30 October 2010
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nations with nations. Chivers pulls together vast threads of an expanding portrait and what emerges is startling. The Gun is filled with a sense of discovery in the way that John McPhee‘s work is filled with delight, tribulation, and surprise.” –Doug Stanton, author of Horse Soldiers
THE GUN by C.J. Chivers OCT 30, 2010 11:12A.M. THE GUN by C.J. Chivers History of the Kalashnikov Rifle or AK-47
“The Gun is for those who wonder how we fight today and why we fight that way. C. J. Chivers has given us a seminal work that will be respected by future generations trying to understand us.” –James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, Fly Boys, and The Imperial Cruise
Simon & Schuster Roseburg, OR --(Ammoland.com)- It is the most notorious, widespread, and lethal firearm in the world. Created in the Soviet Union at the start of the Cold War, the automatic Kalashnikov rifle, or AK-47, as it was first called, was a breakthrough weapon – a cheap, simple, and reliable device that allowed ordinary men to kill other men without extensive training or undue complication.
Mikhail Kalashnikov Inventor of AK-47 Rifle - read more in THE GUN by C.J. Chivers “…eye-opening…it‘s hard to resist a narrative that ends with a world awash with a weapon that has killed more soldiers and civilians than all the high-tech planes, missiles, bombs, WMDs and America‘s sophisticated rifles combined. An entertaining work that combines technical details, biographies, political maneuvering and insightful military history.” –Kirkus Reviews
It was used to crush anticommunist uprisings in Eastern Europe, to battle American troops in Vietnam (who found it far superior to the early versions of their own M-16s), and as a symbolic statement by Osama bin Laden in his first taped message after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Today it remains a leading cause of battlefield deaths for American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and terroristtraining records show that an introduction to the Kalashnikov is often to be the first class given to the young Islamic men who sign on for the Jihad.
The Gun is a model of research, historical writing, military expertise, and a soldier‘s ungrudging respect for a weapon that really works.? –Thomas Powers, author of Intelligence Wars
In THE GUN (Simon & Schuster; October 12, 2010; $28.00), Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter and former Marine infantry officer C. J. Chivers presents a rich, engrossing, and comprehensive narrative history of this ground-breaking weapon – not only as a killing tool but as a strategic and political instrument that has changed the rules of war and influenced security and development in large sections of the world. Some six decades after its invention, the armies of more than fifty countries employ the Kalashnikov, as do myriad police, intelligence, and security agencies. But by design and by accident, it has long since passed beyond the control of governments. Authoritative estimates place the
“This superior history….[is] written incisively and researched exhaustively.”–Booklist “The Gun does exactly what the best art history or music writing does—it opens our eyes to see anew the familiar. Chivers’ reach and scope is syncretic, omnivorous—he is dazzling in his research and reporting. This is a book about connections between people and culture, people and history,
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number of Kalashnikovs and their knockoffs as high as 100 million – one for every seventy people alive. It is now an everyman‘s gun that marks the terrorist, the guerrilla, the child soldier, the dictator, the drug trafficker, and the thug as much as the professional soldier.
deviating from the classic forms in many ways. A midsized weapon that fired a medium-sized cartridge, it was not powerful enough for longrange sniping duty, but it could push out blistering automatic fire for the length of two or three football fields. As American Marines found in Vietnam, a single guerrilla with a Kalashnikov could slow an entire company‘s advance. It was so reliable, even when soaked in water and coated with sand, that its Soviet testers had trouble making it jam. It was so simple that it could be disassembled and reassembled by schoolboys in less than thirty seconds flat. Weighing less than ten pounds and easily concealed, it was an eminently well-conceived killing tool, which could be easily wielded with efficiency even by the small of stature, the mechanically disinclined, the dimwitted, or the untrained. Stalin’s Contest: The Invention of the AK-47 Drawing on years of research, a trove of exclusive sources, and declassified documents from both the West and the East – as well as on battlefield reportage and interviews with revolutionaries, terrorists, child soldiers, arms dealers, conventional grunts, and Mikhail Timofeyovich Kalashnikov, the man credited with the weapon‘s design – Chivers travels the world, establishes a firm historical record, and demolishes many myths about the AK-47. Legend claims that it was born out of an epiphany at the workbench of a Russian sergeant, Mikhail Kalashnikov, who was competing in a weapon design contest in Stalin‘s Soviet Union. In fact, the acronym AK-47 abbreviates two Russian words, avtomat kalashnikova (Kalashnikov‘s automatic), which pays tribute to this proletarian hero of Soviet propaganda. The numerals signify the year the Soviet army accepted the prototype for mass production.
THE GUN by C. J. Chivers THE GUN is a well-organized and fast-moving narrative that operates at several levels. At the most basic level, Chivers focuses on the original AK-47 and its many derivatives and companion firearms that have flooded armories and arms bazaars around the world. He examines their origins, design, production, distribution, stockpiling, export, and use as one of the predominant instruments of war of the past half-century – a status they are likely to retain for at least a half- century more. But he seeks a larger context, and to equip the reader with a full understanding of how war has evolved and where the assault rifle fits, he traces the development of automatic weapons from the American Civil War through two world wars, the Cold War, and Vietnam to the present day. Chivers shows how the Kalashnikov became the product of evolutionary processes in firearms and ammunition development and changes in military and economic thinking that accompanied an industrializing and polarizing world. But this is not merely the story of a weapon and where it came from. It is a chronicle of how war has changed, a rich work of history and a journey populated by geniuses and fools, ruthless villains and naïve idealists, self-promoting salesmen and incorrigible profiteers, a pantheon of killers of all stripes and, now and then, people who wanted the killing to stop. The book‘s vivid and rigorously reported character sketches – of expeditionary military leaders in the lopsided colonial fighting in nineteenth-century Africa; of a famed arms designer who was a trigamist and apparent draft dodger; of Winston Churchill reacting in horror to industrialized war along the Nile; of the treacherous lives of officials in Stalin‘s Soviet Union; of the first known guerrilla to carry a Kalashnikov in an uprising, in Hungary in 1956; of an enraged young Marine officer who stakes his name and his career in an act of conscience; of a bodyguard shot by Iraqi assassins 23 times at close range – make THE GUN a feat of storytelling, and elevate the story of the AK-47 to an engaging history.
But as Chivers shows, the political, military, and industrial system of the Soviet state was the real inventor – both of the AK-47 and its fables. Chivers also reveals how the United States, the incubator for rapid-fire arms in the nineteenth century, repeatedly misread the path of automatic arms development in the twentieth, leaving American soldiers and Marines badly outgunned by the 1960s. The Vietnam chapter is rooted in ground-breaking reporting and research that reveals the fullest story ever documented of the debacle of the Pentagon‘s introduction of the M-16 (a hurried reaction to the AK-47). The chapter uncovers sham science and official embarrassment and folly, including secret U.S. Army –lethality? tests against decapitated human heads and severed human legs from India. The tests had been covered up for almost five decades. The chapter also reveals internal memos and correspondence from the manufacturer, as well as secret Pentagon correspondence, showing that the men who pushed the early M-16 into service knew it was a faulty weapon that needed to be reworked, and yet sent the rifles to Vietnam nonetheless and kept quiet about their choices as the rifles failed in the hands of G.I.s. Chivers rejects all myths, and resists repeating the received wisdom surrounding the world‘s most visible and abundant firearm. He explains how the Kalashnikov became the most important line of firearms in history not simply because they work well and are easy to handle, but because Warsaw Pact military standardization mandates and their production in planned economies assured they were manufactured in outsized quantities. As its numbers grew and reputation spread, and as the Kremlin and the White House realized that their stockpiles of nuclear
What is this rifle? At first glance, the new AK-47 was an oddity, a rifle
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weapons had made total war unwinnable, Stalin‘s rifle became the defining weapon of the Cold War. Small wars and proxies would be the means through which the Cold War would be fought – and the automatic Kalashnikov would be the perfect weapon with which to fight it. –The Kalashnikov Era had arrived,? Chivers writes. –We are living in it still.?
readers fascinated by military and international affairs, the history of firearms, the legacy of the Soviet Union, the evolution of modern warfare, or of a well-told tale that furthers an understanding of the world today. And with its probing historical analysis, vivid reportage, and provocative moral dimension, it will be equally compelling to those concerned with the origins, dynamics, and resolution of global conflict. –Far too many people regard the study of weapons as an illiberal art,? Chivers writes. –The chronicle of automatic firepower, viewed through the AK-47 and its infiltration across the world, suggests otherwise.?
Everyman’s Gun With its stubby black barrel, dull brown stock, and distinctive banana clip, the Kalashnikov is the most recognized weapon in the world. It has been used prolifically not only in armed clashes but also in political art and ritual displays. More than a weapon, it has also become a symbol – first of the industrial success of Stalin‘s Soviet Union and the socialist way, later of popular insurrection, armed liberation, gangland stature, and most recently of jihad. Kalashnikovs guard South American coca plantations, serve urban gangs in Los Angeles, are hoarded by survivalists in the northwestern United States, and have been used by ivory poachers to nearly exterminate elephant herds in Africa.
CLICK Here for Video of this book About the Author C. J. Chivers is a senior writer for The New York Times and its former Moscow Bureau Chief, as well as a frequent contributor to Esquire. From 1988 to 1994, he was an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and served in the Gulf War and in the Los Angeles riots before being honorably discharged as a captain. His work has received several prizes, including a National Magazine Award for Reporting for the reconstruction in Esquire of the terrorist siege in Beslan and a shared Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for coverage in the Times of combat in Afghanistan. His war reportage from 2003 to 2009 in Iraq and Afghanistan was selected by New York University as being among the Top Ten Works of Journalism of the Decade in the United States. He lives with his family in Rhode Island.
As Chivers observes, in the aftermath of the Cold War, the overabundance of AK-47s has remained a persistent factor in terrorism, crime, ethnic cleansing, and local and regional destabilization. The weapon‘s ubiquitous presence empowers undisciplined forces to commit human rights abuses on a grander scale, raises the costs and exacerbates the dangers of peacekeeping missions, emboldens criminals of many sorts, stalls economic development, and increases the social burdens of caring for the wounded, the orphaned, and the displaced. Shipped by the millions to regions rife with the tensions of poverty, poor government, and high ethnic, religious, or nationalist sentiment, the AK-47 has helped to instigate and expand conflicts.
More Praise for THE GUN • C.J. Chivers, a brilliant war correspondent, is an equally capable military historian. By telling the story of a gun–well, not just any gun but arguably ?the‘ gun–he reveals much about crime, war, and terror, and he does so in convincing and compelling fashion.?
Ominously, specialists in armed conflict look to the price of Kalashnikovs in a nation‘s open-market arms bazaars to determine the state of risk. When prices rise, public anxiety is considered high. When they sink, the decline can indicate a conflict is ebbing. Chivers, a veteran of combat zones around the globe as both reporter and Marine, writes, –Anywhere large numbers of young men in civilian clothes or mismatched uniforms are carrying Kalashnikovs is a very good place not to go; when Kalashnikovs turn up in the hands of mobs, it is time to leave.? The Twenty-first Century’s Rifle
• Evan Thomas, author of The War Lovers • Thanks to C. J. Chivers, every G.I. and Marine in Vietnam who threw down his jammed M-16 in despair can trace the development of the better weapon he envied. The Gun is part a biography of Mikhail Kalashnikov and his AK-47, part grim social history and, in all its parts, entirely absorbing.?
The AK-47 is a Cold War weapon with a legacy as yet unresolved, a legacy that continues to threaten people and security across much of the world. Chivers proposes that because governments have focused elsewhere, Kalashnikovs and the people who have put them to ill use have killed and maimed more people, and dragged many regions deeper into disarray, than they might have otherwise. He looks at certain programs that have met with limited success in ameliorating the effects of assault rifle proliferation. But, unaligned with any interest group or side, he leaves the question of the best means of relief and abatement – of methods that might bring a degree of peace and stability to many troubled lands – to other hands.
• A. J. Langguth, Our Vietnam: The War 1954-1975 • C. J. Chivers tells a remarkable story of how this one, superbly reliable firearm became the most abundant ever produced, and was to exceed the consequences even of Soviet nuclear know-how in the Cold War, and beyond.? • Alistair Horne, author of The Price of Glory and A Savage War of Peace About the Book
With THE GUN, award-winning reporter C. J. Chivers gives us a gripping, exhaustively researched, and far- reaching assessment of the most important weapon of our time. It is sure to be of intense interest to
THE GUN By C. J. Chivers
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Published by Simon & Schuster Publication Date: October 12, 2010 Price: $28.00 ISBN-10: 0-7432-7076-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-7076-2 eBook ISBN-13: 1-4391-9653-2; eBook ISBN-10: 1-4391-9653-2
Maintaining 85% parts compatibility, modifications to the upper receiver and lower receiver in the form of cut outs and a bolt carrier drive system are the only design changes. Complete BSR – Mod 1 weapon systems are available in addition to customer supplied conversions. Msrp $3300.00 for supplied rifle conversions
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Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness… For those that are looking for that tactical, belt fed, 5.56mm weapons platform…Valkryie Armament is your answer. Born from an idea that Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness starts with a warm, belt-fed rifle, Valkryie Armament has reinvented the time-tested model of Eugene Stoner’s belt fed conversion into a modern day phoenix.
THE GUN by C.J. Chivers Tags: AK-47, Gun Books, Gun Writers, Kalashnikov, Shooting Media News, Simon & Schuster
In the shooting sports, there are many options for you to consider when looking to buy a semi-automatic firearm. Rifles, pistols, shotguns…there all out there for you to consider. When looking for a belt fed, weapons platform, however, your options are far more limited. Cost, function, and caliber are three areas of concern that Valkryie Armament considered when improving the Stoner design. There just isn’t a more affordable belt fed, 5.56mm rifle on the market today.
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Valkyrie Armament Introduces Belt-Fed, Semi-Automatic AR15 Rifle
Why a belt fed AR15 style rifle? Because you can. We’ve all heard it before…why do you own an “assault rifle”…why do you need a “scary, black rifle”…why, why, why?
OCT 29, 2010 02:03P.M. Valkyrie Armament Introduces Belt-Fed, Semi-Automatic AR15 Rifle Valkyrie Armament Belt-Fed AR-15 Rifle is your conduit to politely tell those that ask you why…to go pound sand.
Simply put, because you can. In this great land of ours, the liberties that we all enjoy were born in the barrels and breeches of our forefather’s flintlocks. This truth is undeniable; however, it is continually under siege from the violent storm of opposition. Valkyrie Armament is your conduit to politely tell those that ask you why…to go pound sand. Credentials • 39 years of machining experience
Valkyrie Armament • 18 years experience USMC officer combat veteran North Ridgeville, OH --(Ammoland.com)- In a continually shifting world of firearms gadgetry, today’s discriminating second amendment protector is finally offered an AR-15 style rifle that utilizes time proven technology of Colt in a belt-fed configuration.
• 10 years full time Leo • Colt certified armoror
The Belt-fed, Semi-Automatic rifle (BSR – Mod 1) borrows from the original Stoner/Colt belt-fed design and utilizes modern technology to precisely machine the removable belt box and feed tray mechanism that converts a standard AR-15 style rifle into a belt-fed, semi-automatic support weapons platform.
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Coupled with the proven design concepts from the original Colt system , Valkyrie Armament LLC can now provide all riflemen and women with a weapons platform that can utilize a virtually unlimited ammunition supply.
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When is a Rifle a Pistol? OCT 29, 2010 01:40P.M. When is a Rifle a Pistol?
Valkyrie Armament Belt-Fed AR-15 Rifle
Mini-14/30 Folding Stock Style Rifle
Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners Valkyrie Armament Belt-Fed AR-15 Rifle
Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- Q: I have a rifle with a folding stock. I understand that it is legal under federal law since the so-called “Assault Rifle Ban” expired in 2004. But, I’ve been told that I should register the gun as a pistol in Michigan. Is this true?
About: Valkyrie armament llc, it was formed in 2009 after a lifetime of being firearms enthusiasts we decided it was time to put our expertise in manufacturing to work in the firearms industry so we decided on a historic project to resurrect the stoner convertible belt fed design and so we present the new BSR-mod 1. Visit: www.valkyriearmament.com
A: The answer to the question of legality under federal law depends solely on barrel length. The answer to whether a given gun is legal in Michigan is a bit more complicated.
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At the federal level, the National Firearms Act (NFA), which has been around since the 1930′s, arbitrarily set the limits at 16 inches for a rifle and 18 inches for a shotgun. The reasons are lost in the mists of time. But, the law remains.
Valkyrie Armament Introduces Belt-Fed, Semi-Automatic AR-15 Rifle So, you are in violation of federal law if you are in possession of a rifle (with any type of shoulder stock) that has a barrel of less than 16 inches, unless you’ve applied for, and received, an appropriate tax document. (The length measurement has been construed by ATF to include any flash suppressor or muzzle brake that is permanently attached.) The same is true of any shotgun with a barrel of less than 18″.
Tags: AR-15 Rifles, AR15, AR15 Receivers, Black Rifles, BSR, Gun Parts, Semi Auto, Valkyrie Armament
Under the more-restrictive Michigan law, any gun with an overall length of less than 30 inches is a pistol, and must be licensed and registered (the
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so-called “safety inspection”). Back in 1985, then Attorney General Frank Kelly issued Opinion No. 6280 (interpreting MCL 28.419 and MCL 28.421 et seq, as well as MCL 750.224b et seq) It states that if a folding-stock weapon is capable of functioning at a length less than 30 inches, it is a pistol. This applies even though the gun may have a stock attached, and therefore would not be considered a pistol under federal law.
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Mexico Mayors & CNN Blame American Guns First OCT 29, 2010 12:33P.M. Mexico Mayors & CNN Blame American Guns First
Furthermore, if the gun is capable of functioning at a length less than 26 inches, it is considered a “short-barreled” rifle or shotgun, even if the barrel itself meets the minimum federal length requirements under federal law as noted above. “Short-barreled” rifles and “short-barreled” shotguns are illegal in Michigan. Manufacturing, selling or possessing them is a felony punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years and/or a fine of up to $2,500. To sum up: The magic numbers under federal law are minimum barrel lengths of 16 inches for a rifle and 18 inches for a shotgun. The magic numbers for Michigan are overall length requirements: Under 30 inches folded, and still able to shoot, register it as a pistol. But, under no circumstances can your gun be able to operate at a length of less than 26 inches if it has any kind of shoulder stock attached to it, folded or not. Of course, there is no minimum size for a pistol that has no shoulder stock and is properly registered as a pistol. National Rifle Association This information is provided by The Law Offices of Steven W. Dulan, PLC , www.StevenWDulan.com . These answers are intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice for any specific situation or case. The facts of each case vary and you should consult an attorney whenever you have specific questions.
Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- Well, just when you think you have heard just about everything. Fox News reports that “A coalition of Mexican mayors has asked the United States to stop deporting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. to Mexican border cities, saying the deportations are contributing to Mexican border violence.”
About: The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.
Apparently, the mayor of Juarez — the world’s most murder-plagued city, across the border from low-crime El Paso where Americans are able to buy and carry guns for protection — said “that of the 80,000 people deported to Juarez in the past three years, 28,000 had U.S. criminal records — including 7,000 convicted rapists and 2,000 convicted murderers.”
Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org
This, on the heels of a CNN story noting that Mexico’s foreign minister, Patricia Espinosa, has claimed that violence in the United States is not related to illegal Mexican immigrants, but that Mexico’s violence is caused by guns smuggled into Mexico from the United States.
Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports News Ammo Land.comSubmit Gun, Ammo and Shooting Related News at Ammo Land.com When is a Rifle a Pistol?
Predisposed to spinning the news in favor of gun control, CNN attempted to bolster Espinosa’s claim by quoting a former Carter Administration staffer to the effect that, as CNN put it, “more than 90 percent of weapons in Mexico come from the United States.”
Tags: ATF, Gun Laws, MCRGO, mcrgo.org, Michigan, Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners, NFA Firearms, Steve Dulan
About: Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA
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continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org
big. Over seven million residents. Nearly 12,000 folks per square mile. Like New York City, it’s wide-open, sizzling, rocking and rolling aroundthe-clock. On the other hand, Kathy and I are not big-city types.
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Got a stoplight and a Wal-Mart? That’s big enough city for us. After a couple of days visiting midtown gunshops, watching The Queen’s Cavalry, staring at Buckingham Palace, shopping at Harrod’s and dodging vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road (I was hit by a bicycle and was called several names), we were ready for some fresh scenery. So when Andrew Harvison, owner of Holloway & Naughton and Premier English Shotguns Ltd., invited us out to the English countryside for the day, we were happy to oblige.
Mexico Mayors & CNN Blame American Guns First Tags: Anti-Gun Media, CNN, Gun Banners, Gun Crimes, Mexico, NRA
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Holloway & Naughton Handmade Guns
Tuesday morning, after a quick bite at the Cartref House Bed and Breakfast in London, we grabbed a cab to Marylebone Station to catch the train out to High Wycombe about 30 miles northwest of the city. Along the way we watched the landscape change from urban sprawl to quaint hamlets, rolling pastures, forests, hedgerows and classic Englishstyle farmhouses. This was more our cup of tea.
OCT 29, 2010 11:57A.M. Holloway & Naughton Handmade Guns Presented by Cheyenne Ridge Signature Lodge
When the train stopped at High Wycombe station, our host greeted us warmly before driving us out to West Wycombe Park where his gunfinishing work is done. Well-dressed, well-spoken and well-mannered, Andrew Harvison is the classic English gentleman, but with an even more relaxed demeanor. That’s attributable to his preference for the country life as opposed to the fast pace of “The Square Mile.” In fact, no portion of the Holloway and Naughton operation is located in London, but every gun is 100-percent English made. That was one of Harvison’s goals when he rekindled the firm’s trademark. “We made up our mind to design our own products and then take them to the market,” he said as we rode through the countryside toward West Wycombe,” rather than jumping on the bandwagon of copying someone else’s design, or indeed, using somebody else’s components. Holloway & Naughton Handmade Guns 28g SBS R&S No-1 “We employ twelve people total,” Harvison added. “Our engineering base is in Leicestershire, where we employ four craftsmen who design and build components. The parts are then sent to outworkers. Barrels are put together with actions at one place, then on to stockers and engravers. “The outworkers then send the components back to us, and after all the bearing surfaces and other fine details are inspected, the guns are assembled and we add the finishing touches. The entire process can take up to two years per gun, though we are seeking ways to shorten that time-frame.”
Sporting Classics Magazine Columbia, SC --(AmmoLand.com)- The city of London is big. Really
One of Andrew’s favorite workshops is the one tucked away at West
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Wycombe Park.
Westwood Hall, the home of Sir Edward Dashwood
Holloway & Naughton Handmade Ryder Cup Gun Base
“You’ll enjoy this,” he told us as we traveled the paved drive that climbs up toward the estate. From that vantage point we could take in the main manor house overlooking a serene lake and acres of verdant pasture.
Inside, the small building was crowded with tools, blueprints and work tables. The walls were decorated with various European mounts from the estate, including roebuck and the muntjac, a smallish deer with short, spiked horns and two-inch fangs.
“This is very, very famous,” Harvison said. “It’s Westwood Hall, the home of Sir Edward Dashwood. It’s been in the family since the fifteenth century. These people made a fortune out of tea and the old empire. This whole estate is just absolutely incredible.”
As we watched a gunsmith at work, Harvison pointed out that the firm produced 12 guns last year – a fairly lofty number for such a small operation. “We’re different,” he said, “because we do everything in a modular sense. Unlike the others, we start with a clean bit of paper on every design. From the beginning, we sat down and designed a gun, then we designed another one and another one and so on. No one has done it that way since before the Second World War.”
Pointing to the lake, Harvison explained that big parties held there during the 19th century became wild affairs. “Attendees such as baronets and chancellors built small pirate ships, which they sailed around the lake,” he said. “But sailing was just part of the fun. They had live cannons and would actually fire cannonballs at one another . . . they held sea battles.”
The Holloway and Naughton name precedes Harvison’s ownership by more than a century. In fact, the name has been highly regarded in British gunmaking since the early 19th century. Thomas Naughton started building guns in Birmingham in the mid-1800s and by 1888 he was working for James Carr on St. Mary’s Row. At that time, George Holloway, a purveyor of fine guns, was also interested in gunmaking and saw Naughton as the ideal craftsman.
Quartered in an 18th century church building a short walk from the main house is Harvison’s finishing shop.
In 1909 the name Holloway & Naughton was born. Prior to World War II about 90,000 Holloway & Naughton branded firearms were made, with many sold in the U.S., India, Australia as well as Britain. During the war, production ceased as the workforce was called to war. The factory was annihilated in a bombing raid on Birmingham, and all plans, blueprints, machinery and records were lost. During the following 40 years only a few boxlock guns were made. In the early 1990s Harvison resurrected not only the brand, but also the high standards set by the early Holloway & Naughton craftsmen. Today, with his unwavering attention to every detail, be it a shotgun or rifle, Andrew Harvison is being taken very seriously in the gun world.
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Harvison developed a love of shooting at an early age and by 1967, he was the owner of his own shooting ground. Over the next 17 years he developed two of the foremost commercial shooting centers in the UK, which hosted many regional and national events. Harvison represented his country for nearly 20 years at sporting clays, skeet and trap competitions. He captained the England skeet team and collected a host of shooting honors, including the British Open Sporting Championship and English Skeet titles on two consecutive occasions.
the Britannia Field Model, which is similarly well-balanced and fasthandling with its slim stock and fore-end, light barrels and fine rib. The gun is engraved with traditional English style scroll. Driving back to the station for our return to London, I asked Harvison what he considered his greatest achievement at Holloway & Naughton. “To have designed every single part, every single component,” he replied . . . “to make something as beautiful as this from scratch, has been a monstrous achievement. To have accomplished this as an independent gunmaker is just a million to one.”
After visiting West Wycombe, we drove out to the E.J. Churchill shooting ground. Just in time for lunch, we enjoyed a delicious meal of prawn baguettes served in the dining room. Afterward Harvison led us through the Churchill shop to a 12-gauge Holloway & Naughton Britannia displayed on the wall.
To find out more about Holloway & Naughton, visit www.hollowaynaughton.co.uk.
“Would you care to shoot some sporting clays with the Britannia?” he asked. I thought about it for roughly one-thousandth of a second before answering in the affirmative. Andrew broke the sidelock over-and-under, looked down the glistening barrels, then passed it to me. I studied the $65,000 shotgun in my hands before gently draping it over my arm. The stock and forearm were cut from the finest Turkish walnut. Smooth, handsome and shaped for shooting, they complemented the English scrolled action and top-grade barrels.
Holloway & Naughton Handmade Ryder Cup Eagle Gun
E.J. Churchill shooting ground. Soon, Harvison, Max Jellicoe, one of Churchill’s many shooting instructors, Kathy and I were walking along lush green pathways to the course to give the Britannia a try. Jellicoe and Harvison had previously run several rounds through the gun, and had no doubts about its performance. They wanted to see how this American, who swore he was only an average shooter, would handle it. The first thing I noticed was the Britannia’s balance and how it mounted perfectly to my shoulder and eye. With a few tips from the two instructors nearby, my shooting was, well, simply smashing! If I could borrow the Britannia, or pay for it in itsy-bitsy installments, I could finally be a hotshot back in the New World. But no deal.
Sporting Classics Magazine Sept/Oct 2010 About: Sporting Classics is the magazine for discovering the best in hunting and fishing worldwide. Every page is carefully crafted, through word and
Later, in the clubhouse, Harvison explained that the firm also produces
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picture, to transport you on an unforgettable journey into the great outdoors. Travel to the best hunting and fishing destinations. Relive the finest outdoor stories from yesteryear. Discover classic firearms and fishing tackle by the most renowned craftsmen. Gain valuable knowledge from columns written by top experts in their fields: gundogs, shotguns, fly fishing, rifles, art and more. From great fiction to modern-day adventures, every article is complemented by exciting photography and masterful paintings. This isn’t just another “how to” outdoor magazine. Come. Join us! Visit: www.sportingclassics.com Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports News Ammo Land.comSubmit Gun, Ammo and Shooting Related News at Ammo Land.com
RAR Guns
Holloway & Naughton Handmade Guns
Castle Rock, CO --(Ammoland.com)- R.A.R. Guns is pleased to announce our association with several different black rifle and accessories vendors.
Tags: Custom Guns, Double Barrel, English Guns, Gun Collectors, Over Under Shotguns, Shot Guns, Side By Side Shotguns, Sporting Classics Magazine
We worked hard in the last year and have added the following premium brands to our RAR Line up. LMT, Adams Arms, Spikes Tactical, DelTon, Yankee Hill Machine, Timney Triggers and Black Hole Weaponry to our RAR Line up.
AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS
R.A.R. Guns – Black Rifles from the Best Brands
At R.A.R. Guns, we want to be able to offer as many top quality choices and options as we can.
OCT 29, 2010 11:08A.M.
Lewis Machine & Tool LMT is an industry leader in the AR platform world. LMT provides weaponry to US Special Ops Command, US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and other government agencies and bureaus. They build their rifles with unsurpassed quality and we are proud to be able to offer their products.
R.A.R. Guns – Black Rifles from the Best Brands
Adams Arms We added Adams Arms to our lineup because of their reputation with gas piston systems. Their conversion systems are easy to install and work flawlessly. Their monolithic uppers make for a great build for those who want a great, ready to go, reliable gas piston gun. Spikes Tactical When we started selling our guns, we chose Spikes Tactical for our lower receivers. We did not make this choice lightly. Spikes Tactical does a great job on all of their products. After using many of their lowers and never having a single problem, we decided to take on their entire line. We feel that the Spikes Tactical product line adds and affordable, quality rifle and parts selection to our lineup. R.A.R. Guns - Black Rifles from the Best Brands Del-Ton We’ve had many, many customers ask if we carried Del-Ton products. We knew who they were and we also knew they made a good product at a good price. So we looked more deeply into their products and decided to
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Today’s Tabbloid PERSONAL NEWS FOR news@ammoland.com
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add them as a vendor. They offer an amazing amount of configurations and choices for the customer to choose from. Now we can offer the public those choices as well.
AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS
Preserve Your Firearms Freedoms By Voting Pro Gun
Yankee Hill Machine Yankee Hill Machine is another company we have been dealing with for a long time. We are particularly fond of their free float hand guards and sights. They make a very high quality product at a very affordable price. It wasn’t a tough decision to start carrying all of their products.
OCT 29, 2010 10:56A.M. Preserve Your Firearms Freedoms By Voting Pro Gun
Timney Triggers & Black Hole Weaponry Timney Triggers the leader in drop in trigger assemblies. We felt we had to add them to our product line. They offer triggers for all types of guns and now even for archery. A rifle is only as good as it’s barrel. So we now offer the superior quality of Black Hole Weaponry barrels. They offer polygonal rifling, custom fluting and more. R.A.R. Guns offers military and LE discounts on everything we sell. We also offer discounts to the general public under certain conditions. We are very competitively priced. Not all products are available on our web-site. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please call us. 303-495-5406
New York State Rifle and Pistol Association New York --(Ammoland.com)- Do you want to preserve your firearms freedoms, promote youth hunting, increase access to public lands and ensure Conservation Fund monies are wisely spent?
About: RAR Guns. Home of the best AR 15s in the world. We don’t just assemble parts. We measure and test each part before it is installed. Then each part is function tested to insure proper operation. We have several AR15 models to choose from and we also build to your custom specifications. We warranty our AR15 rifles for workmanship for a full year no questions asked. Our AR15 rifles will even perform with most Russian, steel cased and polymer coated ammo. If it breaks or has a malfunction within one year of purchase, we will correct the problem for free. Visit: www.rarguns.com
On November 2 make your voice heard and vote for those candidates who will support you in Albany and across the state. 2010 General Election Candidate Ratings and Endorsements
Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports News Ammo Land.comSubmit Gun, Ammo and Shooting Related News at Ammo Land.com R.A.R. Guns – Black Rifles from the Best Brands Tags: Adams Arms, AR15, AR15 Accessories, Black Rifles, Del-Ton.com, Lewis Machine & Tool Company, RAR Guns, Spike's Tactical, Timney Triggers, Yankee Hill Machine
New York State Rifle and Pistol Association 2010 Candidate Ratings The grading system is as follows: • A Outspoken supporter of RKBA/sponsors pro-gun legislation and initiatives • B Supports RKBA/votes for pro-gun legislation and initiatives
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• C Cannot be counted on to vote pro-gun/possibly clueless and/or does not understand the issues well
Sneckenberger, 75 of Hagerstown, Md. and Doy Sneckenberger, 46 of Hagerstown, Md. with hunting bears with the aid of bait. This offense occurred in the Little Orleans area of Allegany County.
• D Opposes RKBA/votes for anti-gun legislation and initiatives Baltimore County – On October 25, 2010 at 9:20 p.m., NRP charged Daniel Scott Pieper, 23 of Whitehall, Md. with hunting at night and possessing a loaded weapon in a vehicle. Pieper was stopped as officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle on Hunter Hill Road. NRP seized two loaded weapons from Pieper’s truck. The weapons seized during the incident were a loaded Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle equipped with a silencer, night vision scope and a laser sight and a loaded .22 caliber rifle.
• F Outspoken opponent of RKBA/sponsors anti-gun legislation and initiatives • ? Did not survey/unable to survey/did not return survey Notes: It is much easier to get an F than it is an A. A person must have publicly demonstrated his support for the RKBA to receive an A. Incumbents are in bold. NYSRPA/NRA members are in italics. NYSRPAPVF endorsed candidates have a * next to their grades.
Garrett County – On October 25, 2010, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged the following individuals;
Check our webpage for last minute additions or corrections. • Donald David Gutermuth, 53 from Baldwin, Md. was charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait and Lee Cliford Brenneman, 63 from Accident, Md. was charged with the use of attractants to lure bears. This incident occurred on private land near Bittinger.
About: The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is the state’s largest and oldest firearms advocacy organization. Since 1871, our organization has been dedicated to the preservation of Second Amendment rights, firearm safety, education and training, and the shooting sports. Our membership consists of individuals and clubs throughout the state. We are a not-forprofit 501(c)4 organization and the official NRA-affiliated State Association in New York. Visit www.nysrpa.org
• Charles Dock Crigger II, 52 from Middle River, Md. was charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait, failure to wear fluorescent orange and failure to maintain visual contact between permitees. Earnold Lee Crigger, 52 from Middle River, Md. was charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait and failure to maintain visual contact between permitees.
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• Jerome Stanley Ziemski, 55 from Baltimore, Md was charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait and failure to maintain visual contact between permitees. These charges occurred on private property near Swanton.
Preserve Your Firearms Freedoms By Voting Pro Gun Tags: Anti Gun Politicians, Endorsements, Gun Politics, Gun Voters, New York, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, NYSRPA
AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS
• Rex Allen Penick, 55 ofWestminster, Md. and Terri Lynn Penick, 48 from Westminster, Md. were both charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait. This incident occurred on private land near Grantsville.
Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
• James Bennett Wood, 42 from Westminster, Md. was charged with hunting bears by the aid of bait in the Oakland area of Garrett County.
OCT 29, 2010 10:29A.M. Garrett County – On October 26, 2010, NRP charged Allen Eugene Soth, 55 from Swanton with hunting deer with the aid of bait, hunting bears without the permitee and possession of deer during closed season. This incident occurred on Backbone Mountain near Swanton.
Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Worcester County – On October 27, 2010 NRP charged James Melvin Steward, 33 from Fruitland with casting rays of artificial light onto fields and woods with a weapon in possession and possessing a loaded weapon in a vehicle. This incident occurred in the area of Old Furnace Rd and Whitesburg Rd near Snow Hill.
Annapolis, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Allegany County – On October 25, 2010, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Donald
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at Ammo Land.com
This year’s NHF Day celebration was held on Saturday, September 25, 2010, and proved to be a great success – with 120 registered events held in more than 40 states. The Yamaha ATV sweepstakes, which remains open through November 30, 2010, was promoted online and at NHF Day events nationwide. Anyone can enter to win by registering online at www.yamahaoutdoors.com/nhfday.
Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter Tags: Conservation Officers, Law Breakers, Maryland, Maryland DNR, Poaching, Wildlife Officers
“As a sponsor of NHF Day for the third year in a row, as well as a partner with numerous other conservation organizations, Yamaha supports preservation efforts across numerous recreational activities,” said Steve Nessl marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group. “NHF Day celebrates sportsmanship values, ethical outdoor activities and conservation — all of which are principles Yamaha has always promoted and will continue to support. NHF Day is reflective of Yamaha’s core recreational values and we are proud to sponsor this important and commemorative day.”
AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS
Yamaha Reminds Hunters to Register to Win a New 2011 Grizzly 450 EPS OCT 29, 2010 10:13A.M. Yamaha Reminds Hunters to Register to Win a New 2011 Grizzly 450 EPS In Honor of National Hunting & Fishing Day Yamaha’s ATV Sweepstakes Remains Open Through November.
“Year after year, NHF Day’s successful events showcase the celebration’s effectiveness in promoting the importance of a healthy environment in outdoor sports throughout the nation,” said Denise Wagner of Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield, Mo. — the official home of NHF Day. “Yamaha’s donation for the ATV giveaway is a prominent feature in NHF Day’s celebration. NHF Day is very grateful that Yamaha’s similar interest in conservation has provided support for this important cause in the hunting and fishing communities.” The sweepstakes is open to all outdoor recreational sports enthusiasts. One lucky winner, 18 years-of-age or older, will receive a 2011 Grizzly 450 EPS. Approximate retail value is $7,499. No purchase necessary. The sweepstakes continues to be open until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on November 30, 2010. The winner will be determined by random drawing. More information on NHF Day is available at www.nhfday.org. Complete rules, entry details and additional information are available by visiting www.yamahaoutdoors.com/nhfday.
Yamaha 2011 Grizzly 450 Auto. 4x4 EPS
About Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS), a leader in the motorsports market, makes the toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and Sideby-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings also include motorcycles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines, accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of dealers in the United States.
Yamaha CYPRESS, Calif. --(Ammoland.com)- Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., the leading maker of ATV and Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicles for outdoor enthusiasts, has donated a new 2011 Grizzly 450 with Electric Power Steering (EPS) in honor of National Hunting and Fishing (NHF) Day’s celebration of outdoor recreation and conservation. Yamaha wants to remind outdoor enthusiasts that they can still register to win.
Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha-motor.com. Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports
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time-lapse video camera, now that buck is up on his wall, and he can see him anytime he wants.
Yamaha Reminds Hunters to Register to Win a New 2011 Grizzly 450 EPS
People all across the country are getting this type of result thanks to the PlotWatcher Time Lapse Video Camera. Does your game camera produce results like this?
Tags: 4x4, ATV, Contest, Hunting Gear, National Hunting and Fishing Day, NHF Day, Off Road Vehicles, Side X Side, Yamaha
Not your traditional game camera, the PlotWatcher videos daytime game activity around potential hunting locations several days leading up to your hunt.
AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS When you review the footage, you can see what you would have seen had you been sitting there. Using the information the video provides, you can make an educated decision on when you should hunt and which spot offers you the best opportunity.
Day 6 PlotWatcher Trail Cam Successes OCT 29, 2010 10:00A.M.
• Check out the PlotWatcher footage of this buck at http://tiny.cc/o3vkg
Day 6 PlotWatcher Trail Cam Successes
• You can see trophy shots at http://tiny.cc/ci0tr The PlotWatcher doesn’t rely on a motion-activated or heat-sensing trigger to work, so the animals don’t need to be close to the camera in order for it to take their picture. Using time-lapse video technology, the PlotWatcher takes a picture every 5 to 10 seconds and saves these individual pictures as an HD video. The GameFinder video player software comes free with the PlotWatcher and has been developed to give you the ability to watch an entire day’s video in just a few minutes. For optimum performance and to preserve your camera battery’s life, use a 4GB ReadyBoost USB to download your video to your computer. Stop by the Day6 booth at the 2011 SHOT Show in Las Vegas to check out the new PlotWatcher camera boasting updated features and technology that will help improve the quality and success of your hunts even more.
Mike Strickland’s Massive Buck
For more information on the PlotWatcher, check out www.day6outdoors.com Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports News Ammo Land.comSubmit Gun, Ammo and Shooting Related News at Ammo Land.com Day 6 PlotWatcher Trail Cam Successes Tags: Day 6 Outdoors, Deer Hunters, Deer Hunting, Hunting Gear, Trail Cams
Day 6 Outdoors Columbus, GA --(Ammoland.com)- A few weeks ago, Mike Strickland was watching a 193-inch buck at 80 yards using his Day 6 PlotWatcher
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AMMOLAND.COM SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS
The laser is nearly invisible to the naked eye until the beam hits the target; due to higher energetic frequency target materials fluoresce to user, and not the target. Designed to improve range and visibility in day and night conditions, UVGS7 offers faster target acquisition, zero beam track back, no effect on night vision and is fifty times more visible than any green laser aiming light on the market.
Direct Components Announces the First & Only Black Tactical Light OCT 29, 2010 09:44A.M. Direct Components Announces the First & Only Black Tactical Light
Direct Components UVGS7 Black Tactical Light Due the unique properties of the UVGS7 UV spectrum laser, users will be able to recognize the beam faster, in day or night settings, than a red or green laser, never lose track of the beam in a heavy action situation and the target will not be able to track the beam back to the user.
Direct Components UVGS7 Black Tactical Light
Mencanin says” These unique UV properties make the UVGS7 the safest and most effective aiming light in the world.” Mencanin also boasts, “That in conjunctions with all of the safety and accuracy features the rugged devices remains light-weight and meets the MIL-STD-810G requirements for reliability under harsh conditions.”
Direct Components Lake Forest, CA --(Ammoland.com)- The highly anticipated UVGS7 has made its launch September 7th. UVGS7 is the first and only Black Tactical Light on the market.
Available for handguns, M-4, M-16, AR-15 and other weapon confirming to the MIL- SPEC 1913 rail. UVGS7 comes in four versions the 5mW, 50mW, 100mW and 150mW.
Released earlier this month by Direct Components, the UVGS7 is the latest in a new concept of aiming light technology which provides maximum safety and flexibility in critical situations, rapid target acquisition and all the benefits of IR lasers without the use of optics.
Features include: rugged aerospace aluminum housing (MIL-SPEC Type III hard coat anodized), power warning indicator, multiple user modes, light weight, no rail equipped fore grip required, “Bread Crumb” capability, and ultralow parallax. Manufactured in the U.S.A. this patent pending device comes with mounting hardware, battery & 7 inches remote cable switch.
“Based on our proprietary laser design technology, this new ultraviolet diode laser operates with low amplitude noise, higher target fluorescence, tight focal length, shorter Rayleigh length and extremely low power consumption in a compact laser housing” says Steve Mencanin Direct Components President and CEO.
About Direct Components: Focused on accuracy, efficiency and safety; Direct Components is the aiming laser and target acquisition source. To learn more log on to www.directcomponents.com
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Brought to you by - AMMOLAND.COM - Firearms & Shooting Sports News Ammo Land.comSubmit Gun, Ammo and Shooting Related News at Ammo Land.com Direct Components Announces the First & Only Black Tactical Light Tags: Direct Components, Laser Sights, Laser Technology, Low Light Shooting, Optics, Tactical Gear
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