September 2008

Bolt-Action Varmint Rifles: We Would Buy Ruger's MKII .204
In November 2003 Sturm, Ruger & Co. announced that it would introduce five different rifles chambered for a new cartridge, the 204 Ruger, which was developed in conjunction with Hornady Manufacturing. The 204 Ruger would share the same overall length of 223 Remington ammunition, but with greater case volume. The purpose was to deliver the same stopping power for varmint or small game with less recoil, muzzle report, and barrel wear than similar high-velocity rounds such as 22-250 Remington and 220 Swift. Ruger claimed higher velocity and flatter trajectory would be achieved while burning less propellant, a major source of barrel wear. In this evaluation we will test three bolt-action rifles chambered for 204 Ruger, including Ruger’s $935 KM77VT MKII, the $1224 Kimber 84M Varmint, and the $1208 Model 12 Long Range Precision Repeating rifle from Savage Arms. Each of our test guns was designed with the varmint hunter in mind. Perhaps the most popular game in this category would be the prairie dog. Prairie dogs live in 'towns,' and they are likely to stick their heads up or run from one mound to another at any time. Opportunities to take a shot are oftentimes so plentiful that the rifles are challenged to maintain accuracy and function despite high operating temperatures. Some rifle tests only require a three-shot group, but in this case we felt justified to test for accuracy over the course of five five-shot groups.

Big-Bore Wheelguns: S&W's Model 625 Is A Classy Choice
It seems some of the really nice stuff in firearms doesn’t last long enough for all good men and women to hear about it, spread the word, and go out and buy it. How many times have we all said, 'If only such and such company would make this or that,' only to have it pointed out to us that they used to make this or that, no one bought it, so it was dropped from the lineup. We’ve encountered several Taurus firearms on the company website and in local gun stores that looked like really good ideas, only to find out they’d been recently discontinued. The same could probably be said of many gun makers who had a product that fit a niche market, failed to promote it sufficiently, and had to stop production. Such is apparently the case with two of the three guns in this report, though one of those two is still available in a specialized form. The concept of a revolver chambered for 45 ACP goes back to WWI, when Colt and Smith & Wesson brought out their Model 1917s to fire the semiautomatic-pistol cartridge through the use of half-moon clips. With the more recent introduction of full-moon clips, these six-shot revolvers can be reloaded very quickly as long as you have a supply of loaded clips. The original S&W Model 1917 had a detent to hold the cylinder fully open, which helped expedite the reloading process. Recently, revolver maestro Jerry Miculek proved just how fast a 45 revolver can be reloaded. He fired six shots from his gun, dumped the empties, reloaded, and fired six more—all in less than three seconds.

22 LR Bolt Actions: We Would Buy the Remington Model 514
Getting a greenhorn shooter to take that first step along the path of a seasoned shooter, whether the targets are at the shooting range or running around in a field, often starts with a 22-caliber rifle. Most of us old-timers have fond memories of our first 22-caliber rifle. Bringing home a mess or rabbits or squirrels; punching holes in tin cans; or just trying to shoot the smallest group on paper were all part of our marksmanship learning experience. Some of us remember that the first scene of the Audie Murphy biographical movie To Hell and Back depicts a young Murphy using a single shot to bag a rabbit for his family dinner. Developing his shooting skills with a 22-caliber rifle proved to be very beneficial marksmanship training for the man who would become the most decorated U.S. solider of World War II. With a goal of getting our hands on a couple of used rimfires that could fit the requirements for a beginner’s rifle, we checked out the used gun rack at Dury’s Gun Shop (www.durysguns.com) and came up with a Remington Model 514 and a Marlin Model 25N, both with price tags of $200.

Upgraded Handguns: Two Forties and a Super 38 Super
In this test we will evaluate three handguns for self defense that we would regard as enhanced versions of more basic models available from their manufacturers. First up is the Sig Sauer P229 SCT, an $1100 40 S&W that 'improves' on the $929 base model P229 in a couple of important areas. The P229 SCT is about a $200 upgrade of the model P229 that is popular with law enforcement in 357 Sig and 40 S&W. The SCT Super Capacity Tactical pistol offers upgrades in the form of a TruGlo tritium fiber-optic front sight, front cocking serrations on the slide, and a supply of four 14-round magazines. The standard magazines for the P229 pistols carry 12 or 10 rounds of 40 S&W or 357 Sig. Next is Springfield Armory’s $749 XDM, wherein the letter 'M' does not stand for 'mystery.' Instead, Springfield’s website explains that this gun contains several M-nomenclature upgrades from the base model XD, including Major Grasp Serrations, Model Contour Frame, Max Reach Magazine Release, Mega Capacity magazine, Mega-Lock Texture, Melonite Finish, Minimum Error Disassembly, Minimal Reset Trigger, Multi-Adjust Rail system, Multi-Use Carrying Case, Match Grade Barrel, and interchangeable Mould-Tru back straps. These 'mupgrades' come in a gun chambered only for 40 S&W, and they create a $200 premium for the XDM over the standard XD40, which costs $543.