Gun owners rally at the Capitol in Springfield, Ill., in favor of concealed carry during Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day on March 6, 2013.

Months after federal courts declared Illinois’ long-standing concealed carry ban unconstitutional, residents in the Land of Lincoln are still waiting for the OK from the statehouse.

After being given a June 9 deadline, Gov. Pat Quinn and Attorney General Lisa Madigan were able to extend the deadline by a month so Quinn could carefully review the legislation passed in May by the General Assembly. While Quinn and Madigan waste time delaying the inevitable, some Illinois prosecutors have decided enough is enough and are moving forward with concealed carry with or without Quinn’s signature.

According to The (Peoria, Ill.) Journal Star, state’s attorneys in neighboring Tazewell and Peoria counties have state they will not prosecute any lawful gun owner for carrying a concealed firearm, granting constitutional carry to their residents.

On Friday, Tazewell County State’s Attorney Stewart Umholtz issued a statement saying the December court decision gave Illinois gun owners the right to carry.

“A citizen who wishes to exercise their Second Amendment right to carry a firearm outside of the home for self-defense should not be placed in the situation where they fear prosecution if they exercise a constitutional right,” Umholtz said.

About three hours later, Umholtz’s colleague across the Illinois River, Peoria County State’s Attorney Jerry Brady issued a similar statement.

“Since the court’s ruling, Peoria County has been following the court’s opinion and not charging persons with valid FOID cards entitled to possess a firearm,” he said. “Our office seeks to follow the court’s opinion and honor a person’s constitutional rights outlined by the recent decision.”

In addition, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported state’s attorneys in Madison and Randolph counties both took similar stances earlier this month, and the sheriff in Clinton County said anyone from a county that allows concealed firearms would not be arrested for carrying in his jurisdiction.

This isn’t the first time Illinois prosecutors have stood up for the Second Amendment. In August 2012, McLean County State’s Attorney Ron Dozier issued a statement saying his office would not prosecute lawful gun owners for simply carrying a concealed firearm.

And the trend of downstate counties sticking it to Chicago politicians goes back even further. In March 2012, voters in Pike County, Ill., approved a concealed-carry ordinance that allowed county residents to carry a concealed firearm, marking the first time since 1862 a county had passed a law contradictory to the state. The last time it happened, five Virginia counties voted against secession from the Union, resulting in the formation of West Virginia.

Still, the move isn’t without detractors. According to The Associated Press, other prosecutors around Illinois said while the ban is still in place, they will enforce it—regardless of whether it’s constitutional.

“… My approach right now is: The law is that you can’t carry guns,” said Bob Berlin, state’s attorney in DuPage County near Chicago. “Until we have a new law, it’s not for me to decide what the law is.”

Charles Garnati, the state’s attorney in downstate Williamson County, agreed with Berlin.

“We are a nation of laws, and we should follow the law and not pick and choose which ones we’re going to follow,” Garnati said. “I commend the Legislature for passing the conceal law and sending it to Gov. Quinn. But until he signs it, it’s not the law in Illinois. That’s the bottom line.”

State law enforcement also opposed the rogue prosecutors. A joint “public safety advisory” by the Illinois State Police, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association said they would continue to enforce Illinois’ weapons ban, given gun control has worked so well across the state.

Clearly these prosecutors are putting the pressure on Quinn to approve the legislation in a timely fashion; the longer he stalls, the longer the state will be an unorganized mess of counties with varying stances on concealed carry, creating a legal conundrum for residents traveling across county lines.

We’re all for concealed carry in Illinois, but it needs to cover every county, not just a few. Until that’s the law, Quinn’s inaction could make criminals out of ordinary citizens exercising their rights.

The SB15 slides onto an existing AR-15 pistol buffer tube, and then straps to your forearm. People who otherwise couldn’t use an AR-15 pistol, can now consider one for hunting and plinking.

However, the brace doesn’t make it much easier to shoot an AR-15 pistol with iron sights. You should consider adding red-dot optics to make any pistol easier and more fun to shoot.

Cleared for civilian sale by the ATF, the SB15 does not require any NFA paperwork to obtain or install. The Sig Sauer SB15 Pistol Stabilizing Brace comes to the market at $139. The editors at G&A went to the range with Jarrod McDevitt from Sig Sauer to test the new brace:

Last week, T/C Arms released a public safety notice saying the company identified a problem in which the safety lever in some rifles can bind, preventing the safety from fully engaging. When this happens, moving the bolt back could move the safety into the fire position.

T/C Arms stressed the rifle will not fire unless the trigger is pulled, but is recalling all rifles manufactured before June 13, 2013, as a precaution. The company urged all owners to stop using the rifles immediately and send them back to be inspected or repaired at T/C Arms’ expense.

For more information on how to return your rifle, contact Thompson/Center customer service, which will send a pre-paid shipping label. Once the rifle is inspected, it will be returned with a small marking on the safety along with a red star on the package’s label. Any owners outside the U.S. should check this list of authorized warranty centers.

Unlike the limited availability of guns chambered in 22 Hornet, rifles such as the 1885 Rimfire and the Savage Arms B-Mag have already pioneered the .17 WSM market.

At a whopping 3,000 fps with a 20 grain bullet, the .17 WSM is a laser beam compared to 2,400 fps with a similar weight projectile from its .17 HMR counterpart. When launching heavier 25 grain bullets with 375 foot-pounts of energy, the .17 WSM outperforms the HMR by half.

The editors at G&A explored the ballistic performance of this hot new round with a classic two liter penetration test.

Now, the DHS is being ordered to cease the spending unless the department can justify it.

Examiner.com reports the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday evening to bar the DHS from stockpiling more ammo until DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano can explain to Congress the department’s need for the cache, reportedly about 1.6 billion rounds.

“Given this large purchase, the American people and members of Congress rightfully had concerns and questions,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who sponsored the amendment to the DHS’ 2014 budget, which passed 234-192. “This is a responsible amendment which ensures that Congress and the American people are aware of the necessity and the cost of ammunition prior to entering into new contracts for procurement.”

According to a Fox News report, the amendment will keep the DHS from purchasing anymore ammo until it submits a comprehensive report on its spending and ammo usage to Congress.

Napolitano has so far refused to explain the DHS’ logic in purchasing so much ammo—along with contracts for $900,000 worth of “replacement parts” with SIG Sauer and Heckler & Koch, $143,000 worth of submachine guns from H&K, and 2,717 “mine-resistant protected” vehicles, information made public by Federal Business Opportunities.

However, according to Fox News, DHS procurement officer Nick Nayak said during an April House oversight subcommittee hearing the DHS planned on purchasing 750 million rounds for basic and advanced federal law enforcement training over the next five years. The rest, Nayak said, would be appropriated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which according to Fox, requested the following in 2012: 450 million .40-caliber duty rounds; 40 million rifle rounds per year, totaling 200 million rounds over five years; 176,000 rifle rounds as part of a separate contract; and 25,000 blanks.

It’s concerning—if not downright frightening—to think of reasons the DHS could possibly have to spend so much of our tax dollars on such a vast arsenal when we’re having trouble arming ourselves. It would be fascinating if it weren’t so horrifying.

Hopefully our questions will be answered in due time, and we pray the rationale is not as sinister as some imagine it to be.

Think this recent wave of gun control is tough? See how President Obama’s proposals compare to 1994.

While they share identical ergnomics and sights, they also share inherently different recoil characteristics. Rob Leatham from Springfield Armory compares the performance between the 9mm and 45 Auto XDs:

California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, second from left, discusses a package of proposed gun control legislation at a Feb. 7 news conference in Sacramento, Calif. (Rich Pedroncelli/The Associated Press)

California has never been known as a haven for gun owners and outdoorsmen, and it looks like the Golden State’s reputation is about to be tarnished even more.

On Wednesday, the California Senate approved a package of seven gun control bills by a 22-14 vote, the latest wave of anti-gun legislation introduced in direct response to the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Among these is SB 53, a bill that would require a background check for anyone purchasing ammunition. In addition, buyers would need to submit their information and a $50 fee to the California Department of Justice, which would keep a record of “qualified” buyers. Buyers would then need to present a driver’s license or ID to buy ammo after that.

“To purchase a product that has the potential to maim or kill another human being you can (now) walk into a gun store, no questions asked, I think that’s a little outrageous,” Sen. Kevin De Leon, D-Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times.

Not all Democrats were as gung-ho as De Leon, however. Sen. Roderick Wright, D-Inglewood, citing Americans’ right to own firearms, said the right to purchase ammunition to go with that firearm is “implied” in the Second Amendment.

Also included in the package is SB 374, which would ban the sale, purchase and manufacture of semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines. Subjects—er, citizens who own such rifles would be required to register the firearms with the state.

Furthermore, the Senate approved SB 396, a bill banning magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds; magazines may not be grandfathered in. In addition, the Senate passed SB 47, which would ban the so-called “bullet button,” a device gun manufacturers have placed on California-legal ARs—which do not have detachable magazines—which pops the mag out of the rifle when the tip of a bullet is inserted, similar to a typical mag release on any AR model. Because the device does not operate by the user’s finger, it is not legally considered a detachable magazine.

Other measures included:

• SB 755: Anyone convicted of additional drug or alcohol offenses would be barred from owning a firearm.
• SB 567: Shotgun-rifle combinations would be added to the list of already banned shotguns.
• SB 683: In addition to handgun purchases, a firearms safety certificate would be required for rifle purchases as well.
• SB 299: Gun owners would be required to inform law enforcement officials when a gun is lost or stolen within 48 hours, punishable by a $100 fine.
• SB 293: Borrowing from the latest James Bond film, SB 293 would require all firearms sold in California to be sold with “owner-authorized” technology—such as biometric readers—to prevent anyone other than the owner from operating the firearm.

The approved legislation will head to the state Assembly before making its way to California Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. There’s still hope that these measures won’t make it that far, but given California’s torrid relationship with outdoorsmen, that seems rather unlikely.

If you’re a Californian looking to relocate—or if you want to see how good you’ve got it in your state—check out our 50 best states for gun owners in 2013.

Two new surveys released in May, however, may lend a little more credence to the so-called “nonsense.”

According to Examiner.com, a new study released by Pew Research—based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports—showed violent gun crimes had decreased dramatically since peaking in the 1990s while gun ownership steadily increased. According to the study, gun homicides declined by 49 percent from 1993 to 2010. Similarly, other violent crimes such as robberies, assaults and sex crimes had decreased by 75 percent in 2011 compared to 1993.

However, the survey also shows an alarming number of Americans believe gun crime is on the rise—about 56 percent, according to the study.

Similarly, an study by the Department of Justice also showed a decrease in gun crimes—though the numbers slightly differed, down 39 percent from 1993 while non-fatal violent crimes are down 69 percent.

In addition, the DOJ study included a 2004 survey of state prison inmates indicating a majority of the firearms used in their crimes were not purchased through some “gun show loophole”—40 percent obtained firearms through an illegal source, 37 percent from a friend or family member, and 2 percent from a gun show or flea market.

So what does all this mean? First, it pokes a gaping hole in the argument that more guns will lead to more violence; as evidenced by the top law enforcement agencies in the country, there isn’t a relationship between lawful gun ownership and violent crime, even as gun sales set record numbers as they did this past holiday season.

Second, these numbers not only indicate, but flat-out prove crime rates have dropped as gun ownership has risen, despite a population growth. Whether the decreased crime is because of increased gun ownership is unclear, but that’s not the issue. When some talking head tries to say crime rates—especially gun crime rates—are higher now more than ever, you can point to actual government statistics to say no, they’re not.

Finally, while some criminals did indeed purchase their weapons at trade shows, the perceived “gun show loophole” is hardly the rampant societal problem politicians believe it to be. Rather, the focus should be placed on how to prevent dangerous individuals from obtaining weapons they shouldn’t have in the first place.

Once that becomes the government’s top priority—rather than placing restrictions on law-abiding citizens—we’ll see crime rates drop even lower than they have in the last 20 years.

How else have anti-gunners been misleading the public? Check out 10 need-to-know gun control myths.

Background checks don’t stop criminals from committing violent crimes. They certainly didn’t prevent recent mass shootings, where the guns were purchased with a background check. Criminals who will steal or murder to obtain guns, don’t care about laws—that’s why they’re criminals.

Enforcing universal checks during the age of government furloughs creates a laundry list of ambiguities. Who would police the new laws?

How would anyone confirm that a background check was completed for every single transaction? Guns that were bought or transferred under the new laws would still look and function the same as any one of the estimated 300 million guns bought or transferred under the current laws.

The only way to adequately enforce a universal background check system is by creating a registration database. You don’t have to read very far into the history books to notice that registration always leads to confiscation—take a look at Canada, Australia, and any number of European countries.

The editors at G&A took to the streets to find out what NRA members think about universal background checks.

But if we’re to believe a recent poll by the British media, the Queen’s subjects may be pushing for a change in the nation’s firearms policies.

The British newspaper The Telegraph recently posted an online poll to determine which issue citizens would like to see debated in Parliament’s House of Commons.

According to The Telegraph, “Under Commons rules, any MP can introduce a bill, but only a few are ever debated. The ballot to decide which members get time for such debates was held on Thursday. James Wharton, the MP for Stockton South, came top of the ballot. … Now, it is over to you—vote below for the Bill you’d like to see debated in the Commons.”

Rounding up a list of six ideas proposed by readers—including term limits on Parliament members, a flat tax and even a ban on spitting in public—is a repeal of the U.K.’s ban on private handgun possession, a result of the Firearms Act of 1997.

The reasoning sounds awfully familiar: “After all, why should only criminals be ‘allowed’ to possess guns and shoot unarmed, defenceless citizens and police officers?” wrote user Colliemum.

That’s a good point, one we’ve heard countless times from Americans countering the latest wave of gun control proposals across the states.

So how was that proposal received across the pond? Better than you’d think, actually; as of this post, the proposal has garnered 8,174 of 10,095 total votes—that’s 80.97 percent. While it’s tough to say a majority of citizens in the U.K. want their guns back, these numbers surely indicate that the debate is one worth having no matter where you live.

We assume most of our readers don’t reside in Great Britain, so be sure and read up on the best states for guns owners in the good old USA.

Some people started hunting and shooting at a very young age. Others buy guns simply to protect themselves or their family. Some picked up their first gun in basic training with a drill sergeant screaming in their ear. But they all have one thing in common—every gun owner can tell a tale about the memorable day they brought home their first firearm.

The editors at G&A set out to find out what is the biggest reason why NRA members became gun owners.

No matter who you are or how well connected, there’s one unifying truth about the ammo shortage of 2013—it’s no respecter of persons.

That much was obvious at the recent NRA Show in Houston, where everyone from law enforcement officials to industry personnel—all the way down to your average man on the street—noted the incredible difficulty of procuring ammunition over the last few months. As Chad, an NRA member from Austin, Texas, said, you know times are rough when .22 ammo is missing from shelves.

“You can’t find .22 ammo anywhere,” Chad said. “I found a 525-round box at Academy [Sports & Outdoors] and thought I hit the lottery. That’s the first time I’ve seen it in probably six months.”

Like Chad, many NRA members have dealt with the ammo shortage by implementing a strategy of persistence—they simply keep checking back with their local sporting good outlet, gun shop or feed store, hoping to catch the latest shipment as it hits the shelves. For the people who claimed to have at least limited success finding ammo, this was undoubtedly the most common tactic.

Others, like Houston natives Ronald and Gale, said they’ve simply cut back on range time.

“It’s kept us off the range as much as we’d like to go,” Ronald said. “I’m afraid it’s going to put some of our good ranges—some mom and pop operations—out of business. Personally, this was coming for a long time. I’ve got enough to fend off a good attack, should I say. But like most good Boy Scouts, be prepared.”

As Ronald pointed out, there’s more than one way to deal with the shortage. You can either scavenge whatever is available when it’s available, you can stay away from the range or you can do both. The anecdotal evidence from NRA members at the show seems to point in this direction—gun owners are not only scraping together whatever ammo they can find, they’re also keeping more of it boxed up at home.

“Ammo is so hard to get, most of the people I know, when you do get it you don’t go to the range,” said Scott of Lufkin, Texas. “People that go to the range on a regular basis just aren’t going because you can’t afford to shoot the ammo and then not be able to replace it.”

Supply and Demand
The obvious question many people are asking is why the shortage happened in the first place. The answers aren’t always so obvious, but it starts with the political climate and the ongoing threat of anti-gun legislation. That threat—especially when it comes from the government—fuels an increase in demand for the buyer, who grabs and stashes as much ammo as he can.

Add an Associated Press report from Feb. 15 stating the Department of Homeland Security wants to buy up 1.6 billion rounds of ammo in the next few years—plus an ongoing discussion about it by the conspiracy theorists in the blogosphere—and you’ve got a veritable run on the market. Groups like the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the NRA, meanwhile, have called a government attempt to stockpile ammunition a farce, attributing shortages to a simple increase in demand driven by anti-gun politics. Either way, demand skyrockets.

Manufacturers like Hornady, which gets questioned all the time about why it doesn’t just amp up production, said it’s just not that simple.

“We’ve been steadily growing our production for a long time, especially the last five years,” Hornady said on its website. “We’ve added presses, lathes, CNC equipment, people and space. Many popular items are produced 24 hours a day. Several hundred Hornady employees work overtime every week to produce as much as safely possible. If there is any question about that—please take a tour of the factory. You’ll be amazed at what you see.”

The Silver Lining
There is a silver lining in all of this, though. First, a good portion of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 was unceremoniously shot down on the Senate floor in the middle of April. With Feinstein’s incendiary measures out of the way, there’s at least some hope tensions will die down. With less for gun owners to fear, the expectation is for demand to settle down and production to play catch up. Many industry officials at the NRA show were at least optimistic about such a possibility, though nothing will likely change in the immediate future.

The ammo shortage has also caused a drastic increase in laser training sales, according to Aaron Moore, vice president and director of operations at LaserLyte.

“We’ve sold a whole lot more laser trainers,” Moore said. “We’ve been up about 700 percent in sales over last year.”

Adaptation may just be the key message for gun owners in America. It’s a different world than even a year ago, which means persistent shopping around and utilizing alternative methods of training are plausible options for many. It also means there’s never been a time to stand and defend your rights as an American and as a gun owner like the present. It’s a constant reminder of how quickly our precious freedoms can disappear if we don’t stand vigilant.

Just three short months after his tragic murder, Kyle’s wife Taya spoke about him at the 2013 NRA show in Houston, Texas, before a large crowd of teary-eyed NRA members. With pictures from across the spectrum of his life and military service on the big screen behind her, Taya recounted the life of her husband—a war hero, friend to struggling veterans and father of two young children. She recounted something he told her in January shortly before his death.

“Chris told me, ‘I would love for people to think of me as a guy who stood up for what he believed in and helped make a difference for veterans, someone who cared so much about them that he wanted them taken care of.’ Well, Chris, well done babe. You did it,” Taya said, wiping tears from her eyes amid the applause of the crowd.

Kyle undoubtedly left a legacy of self-sacrifice in the cause of conviction, something Taya said should give us all courage to stand and fight not only for the Second Amendment, but for all of our rights. With the right to bear arms comes the responsibility to defend our freedom, even at great personal cost. From the battlefields of Ramadi to his native soil of Texas, Kyle knew the cost intimately.

“From the days of Cain and Abel, we know all too well there will always be evil,” Taya said. “But that evil shouldn’t take away our freedoms. In fact, the only way to defeat evil is by taking advantage of our freedoms.”

I would encourage you to watch the video, and as you do, consider Kyle’s life in the words of his widow: “He was an everyday boy who did the best he could at what he loved, and he grew into an everyday man, loving his God, his country and loving his family.” We may not all be heroes in the eyes of the world, but we each have the opportunity to make a difference for others in some everyday way. Be that kind of hero today.

With the surge in concealed carry licenses across the country, people are turning to more innovative methods for firearm transportation. Blackhawk Concealment Bags come in several designs, resembling common luggage items which aren’t usually associated with transporting firearms. Styles include courier, workout, skateboard and racquet bags—making even your nosiest neighbor believe you’re going to the gym, or going out to play tennis.

Depending on the specific design, retail price of the Blackhawk Concealment Bags range from $54 to $174.

Each Go Bag comes equipped with internal Velcro dividers for organizing essential items like MREs, medical supplies and as much ammo as possible. These new offerings come in various form factors to meet the specific needs of each user. Choose from models with padded shoulder straps, or backpack designs with S.T.R.I.K.E. webbing for attaching pouches and accessories.

Retail price of the Blackhawk Go Bag ranges from $34 to $189.

Integrating key characteristics of the rifle into one package enables consumers to purchase the ISR 300 with only one tax stamp. The overall barrel length reaches just over 16 inches with the permanently fixed, integral suppressor. Although permanently welded to the barrel, the suppressor’s baffle core is removable for easy cleaning. Combine that suppression with subsonic 300 AAC Blackout ammunition, and the ISR can deliver .30 caliber penetration without excessive muzzle blast or hearing loss.

The MFR 12.0 rail system allows shooters to run the hand guard “slick” to decrease weight, or to add accessories by placing rail sections at any desired location. Daniel Defense brings the DDM4 ISR 300 to market at $3,199.

The bolt has a 60-degree rotation for ergonomic scope clearance with six locks engaging directly into the barrel. Bolt features also include an innovative safety selector located directly on the bolt shroud, which will completely lock the bolt and a firing pin block that allows firing only after the bolt has been fully locked into battery.

Sauer guarantees sub-moa groups thanks to their tension-free barrel-to-receiver connection, a wide 2lb trigger and secure bolt locking design. Additionally, the Sauer 101 accepts Remington 700 long action scope base mounts and comes with a 5+1 round detachable magazine.

None of this is extremely revolutionary, but with a street price in the U.S. around $1,400, this bolt-action offering will likely hit the ground running.

This new offering, manufactured in Isny, Germany, is available in both wood or synthetic stocks, 22″ or 24″ barrels and a dozen different caliber choices, allowing the American consumer different configurations for their next bolt gun. The crisp trigger and positive locking three-position safety are sure to impress hunters and bench rest shooters alike. Not to mention, field stripping the rifle is simple and requires no tools. Perhaps the most desirable feature is the detachable 5+1 round magazine, which enables easy follow-up shots.

The Mauser M12 will be distributed by Blaser, and comes to the American market at $1,499.

Pincus—who is the owner of ICE Training Company and is also a longtime author, trainer and consultant—made his case for the “warrior expert theory,” which states that through frequent and life-like training, students can learn how to recognize and respond to a threatening incident in a consistent, efficient way. In plain English, it means the more you perform the necessary muscle movements required of a defensive situation, the more successfully you will execute those skills in the moment you need them most.

“We’re all gun enthusiasts here, and the number one reason we have guns is ultimately to protect ourselves,” Pincus said. “That means we all have a right—and I would say a responsibility—to learn how to properly defend ourselves with the appropriate firearms.”

“Our rights and responsibilities have been under attack the last three months, and up to this point we have successfully maintained them,” Pincus said to a packed house of NRA members well aware of the recent threats to the Second Amendment, but maybe less aware of the need for self defense training. “It is up to us to make good on those freedoms we’ve fought so hard to protect.”

With experience as a law enforcement officer and executive protection agent, Pincus has taken his training methodologies and used them to equip law enforcement agencies and combat groups around the world. He also developed the Combat Focus Shooting program, which was designed to be the most efficient defensive firearms training available today.

Core Components
At the heart of the ICE (integrity, consistency, efficiency) training is the concept of intuitive defensive shooting—the assertion that training must work within the framework of what the body does naturally and train it to be as consistent and efficient as possible. That means reality-based training, constant repetition to build muscle memory and a basic understanding of how the body naturally functions.

Pincus stresses trainees understand the importance of context when preparing themselves for defensive shooting skills. First, it means understanding most defensive pistol stops are psychological. While hitting your target is certainly optimal, the psychological impact of being fired upon must be taken into account. If an intruder flees after an errant shot, the stop is still successful.

Second, Pincus trains his students to make their shots in the high, center chest, from an average distance of 9 to 15 feet. Since most defensive scenarios take place in that range, training must mirror those distances. In the same way, students must prepare themselves with “defensive accuracy” in mind, concerning themselves not with groups on a target but overall threat deterrence. Success is measured not ultimately by tight groups on a stationary paper target, but on whether or not a hostile force is stopped.

When it comes to developing consistency, Pincus maintains there’s no substitute for constant repetitions of the proper and most efficient techniques. That means, for example, preparing yourself to shoot unsighted at shorter distances and sighted with one eye closed at the high end of the 9 to 15 foot range. This means Pincus helps students intuitively adjust for a target at 9 feet versus one at 20.

Balance of Speed and Precision
Ultimately, Pincus said, all that training comes down to successfully balancing speed and precision. The deciding factor is distance, which determines how precise a shooter needs to be. At 9 feet, it matters less than at 15. Either way, the number of successful hits on a target comes down to your application of skill in that moment. Speed is more of a result of confidence to make a shot at a certain distance, in a particular setting. Put it all together and you’ve got multiple shots in a hostile threat, high center chest, that form a counter ambush stopping their attack. That is, after all, the main point.

With the events of the last three months now on paper and a political environment ablaze with talk of gun control and mounting restrictions, Pincus said Americans are once again waking up to the necessity of protecting their right to self defense. And as they do, the need for specialized training in defensive shooting—as well as utilizing the right kind of firearms—is more paramount than ever.

The Pico’s other great selling point is its modularity. The grip frame, quick-change dovetail sights, and caliber are all interchangeable with little to no tool work involved. Beretta will be offering a .32 ACP barrel option that’s easy to swap and a number of different color frames including a LaserMax version with an integrated tactical light and laser. Several holsters will be available when the gun hits the shelves in August.

With base models starting at $399, these USA-made pistols should prove quite popular as soon as they begin shipping.

“If you’re in the market for a relatively affordable third-generation battle rifle, the ARX 100 is it,” Poole writes. “It handles well, is super reliable and offers the greatest tactical flexibility of anything out there. The bench shooter looking for a single-hole paper puncher should look elsewhere, but the ARX 100 is a practical and effective carbine for dynamic shooting scenarios—and is quite capable of pinging steel silhouettes at 600 meters.”

We caught up with Rafe Bennett at the George R. Brown Convention Center to experience firsthand what all the hype is about.

One activity that’s almost universally enjoyed by the gun community, though, is sitting down with a bowl of popcorn to enjoy a nice, action-packed gun movie. Be it The Duke tracking down outlaws in the Wild West, or McClane foiling yet another international terror plot, a good gun movie is able to capture its audience with a mix of action and drama, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats for about two hours—give or take.

Although some of the stars playing these action roles are supporters of our Second Amendment rights, even more will put the gun down on the movie set and rally against those rights not long after. They may be out there marching to ban guns altogether, or appearing in Internet videos calling for tighter gun control. Though they’re out there giving gun owners the cold shoulder, these celebrities have made a living by wielding firearms—and in doing so, providing hours of entertainment for those they’re campaigning against.

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Goldfinger (1964)

Arguably the best in the James Bond collection, Goldfinger is often cited as the quintessential 007 flick. Considered a major influence on the every Bond film that followed, Goldfinger introduced such 007 elements as tongue-in-cheek humor, reliance on technology, and of course, the Aston Martin DB5. Pity, though, that the greatest Bond of them all, Sean Connery, lent his voice to an anti-gun PSA that aired in the U.K., saying, "It is said that a total ban on handguns, including .22s, would take away innocent pleasure from thousands of people. Is that more or less pleasure than watching your child grow up?" Unfortunately, the anti-gun sentiments would be shared by another Bond.

First Blood (1982)

If you want a good shootout, there's no better series to turn to than Rambo, and like most series, it doesn't get any better than the original: 1982's First Blood. Sylvester Stallone plays John Rambo in the movie that helped defined the action genre, yet Stallone had no qualms bashing the American gun culture around the turn of the century. After the death of comedian Phil Hartman in 1999, Stallone—living in the U.K. at the time—appeared on Access Hollywood saying, "Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what you’re gonna have. It’s pathetic. It really is pathetic. It’s sad. We’re living in the Dark Ages over there."

The Terminator (1984)

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as an unstoppable cyborg from the future, 1984's The Terminator featured plenty of cyberpunk-style shootouts as the T-800 pursues Sarah Connor across Los Angeles. The Terminator became an unexpected box office success with its non-stop action from start to finish. However, Schwarzenegger isn't quite as fond of firearms as the silver screen made him out to be. Over time, the former Governator's opinions on firearms began leaning left; he supported Bill Clinton's assault weapons ban in the '90s as well as the Brady Bill, and was quoted in Time as saying, "I'm for gun control. I'm a peace-loving guy."

The Untouchables (1987)

Ah, The Untouchables… Before starring in the movie that helped revitalize the Western genre, Dances with Wolves, Kevin Costner starred as Eliot Ness in one of the best gangster movies of our generation. Based on the real-life Ness' attempts to bring Al Capone to justice during Prohibition, The Untouchables features one of the greatest shootouts in cinema history. Though he's handled plenty of firearms on screen, Costner has called for tighter gun control in the past. In 2007, Costner told reporters, "I'm a hunter, I hunt but I think there should be gun laws. I think there should be a lot of gun laws. I don't want to lose my shotgun but there's a real good reason why I use my shotgun. It came from my grandpa. His cheek was on it. My dad's cheek was on it and I go out and hunt with my dogs. My gun's an heirloom to me and my son, one day, when I'm gone, is gonna know, 'Your dad hunted with that.' But, even though with the connection that I have to my gun, can I look at the NRA and say, 'I think you're out of line?' I can say that."

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

The 1992 cult flick Reservoir Dogs is the film that put director Quentin Tarantino on the map. This ultra-violent crime flick established many elements that would appear in Tarantino's future films, including a non-linear storyline, tons of swearing and plenty of trigger-happy bad guys. As it turns out, though, Mr. Pink himself, Steve Buscemi, would apparently rather see more restricted gun rights, appearing at the Million Mom March in 2000.

The Departed (2006)

Neither Matt Damon nor Mark Wahlberg have hidden the fact that they're not exactly that big into guns—quite the opposite, as a matter of fact—but that didn't stop them from starring in 2006's The Departed. This action-packed thriller was chock full of firepower—from the beautiful Colt Python to the always-intimidating Franchi SPAS-12—and was widely received by critics, earning the Oscar for Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards. Despite the acclaim given to a thrilling cops vs. mob action flick, Damon has stated, "I actually hate guns. They freak me out."

Skyfall (2012)

The latest installment in the Bond saga saw Daniel Craig—who took over the role of 007 with Casino Royale—deliver another gripping performance as Bond tries his best to protect M from a cyber-terrorist. Billed as the best Bond film since Goldfinger, Skyfall certainly does its part to introduce a younger generation to MI6's premier agent—and like its predecessors, is chock-full of guns, car chases, guns, shootouts and guns. Off the set, however, Craig is admittedly a little hesitant to pick up a PPK, going so far as to tell the New York Daily News, "I wouldn’t touch a gun in my everyday life."

Django Unchained (2012)

One of Tarantino's latest projects, Django Unchained, takes the same old Tarantino formula of violence injected with some Western flavor, retelling the story of Django—played by Jamie Foxx—a spaghetti western character from the 1960s. This critically praised flick features an arsenal of old revolvers, rifles and shotguns—including a gorgeous Colt 1851 Navy—and won Tarantino an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Though owing much of the film's success to it's sensational action sequences, Foxx is a little more reserved when it comes to firearms, appearing in the now famous "Demand a Plan" video.

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Anti-Gun Celebrities' Best Gun Movies

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(Photo by Brian Flannery/Daily News)

Nowadays, it’s not really that hard to offend someone. So much as a display of something vaguely resembling whatever inanimate object you rally against is enough to prompt phone calls to the ACLU about how appalled you are.

Of course, as we gun guys can attest, firearms seem to take a lot of heat and prompt some pretty outrageous responses from those who think they know better.

Kid draws a picture of her father fighting monsters with a gun? Arrest the dad! Student bites his Pop-Tart so it looks like a gun? Suspend that little punk! That’ll teach him!

Sadly, it should come as no surprise that something with guns actually printed on is frowned on as “insensitive” and “low-taste.” At least, those are some of the words being used against Victoria’s Secret model Karolina Kurkova, who on Friday paraded around New York City in a dress covered in various handguns and rifles.

As is common with anything in this kindergarten country of ours, more than a few people had a problem with this.

The Hollywood-obsessed bloggers over at TMZ, for example, said Kurkova was “seemingly oblivious to the fact police had a deadly gun battle last night with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects” Thursday.

Maybe if TMZ actually did their homework, they’d know the dress has nothing to do with last week’s events in Boston, nor does it have anything to do with the attempts to ban “assault weapons” in Congress.

“It was against war and not anything to do with the personal use of guns,” Israeli-born designer Nili Lotan told the Daily News, saying it was actually a reference to the conflict between Lebanon and Israel.

Still, Lotan said she would be hesitant to use the same fabric again, given the tragic events in Boston and Newtown, Conn.

“Would I ever do (a gun print) again? I’m not so sure, because today it would provoke the wrong impression,” Lotan said, adding if she did use a gun print in the future, it would have “a very strong statement against allowing guns.”

Talk about ironic. Anti-gun fashionista makes anti-war dress, criticized for being insensitive because, oh dear, there are guns on it!

We at G&A won’t pretend to be fashion experts—by and large, our online staff’s wardrobes consist of flannel, tactical shirts and a few sports jerseys. This kind of nonsense is exactly why we stay far away from the world of fashion; it’s all confusion, self-righteousness and hypocrisy.

We’ll stick with our non-designer jeans and button-ups, thank you very much.

The Intermedia Outdoors family has lost one of its most valued and talented writers—and just all-around good guy.

J. Guthrie, 37, died April 12. Why is it the good die young? Quick wit, outgoing, always made everyone feel comfortable and welcome. “Mister Jim, pour yourself a drink, pull up a chair, and let’s talk,” he would say in that casual, southern drawl.

J. was a special talent, a special friend. Think deep-fried catfish, gumbo, jumbalaya, black-eyed peas, ham hocks, and turnip greens—and his love of firearms, hunting and shooting—when you remember J. Guthrie. This good old boy was as southern as southern gets. His family had roots in the Deep South, and he was proud as hell that he had family fight for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

When I phoned to tell him I wanted him to write the back page column of Guns & Ammo, there was complete silence—then an abrupt, “Do you have the right phone number? … Do you really want me to follow in the footsteps of Jeff Cooper? I idolized Jeff. You need to know, Mister Jim,  I’m no Jeff Cooper.”

When I assured him he was the writer I wanted to pen the  column, he paused again, and said, “Mister Jim, it’s an honor. I won’t disappoint.”

He didn’t, true to his word as always. Was he the perfect writer, always on deadline? No. But he was as honest as the day is long, and he always respected the magazines and editors he wrote for, including Shooting Times, Petersen’s Hunting, RifleShooter, Game & Fish and North American Whitetail.

J. also was a contributor to Guns & Ammo TV, and he was hellbent on making the show the best shooting show on cable TV. Some of his best work was done in the last year, when we filmed our “Direct Fire” segments. When we were discussing the informational and entertainment elements early on for this 13-week segment, I had no question who needed to play a major role. It was J. Guthrie, hands down.

J. also worked on our Modern Rifle Adventures and Ruger Inside & Out television shows.

When we were early in the planning stages of launching Modern Rifle Adventures, I was asked by my superiors which writers in the group would be the perfect fit for this ground-breaking show on modern sporting (AR) rifles. Without hesitation, I said J. Guthrie and Dick Metcalf. J. was the brash, young rookie, Dick the seasoned veteran. They played off each other so well—it was simply pure joy to see them grow into their roles.

Dick recalls, “I’d tell him everything would be good if he’d just remember I was the hero and he was the sidekick.  He’d say, ‘We ain’t makin’ no John Wayne movie, old man . . .’”  J and Dick worked together on three of our TV shows, all told.  “I loved that boy,” Dick says.  “He was my partner and my brother.  He was larger than life.  My world today is so much smaller without him in it.”

Again, J. didn’t disappoint. He never did.

J. now joins the ranks of talented writers who contributed to Guns & Ammo over the years, those who are no longer with us—to name just a few, Elmer Keith, Jeff Cooper, Bill Jordan, Bob Milek, John Wootters and many, many others.

J., we will meet again down the road—just remember, don’t call me Mister.

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We Will Miss Him Deeply

J. Guthrie – a man that that provided warm and glowing light to every room he entered, every conversation he participated in, and in every one of the many, many friendships he enjoyed. I will miss him deeply, not only for his unique style and genius in all his media contributions he left us with, but because of the strong professional relationship we enjoyed. J. was a wonderfully strategic negotiator – and it was damn hard not to love working with him on any project. J. brought levity, insight and creativity to every project we worked on, and to every person he touched. He had a lighthearted saying for every situation, and could make me laugh at the toughest situations we faced. Few people have the gift of binding together so many people of so many backgrounds, but J. created bonds that corralled all people to him. My heart goes to his wife, children and family, and his passing from us is a gift to those he now shares the Heavens with. I will sorely miss you J.

—Mike Carney, Senior VP, Group Publisher, InterMedia Outdoors

A Toast to a Great Friend

I have fond memories of a 2011 hunt I did with Guthrie, a name he wanted his friends to call him. We hunted antelope in New Mexico when he and Donna Boddington were guests on Benelli on Assignment. We were with outfitter, Kirk and Roxy Kelso, during a two-day season, which was far too short and went way too fast (see attached photo: from left, Guthrie, Kirk Kelso and Joe Coogan). We had a great and successful time and laughed a lot, thanks to Guthrie. We always talked about hunting together again, and as recently as last week, I'd hoped he could join me on a South Texas turkey hunt, but regrettably his busy schedule did not allow.

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his family at this most difficult of times. And for all who knew Guthrie, I have no doubt there will be many a toast of Maker's Mark raised around campfires all over the world—here's to you Guthrie, save some game for us.

—Submitted by Joe Coogan, Benelli USA

A Successful Hunter

J. Guthrie took a nice true swamp talker with 1 3/8-inch spurs at Osceola Outdoor with Zack Moye. As Guthrie said, "I put the ole snake charm on that boy!" And damn if he didn't dump the bird a little over 40 yards to kill the bird with those No. 7 loads.

—Submitted by Zach Moye

An Industry Favorite

This is just unbelievable. I’m heartbroken. Utterly heartbroken for his wife and children and those so close to him. I’ll miss the "Miss Lisa" he’d greet me with all the time. I attended a writer event at Blackwater in 2008 that we (Mossberg) hosted, and he was there—it's where this pic was taken. J. had me laughing for three days straight and immediately he became one of my favorite industry people.

—Submitted by Lisa Baker, Mossberg

A Family Hunt

J. Guthrie, John Guthrie and myself were on a turkey hunt in South Carolina and just had lunch. J. decided to take a nap with his dog. Two hours later, we got him up and into the woods.

—Submitted by David Morin

A Man with Energy and Passion

I first met J. when his new show, Modern Rifle Adventures, started airing on Sportsman Channel a few years back. I was handling the PR for the show and needed his help on understanding the gist of the show and where he wanted to take it. Even though our first correspondences were via email, I could sense his energy and passion for all things outdoors. When I finally met him at SHOT Show, it was like I knew him for years. You will be missed J.

—Submitted by Michelle Scheuermann, The Sportsman Channel

We Called Him Brother

Guthrie hunting with Osceola Outdoors and killing his turkey on March 7, 2013. At this time, he was filming for Ruger In and Out TV. Guthrie has left his mark on Osceola Outdoors and will forever be remembered and greatly missed!! I felt honored to have known him and am glad to have called him a brother!!

—Submitted by Mike Tussey

One of the Best Gun Writers

RIP J. Guthrie. A humorous storyteller and a fountain of information. One of the best gun writers I've had the pleasure to hang out with in my travels. This photo is from my first traveling assignment for InterMedia Outdoors. Photo taken in Memphis in 2010.

—Submitted by Alfredo Rico

Doing What He Loved

J. Guthrie seen here shooting a new rifle and round from Federal Premium for an article for RifleShooter at Osceola Outdoors.

—Submitted by Zach Moye

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Remembering J. Guthrie

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Lucky for us, we’ve got NSSF President Steve Sanetti.

In an interview with CNN’s Deborah Feyerick, Sanetti offered his take on the state of affairs for gun owners in Connecticut.

Specifically, Sanetti touched on the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.—where the NSSF is coincidentally headquartered—and urged lawmakers not to bend at the whim of a madman.

“What happened was a horrible, horrible, unspeakable tragedy. It’s a human tendency to try to want to make some sort of meaning out of a meaningless, senseless, brutal act,” Sanetti said. “But I do think they’re lashing out at the wrong people and the wrong objects. … Less than 3 percent of rifles are ever used in a violent crime of any sort, and yet, they’re demonizing the rifles because they look bad. They look like machine guns, which they’re not.”

Sanetti added the recently passed law in Connecticut—which bans over 100 firearms and limits magazine capacities to 10 rounds, among other regulations—will do little to prevent another tragedy like Sandy Hook.

When the law was signed by Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy on Thursday, April 4, the NSSF issued a statement regarding gun control legislation and its effect on violent crime—or its ineffectiveness.

“Gov. Dannel Malloy today signed into law a package of gun-control legislation that was assembled in secret by a small group of state legislators and that never received a public hearing. Most legislators had little time to even read the actual bill language,” the NSSF wrote. “The unfortunate results of this process, which made it appear that all points of view were being heard when in fact true expertise was shut out when it was most needed, means that mistakes in what is now enacted law will have to be corrected.”

One example, the NSSF wrote, is that the new law provides procedures by which vendors are required to carry out universal background checks in private transactions. However, that measure conflicts with federal law and essentially keeps private transactions from being carried out legally.

“We share the goal of wanting to make Connecticut safer for our citizens following the unspeakable tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School,” the NSSF said. “In the end, however, public safety has not been enhanced and the unintended consequences of behind-closed-doors lawmaking will cause considerable confusion until the General Assembly corrects its mistakes.”

In his interview with CNN, Sanetti built on the NSSF’s statements by offering a common sense approach to gun regulations, focusing on the mental health aspect and a reformed background check system.

“Mental health records are not in the system. They’re supposed to be in the system for the last 20 years, but you find that most states—for valid privacy purposes—are not transmitting the mental health records in a searchable format so that when a background check is done, they can say whether or not this person is mentally qualified to have the gun,” Sanetti said. “We think that’s a scandal. We need to fix the background check system to import those mental health records with due concern for the privacy and [ethics] of mental health treatment. But we need to get those records in the system so that a dealer isn’t inadvertently delivering a gun to someone who’s mentally disturbed.”

Check out the full interview from CNN.

Well, that’s precisely what EOTech is doing. Starting today, EOTech is launching a year-long Facebook contest with weekly prizes—plus a grand prize at the end—in honor of its 1 millionth holographic weapons sight.

To enter the contest, head over to EOTech’s Facebook page and click “Like.” Once you do that, check out their promotional video and register to guess where in the world the sight is that week. A new video will be posted every week with the sight in a new, secret location. According to a press release from EOTech, fans are given a better opportunity to win by sharing the promotion with their friends.

The contest begins today and runs through the end of the year. Weekly prize packages include a EXPS3-0 holographic weapons sight and G33 magnifier kits—a retail value of $1,268. At the end of the year, a $10,000 grand prize package will be given away, including a WL1-AA LED tactical long gun light ($469), a X200XP handheld thermal imaging unit ($4,999), a M914 weapon mounted night vision system ($4,799) and a Beamhit 190-3 Personal Marksmanship Training System ($329).

“The recognition of this 1 Millionth sight milestone is our way to give something back and share our gratitude and appreciation for all the support our various customers have given us throughout the years,” said Ed Schoppman, vice president of marketing and sales.

Check out the promo video from EOTech, and be sure to visit their Facebook page to enter!

But we’re not the only game in town. Europe has a rich shooting and hunting tradition, and even though Great Britain, Germany and others are at the bottom of the list when it comes to gun rights, they host one heck of a trade show.

The IWA Show 2013 was an international feeding frenzy of gun buyers, dealers and shooting enthusiasts with every bit of the shock and awe produced by SHOT. The show kicked off for the 40th time earlier this month at the Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg, Germany, offering new and innovative products and an alternative to the American market. According to officials, 1,207 exhibitors from 50 nations met more than 38,000 trade visitors  from over 100 countries during the four-day exhibition.

G&A was there to catch the highlights: three-barreled shotguns, working half-sized rifles and a few pairs of tactical knickers. Enjoy.

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Aimpoint Red Dot Sights for Running Boar

The wild boar population of Europe is exploding, and Aimpoint is yet another company benefiting from the driven hunt craze. Aimpoint sights are parallax free and without any magnification, making it possible to use the sights with both eyes open.

Compared to traditional European scopes for driven hunts, Aimpoints are priced to sell. Hunters in Europe are generally picking up an Aimpoint to supplement their regular scope, and they're always on the money.

Akkar Mammut Triple Barrel Shotgun

Europeans love break-open shotguns. Until the 70s, most of them were side-by-sides. That's all changed dramatically over the years, and these days a vast majority of European hunters swear by the over-and-under. One of the stars of this year's IWA show was another option, a mass-produced triple-barreled shotgun at an affordable price dubbed the Akkar Mammut (which is roughly translated to "Mammoth"). Until now, triple shotguns have only been available from custom gun makers at exorbitant prices. This Turkish gun has changed that with a retail price of about $1,500.

At 8.7 lbs with three 28” barrels, the Mammut isn't exactly lightweight, but the balance should work for waterfowling. It has a single trigger (right – left – top), 3” chambers, manual safety, extractor and uses standard Rem-Choke choke tubes. It also comes in a handy 19” version with an almost cartoonish charm. The gun is also available on the American market under the Chiappa brand.

Beretta 486 Parallelo

In Europe, hunters love small game. They've had abundant numbers since the dawn of modern hunting shotguns, and their style of scatter gun has always reflected that pursuit. Today, most new shotguns are over-and-unders, but there are still a lot of old side-by-sides in service. Most only leave the gun cabinets on special occasions.

Never-the-less, Beretta introduced the 486 Parallelo at IWA, an elegant round action side-by-side. The model number is derived from the number of years that have passed since the factory was founded...486. It's a beautiful, slender gun with classic English lines, and it's priced for the highest of high-end at $5,500. Even if you're priced out of this market, you can surely appreciate this fine Italian double.

Browning's Maral Straight Pull Repeater

Driven hunts for wild boar and deer are an old tradition in many parts of Europe. Sadly, though, in most of the Eastern European countries, magazine capacity must be restricted to two shots and similar rules are on the way all over Europe. This makes our beloved semi-auto ARs a much less attractive choice for driven hunts.

Browning’s new straight pull repeater – the Maral - is a reaction to present and future legal problems with semi-automatics. It's a lightning quick repeating rifle with a large magazine capacity. Actually, the rifle is little more than a Browning BAR with a handle on the bolt and a constant force return spring in place of the gas mechanism. You just pull the handle and let go, it's that easy. The demand for the Browning Maral is huge in Europe and will surely compete with the likes of the Blaser R8.

First Class Ferlach Guns

The greatest concentration of first-class gun makers in Europe is found in the Austrian city of Ferlach. The guns produced in this tiny town are some of the finest in the world, and they're priced to match. Pictured here is a small selection of hand-built guns from the workshop of Master Gunsmith Hambrusch. The gun in the foreground is a classic double rifle with a floral engraving made to please a wide audience of international customers. Traditional Germanic engravings with their dramatic hunting scenes deeply engraved are as German as it gets. A style that goes very well with lederhosen and sauerkraut.

The price of a beautiful gun like this? As the saying goes: If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. We did manage to find out that a double rifle built to meet the preferences and personal measurements costs around $100,000.

FX Verminator MK II Extreme

This one caught our attention right away. A combination crossbow/airgun with all the charm of a tricked-out .22? Why yes, we'll have 10.

The FX Verminator Extreme lives up to its name with a pretty insane package. It's comes in a hard case complete with an FX arrow barrel, shrouded smooth-twist barrel, four carbon-fiber arrows, two different optics and a spring loaded magazine. The synthetic stock has soft-touch coating on both the bottle cover and the pistol grip. Combine all this with a quick change barrel system and you've got a hybrid of epic proportion. Vermin beware.

Härkila – The Swedish Look

In the Northern parts of Europe hunters prefer very plain, practical clothes. In other words, they're not all dressed in tweed. The Scandinavian wilderness suit is typically made of the toughest fabrics, high-tec membranes and lots of functional details. If you ever find yourself hunting in Scandinavia, most of the locals will be dressed like these two gentlemen. You might spot a few orange caps, but the dominant color is green. Don't be offended, but European hunters are far from convinced that they really need camouflage to go hunting.

Härkila (pronounced hair-sheela) is dominating the market. A complete outfit – jacket, pants and hat – will cost an European hunter about $1,000.

Hunting in style with Laksen Clothing

The hunting culture of Europe varies widely across the continent, which is naturally reflected in what hunters are wearing. The Germans like their traditional loden outfits, while the British hunters tend to stick to their classic tweed. It's as varied as the styles back in The States.

The Danish brand Laksen enjoys international success with their modern interpretation of classical tweed. Their biggest market is Great Britain, but the brand is gaining more and more followers all over Europe (and even back home).

Jagdwaffen Scheiring Half-Sized Double Rifles

What's better than a masterfully crafted double rifle with all the fine detail of a Picasso painting? One half the size that still shoots. Jagdwaffen Scheiring, another gun maker hailing from Ferlach, Austria, crafts fine doubles made exclusively with the Holland & Holland block system. The firearms are personalized to the character of the perspective buyer, and can be as ornate as you can imagine.

For trade shows, the company breaks out these little half-sized working models that will fire .22 cal. rounds. We didn't get to the range with these little wonders, but they're surely one of the most astonishing works of gunsmithing you'll ever come across.

JANZ-Revolver Typ S

This revolver has one basic frame...that's the only thing basic about this German-made wheel gun. The JANZ Revolver Typ S offers a quick change system that allows the shooter to change barrel lengths, calibers and grips--transforming this revolver from a .22 LR with a 4" barrel to a heavy hitting .454 Casull with a 12" barrel with relative ease.

Grip frames can be wood or rubber, the caliber choices include 22 lr, .38 spc., .44 mag., .45 long colt, .357 mag., and .454 Casull; and the package includes various rear sight options. The trigger is controlled by a roll pin and is adjustable to three different let off points. This impressive system wasn't priced at the show, but we're assuming it cost a pretty penny. Without a doubt, though, this is one of the more innovative guns we fondled during the IWA show.

Makura Hunting Rifles

The shooting industry has seen the takedown rifle trend rise in the U.S. over the years, but it's doubtful we've seen anything like the Makura Takedown Urlich.

The Urlich uses the famed Blaser R93 action with an exact one-piece saddle mount designed to keep the rifle on zero even after multiple takedowns (no tools necessary). The receiver is offered in a simple bronze or black hard anodized version, but can also be dressed up with an elaborate relief engraved receiver and bolt assembly. This high-class pack rifle is available in everything from .222 Rem to .375 H&H Mag., and comes with a classic hard case. Makura has certainly spared no expense on this package, so check their website for full pricing.

Mauser M12

The Mauser M12 is something of a rebirth. Most Americans think of this German company for their historically innovative Model 98 action, a staple of two world wars and over one hundred years of service. But this classic gun maker is still producing quality rifles in their state-of-the-art factory in Isny, Germany.

The M12 is heading the company's charge back into to the American market with hopes that it will help revitalize the brand in the States. This new offering, with it's 60 degree bolt lift, large bolt handle and six lug locking system; is a brilliantly quick repeater and, from our testing, extremely accurate. It comes standard from the factory with 2 lb. trigger, the new SRS three-position safety, a five round detachable box magazine and either a synthetic black or wood stock. Most importantly, the M12 will enter the market with a mid-range price. which means it should beaccessible at retail for most American hunters.

Meindl Island Footwear

In most of Bavaria you’re either moving uphill or downhill. Hunters in the mountains obviously need high quality boots to pursue the light-footed chamois at high altitudes. The German shoe factory Meindl, founded more than 80 years ago, is still owned and managed by the Meindl family, the production is still taking place in Bavaria, and the quality is still superior.

The most popular hunting model – the Meindl Island – is the Mercedes of footwear, and certainly would rank near the top of the heap here in The States. See more at www.meindl.de

Sauer 101

With its "Old School, New Rules" campaign, Sauer dominated the floor of the IWA show with the launch of a brand new rifle. The Sauer 101 is being called the "little sister" of the Sauer 202, a rifle that has long been known as a top-level premium bolt gun. This offering is set to bring that same German quality to the mid-price hunting market in the U.S.

The 101 is also produced in Isny, Germany, and includes many of the same features that have garnered such a sterling reputation for the company's other rifles (with a few new twists). The gun's six bolt lugs engage directly into the barrel and the action bedding is set to ensure maximum isolation between stock and action. The double-stack box magazine and soft touch synthetic stock give this gun a distinctly American feel, while the smooth 60 degree bolt and 2 lb. trigger give it Sauer quality.

Zeiss Victory HT Low Light Scopes

The big European sport optics brands – all of them with headquarters in Germany or Austria – have been fighting for the lead position in the demanding European market for more than a century. Hunters in Europe aren't normally allowed to us night vision or lights, so they need the light transmission possible.

Right now, the king of the low light class is the Zeiss Victory HT with a light transmission of more than 95 percent. Shown here is the 3-12x56 model with ultra-small illuminated center dot. In Europe, the retail price of such a scope is about $3,500. Yet it is not a rare sight in the high-seats across the continent.

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Photos from the IWA Show Floor

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 Ben O’Brien and Jens Ulrik Høgh contributed to this article.

The Land of Lincoln has long been known as the last state where concealed carry is not allowed, and although that may soon change, it wouldn’t be surprising to see state legislators shuffling their feet.

Even though the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the concealed carry ban unconstitutional, the Illinois House of Representatives continues to push anti-gun legislation. In fact, one bill proposing a ban on semi-automatic firearms was approved by the House just this week.

On Wednesday, gun owners from across the state gathered in Springfield, Ill., for Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day to make sure their voices were heard loud and clear. Sponsored by the Illinois State Rifle Association, thousands of gun owners braved the cold weather and flooded the streets as they marched to the State Capitol, demanding Illinois residents—regardless of whether they live in Chicago or downstate—be granted the same Second Amendment rights guaranteed to the rest of the United States.

The mood was calm and civil, but it was apparent this was a crowd that was sick of being held down by seemingly disconnected lawmakers.

“All of my life, I was a shooter,” said gun activist and Springfield resident Tom Shafer, who led the crowd in a series of chants as they made their way to the Capitol. “The government—except for the Vietnam draft—never put a gun in my hand, never assisted me in being a shooter, never assisted me in being a marksman, never helped me defend my home. Far-away, far-off, outgunned, undermanned police, they never helped me a bit; I did it all on my own. And now for a government to try to say 30 rounds is too many?”

Shafer went on to say any limitations on magazine capacity open the door for legislators to call for even more limitations.

“Any government that could say 30 rounds is too many and says 10 rounds is enough, the next year they could say five rounds is enough,” Shafer said. “And the year after that, they could say, ‘Oh, we decided two rounds is enough.’ … I’m going to keep my magazines for that exact reason. It’s my safety, defense—I am my own first responder. And if I do that with a 30-round magazine—if I do it with a 50-round magazine—it’s none of the government’s business how I defend my home.”

The solution, Shafer said, is to target criminals—not law-abiding citizens.

“Tell the government, keep the drugs out of our society and keep the criminals locked up, and I won’t have to have a 30-round magazine,” Shafer said. “We’ll see how that works out for them.”

Gun owners across the nation should take a tip.

Now more than ever, gun rights are under attack on a federal and state level. Some terrorist will claim innocent lives, and law-abiding citizens are the ones who pay for it. Too often, we find ourselves screaming at a TV or computer screen over some anti-gun rhetoric, but we do nothing more than write a few nasty comments on a web forum. Ask yourself, what difference does that make? Will some lawmaker really log on and say, “Gee, that user is right; I should really change my anti-gun ways”?

Don’t stop by just expressing your thoughts on some web forum—get out there and do something. Make sure your lawmakers are aware of your presence, and put the pressure on them to support their constituents.

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After Illinois' last two governors, Rod Blagojevich and John Ryan, received federal prison sentences, activists are less likely to trust the state's judgment, as evidenced by one activists' sign.

Springfield, Ill., gun activist Tom Shafer was on hand to lead the crowd from the Prairie Capital Convention Center to the State Capitol a few blocks away.

The cold weather didn't seem to bother the thousands of gun owners who came to show their support, marching down Capitol Avenue with a Springfield Police escort.

Gun owners make their way to the Capitol lawn.

While Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn made his budget address to a joint General Assembly, gun owners on the Capitol lawn made their voices loud and clear.

On March 5, the day before the march, the Illinois House of Representatives voted in favor of amendments that would ban semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines—one of which would make a felon of anyone possessing "military-type assault weapons."

The passage of such anti-gun legislation only seemed to bolster the crowd as they demanded concealed carry for all Illinoisans—even Chicago residents.

Several activists urged other gun owners across the nation—not just in Illinois—to stand up for their Second Amendment rights in a similar fashion.

Even man's best friend came out to support man's best right.

Standing before a statue of Springfield's favorite son, Abraham Lincoln, gun owners called on President Barack Obama to stand up for the Bill of Rights as stated in his inaugural oath.

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Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day — March 6, 2013

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Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock during his bail hearing at the magistrates court in Pretoria, South Africa. (AP photo)

Double-amputee sprinter and former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius claims he “felt a sense of terror” the night of Feb. 14.

Believing someone had broken into his gated home in Pretoria, South Africa, Pistorius strapped on his prosthetic legs, walked from the bedroom to the bathroom, and fired four shots through the door—hitting his girlfriend, South African model Reeva Steenkamp, three times. It was a case of mistaken identity, according to Pistorius, who alleged Steenkamp had gotten up to use the bathroom, and he didn’t notice she wasn’t in bed while stricken with fear. After trying to resuscitate her, Steenkamp died in Pistorius’ arms before the paramedics arrived.

The prosecution, however, tells a different story, one of premeditated murder possibly spurred by a text message from a rival. Reports also swirl around a bloody cricket bat found in Pistorius’ home, either used to attack Steenkamp, or used in self-defense against Pistorius.

The South African courts will decide which story is true, but the facts of the case—that Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend—are an all-too familiar story of reckless gun ownership, and in this case, one that even some of the strictest gun laws on the planet could not prevent.

Reeva Steenkamp (AP photo)

If the reality is that Pistorius did in fact murder Steenkamp with intent, the attention is shifted toward the government process that allowed Pistorius to own that 9mm pistol in the first place—but obtaining that pistol is no easy task in South Africa.

In a country notorious for its high crime rate, there are about 5.95 million firearms in civilian possession—that’s about 12 firearms per 100 people—with the number of registered firearms estimated at 3,737,676, according to GunPolicy.org.

Those numbers rank South Africa at No. 17 in comparison to the number of civilian firearms in a survey of 178 countries.

In 2009, there were 16,834 murders in South Africa; that same year, there were 15,953 murders in the U.S. However, in 2007, there were 8,319 gun homicides in South Africa compared to the United States’ 11,101.

Gun ownership in South Africa is categorized as restrictive: The right to own a firearm is not guaranteed by South African law, and only licensed gun owners may possess, acquire or transfer firearms.

Applicants for a license must be at least 21 years old, and are required to provide a valid reason to possess a firearm—this could include hunting, target shooting, collection, personal protection or security. Applicants must also pass a background check, and third party references—such as an interview with a spouse—are required.

Then, the applicant must display an understanding of firearm ownership law and safety as tested in a theoretical or practical training course at a registered shooting range. Gun owners must re-apply for and re-qualify for licenses and competency certificates, and are only permitted to own one firearm per license.

In short, there are quite a few hoops to jump through in order to own a gun in South Africa.

Perhaps the most glaring obstacle—at least from an American perspective—is the competency certification, meaning the government can deem an applicant fit or unfit to own a firearm.

Thought prosecutors initially said Pistorius had a history of making threats to others, and alleged that boxes of steroids had been found in his home after Steenkamp’s death, those allegations were called into question as the cross-examination from police investigator Hilton Botha faltered.

(Note: News outlets later learned Botha himself faces seven counts of attempted murder after he and three other officers drunkenly opened fire on a minibus full of passengers.)

As mentioned, part of the competency certificate acquirement process requires all applicants to possess a basic understanding of firearm safety.
Which leads us back to Pistorius’ defense. In his words, he got out of bed, went from the bedroom to the bathroom, and fired into the door, believing an intruder to be inside—he never actually saw his target.

That action flies in the face of responsible gun ownership. It’s one of Jeff Cooper’s Four Rules—“Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.”—and one of the first lessons gun owners should learn.

Nevertheless, we have a case in which a man shot and killed his girlfriend through a bathroom door, and if Pistorius’ story of mistaken identity is to be believed, then he shouldn’t have had a gun in the first place; obviously, firing through a bathroom door at an unidentified target is reckless behavior and uncharacteristic of a responsible gun owner.

“You hear a noise on the other side of your bathroom door, so you just blindly shoot through the door?” said James Tarr of Personal Defense TV. “… If he had ever been made aware of the four basic safety rules of gun handling, and followed them, she would still be alive. … It’d be one thing if he saw a hulking silhouette, the glint of a ‘weapon,’ whatever.”

South African officials agree, saying Pistorius acted recklessly and in a manner uncharacteristic of a responsible gun owner. Andre Pretorius—president of the Professional Firearm Trainers Council, which is a regulatory body for firearms instructors in South Africa—said if Pistorius’ story is true, basic knowledge of firearms safety should have kept him from firing through a closed door.

“You can’t shoot through a closed door,” Pretorius said in an interview with The Associated Press. “People who own guns and have been through the training, they know that shooting through a door is not going to go through South African law as an accident.”

In the same article, Johannesburg attorney Martin Hood said Pistorius’ account, that he acted in self-defense, is unacceptable, according to South African law, which says a person may only use lethal force when directly faced with an attack—or the threat of an attack—that could result in serious injury or death.

So by Pistorius’ own account, Hood said, the runner is guilty of the South African equivalent of manslaughter—not much of a defense.

“If he fired through a closed door, there was no threat to him. It’s as simple as that,” Hood said. “He can’t prove an attack on his life … In my opinion, at the very least, he is guilty of culpable homicide. … He should have tried to get out of the situation.”

That is, of course, assuming Pistorius’ story is true.

If the prosecution is correct—if Pistorius took Steenkamp’s life with malicious intent—the question of gun control arises: Could the government or the police done anything to prevent this tragedy?

“Wherever you have people, people do stupid things,” Tarr said. “The cops can’t stop it. If they could, it would have happened by now.”

In other words, if murder was truly Pistorius’ intent, it was going to happen, whether it was with a 9mm pistol, or a mysteriously bloody cricket bat. No government intervention short of unlawfully locking Pistorius away could have stopped it. A tragic reality, yes, but in a nation with one of the worst crime epidemics in the world—assault, rape, murder, etc.—barring law-abiding citizens from defending themselves simply isn’t an option.

The point is, gun control will not curb murderous intentions, nor will it make people who can’t exhibit a basic knowledge of firearms safety more responsible. So would it have helped if every single South African was armed to the teeth? Doubtful. The thing about crime is that it’s a societal and cultural problem, one that manifests itself in many different ways; those hell-bent on carrying out evil acts cannot and will not be deterred simply by someone standing by and saying, “Don’t do that.” Until the governement addresses those issues, blood will continue to flow in South Africa.

That argument should sound awfully familiar. Gun control advocates in the U.S. will argue that more gun control will reduce the level of crime, but Pistorius’ actions that night—whether they were reckless or malicious—cast that notion into doubt. Even after placing numerous obstacles in the way of citizens trying to obtain a firearm, an innocent life was lost.

Pistorius at the 2012 Olympics in London. (EPA photo)

These days, it seems like every media outlet has something to say about guns in America—and more often than not, it’s not good. Talking heads across the airwaves seem to be on a gun control blitzkrieg, alleging if only Americans disarmed, tragedy would take a permanent leave. Those of us who think logically know this isn’t true, but there aren’t many big names standing up for what we believe.

That’s where Cam Edwards comes in. As host of NRA News Cam & Co. on The Sportsman Channel, Edwards covers all the issues facing outdoorsmen today and provides a voice of reason amid turbulence. The Sportsman Channel’s first daily, live talk show, NRA News Cam & Co. will welcome a host of celebrities for Straight Shooters Week to honestly and bluntly go over today’s hot topics as they pertain to shooters and hunters. Luckily for us, Cam was able to take time out of his busy schedule to go over his television success and political faux pas.

Guns & Ammo: How does it feel to host The Sportsman Channel’s first daily talk show?
Cam Edwards: It’s an incredible honor and privilege to host The Sportsman Channel’s first daily talk show. In a very short time, we’ve been able to bring the audience into the “gunversation,” and they are very much a part of the “Company” in the show’s title. In fact, I think that bond and connection with the audience is one of the key things that sets us apart from a lot of other talk shows.

G&A: Who has been your most interesting guest so far?
CE: If I play favorites like that I’ll never get anybody to come on the show! Plus, one of the really great things about my job is that every day is different. I’m a naturally curious guy, and every guest on the show has a compelling story to tell or information to share.

G&A: How has the response from your show changed since you went from radio to television?
CE: So far the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, except for one lovely woman who told me I need to take my caps off, and some guy who called me an ******* for not supporting a moratorium on wolf hunting in Minnesota. I’ve actually had a lot of folks say they wish the show was longer, which I really appreciate, but since I’m already doing four hours of broadcasting a day, I don’t see that happening any time soon.

G&A: Tell us a little bit about Straight Shooters Week.
CE: We’ve got a stellar line up of guests, from Ted Nugent and Aaron Lewis of Staind, to Kim Rhode and Wayne LaPierre, all of them coming on to talk about their support for and their defense of the Second Amendment. I’m looking forward to asking Kim Rhode about Joe Biden’s love of shotguns, and I’ve been wanting to talk to Aaron Lewis for a while now, so I’m very excited about that. And of course, Ted was at the State of the Union, so we have to get his thoughts on that media circus. Wayne LaPierre and David Keene are going to be giving viewers a real and blunt assessment of where things stand, and we’ll still be giving the audience things like the Armed Citizen File every night.

G&A: Speaking of Biden’s love of shotguns, what does his “double-barreled shotgun” gaffe say about the anti-gun movement?
CE: Apparently Joe Biden’s advice could get his wife, Jill, thrown in jail if she were to follow it. The fact that the president’s point man on “gun safety” is recommending women discharge—and empty—their shotguns into the air while an intruder is trying to get in is mind boggling to me. This guy shouldn’t be let near a copy machine, much less the Constitution. But the fact is that most news outlets didn’t report on the vice president’s absurd suggestion—and that’s another reason why I think it’s a great time to be on The Sportsman Channel.

G&A: The concealed carry ban in Illinois was recently deemed unconstitutional by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. How close do you think Illinois is to passing concealed carry? What should gun owners in more anti-gun states—like Illinois and California—do to stand up for their rights?
CE: I think the state will pass something, though Chicago has asked the court to delay the 180-day time limit it imposed. As for what people in states like Illinois should do, the most important thing is to get involved. Join the NRA and the state association, and make sure you’re engaging other gun owners to help get them politically involved as well. The days when we could let others shoulder our load are behind us.

G&A: Fellow talk show host Piers Morgan has been on an anti-semi auto crusade lately. What are your thoughts on this?
CE: I think Piers is the perfect embodiment of the authoritarian mindset that we’re seeing more of lately. It’s not that Piers thinks banning these guns will actually accomplish anything, from what I understand. He seems to be stuck on the question of, “Why would anyone own one of these things?” Since he can’t justify it, it’s therefore fine to get rid of on principle, even if we’re not actually safer. Why his opinion matters more than, say mine, for instance, is something I have yet to hear him explain. It’s an incredibly elitist attitude. We’re the bumpkins, so of course we need our betters to tell us what we can and cannot do.

G&A: What’s the last gun you bought? What’s next?
CE: The last gun I bought was actually a Daisy BB gun. Several, as a matter of fact. Ammo is expensive and hard to find these days—if any manufacturer would like to help alleviate that, please let me know—and since my kids love to shoot, I figured we could put away the .22s for awhile and plink at cans. To compensate, my next gun will be a Smith & Wesson Model 500. Actually, I’ve been hoping SIG Sauer will produce their 300 Edition of the Spartan. I’m a history geek and I’ve always loved ancient history, including the story of Thermopolyae. Of course, given the pace of sales right now, I could be waiting for a while. I’ll be heading to the local gun show here in the next couple of weeks to see what’s out there. I might even take the vice president’s advice to “buy a shotgun… buy a shotgun,” though I think I’ll stick with a semi-automatic instead of the double-barrel that he recommended.