the new model that is color cased and comes in all 3 calibers. Dan Wesson has their 50th Anniversary series of 1911 pistols out. That is the 50 anniversary of Dan Wesson Firearms, not the 50 anniversary of their 1911s. As usual they all look top of the line. Browning has their new Buck Mark Plus Lite Fluted UFX out. Now that is a mouthful for a nice 22 semi auto that is suppressor ready. The Buck Marks are always good sellers and this one should do just as well.

The company Canik gains traction slowly but the people that have them love them. They have some of the smoothest operating semi autos on the market They aren’t yet a name brand that every one knows but they will soon be. Great pistols and they come in 9mm and are accurate right out of the box. Their sight dovetails are factory standard so just about any after market sights will fit them. They come with 2 15 round magazines, a holster, a cleaning rod and brush and the interchangeable backstraps, all at no extra cost.

Colt has brought out another blast from the past. Their Cobra was released a year or two ago and is a great little revolver. Now they have their new Night Cobra out. It is a matte black double action only small frame revolver in 38 special, designed for self defense. It has a front night sight and is a 6 shot like most small frame Colts. It is good to see Colt making some decent guns again instead of relying on their AR-15s every year. After losing the military contract for their M-16s they had to do something new.

By now everyone that knows how to spell Glock knows that they have a new model, the 19X. This little jewel is simply a hybrid of the model 17 frame and the model 19 slide, making it full 17 round but with a shorter easily concealable pistol that works first time, every time. Since the Navy Seals announced a year or so ago that they were going back to the Glock 19 as their carry pistol, everybody now has to have the model 19 and it is a great choice. I can’t think of another 9mm pistol I would depend upon as much as the Glock. They have been proven #1 for nearly 30 years and they get better and better every year.

There is a lot more to tell you about but I will get to that next time. The next issue may be a day or two late as we leave for Africa in a bit over 2 weeks and will be back on March 29th. There are 11 of us going again this year with 9 new hunters. It is a new 120,000 acre concession and the area is full of trophy grade animals, including a lot of big mean cape Buffalo. Several of the group are going after these ill tempered critters and if they live thru it I will tell you more about it next.

Until them make sure and contact your congressmen and senators and tell them to back Trump against all this anti gun crap that is going on.

Also varmint season is fast coming on so take a youngster or lady varmint hunting with you. They are our future.



God bless,

Gary