Tag Archives: 146 NRA

Poking through Collector’s Corner in Atlanta

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Tucked away in the “100s” the collector section at NRAAM took up the first aisle of the Georgia World Congress Center exhibition hall and the assemblage of preservationists, auction houses and relic curators had a rare firearm exhibit open to the public rivaling anything you could see in a museum.

I went poking through them.

A Colt Python owned by Elvis that has been in the news lately

The Georgia Collector’s Association was on hand with an extensive collection of antebellum-era master gunsmith/silversmith/militia colonel Wiley G. Higgins, who made firearms in the Indian Springs area of Monroe County (which was the frontier in the early 1800s and capital of the Creek Indian Nation) prior to the Civil War. He was a fan of extensive patch box work on his stocks

How about a correct U.S. Navy Model 1861 Plymouth Rifle with bayonets brought to the show by the Virginia Gun Collectors Association? Just 10,000 of these .69 caliber muzzle loaders were made for the sea service during the Civil War and the OSS later wound up buying 500 from a surplus dealer in World War II to arm local militias in the Pacific islands.

More in my column at Guns.com

Ruger shows off Silent-SR integrally suppressed 10/22 barrel

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Designed to work with any 10/22 Takedown rimfire, Ruger debuted its new ISB last week.

Nope, that is not an O/U double shotgun barrel. It’s a 16-inch long integrally suppressed 10/22 barrel.

Billed to be able to reduce the report of standard velo .22LR to 113.2dB on average, the lightweight Silent-SR ISB is Ruger’s follow up to their first suppressor introduced last year — the screw on Silent-SR. Designed to work with their new Takedown series of 10/22, the 16.12-inch suppressed barrel is a simple changeout and its 2.6-pounds retains a center of gravity close to the rifle’s receiver.

You get the idea

More in my column at Guns.com (including a look at that beautiful baffle system). 

Hearing Protection Act ‘alive and well’

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Cutaway of the Maxim Model 15 “silencer” on a 1903 mockup.

Since 1934, the federal government has treated devices designed to muffle or suppress the report of firearms as Title II devices that required registration under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and mandated transfers that included a $200 tax stamp. The HPA would repeal this requirement and treat suppressors as firearms – which would allow them to be transferred through regular federal firearms license holders to anyone not prohibited from possessing them after the buyer passes an FBI instant background check.

We spoke with industry insiders about the Hearing Protection Act on the eve of the 146th National Rifle Association Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Atlanta last week, who argued the measure has a fighting chance.

More in my column at Guns.com

Meet the all 3-D printed Wave suppressor

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One of the more interesting cans I saw at the American Suppressor Association media day event at the Griffin Gun Club was the DD Wave, named such in recognition of its cascading “wave” pattern baffle geometry.


The WAVE uses Inconel, a nickel-chromium-based superalloy, with stainless steel and titanium to produce a 7.6-inch can that is crafted completely through direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) additive manufacturing. The method negates the traditional tube and baffle system used by legacy platforms. The suppressor base is the serialized part, meaning the main body of the WAVE can be sent in for service if needed without an NFA hassle.

More in my column at Guns.com.

A conversation with Mr. Parker

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Larry A Parker, 74, of Belmont, Ohio, has had a career in the firearms industry that has taken a lifetime but has produced treasures that will endure through the ages.

I  bumped into Parker at the 146th National Rifle Association Annual Meetings and Exhibits at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and asked him about his work, that of a master engraver. The career path, with ties to the old world gunsmithing artisans of yesteryear, is not your typical one.

“I started building rifles in 1958. I actually started working on guns in shop class when I was in high school — I don’t think you can do that today,” he said.

Parker, the son of a carpenter, built 16 muzzle loading rifles, both flintlock, and percussion in his youth, all from scratch using curly maple stocks.

“Back then there wasn’t any kits available. You got you a plank of wood and you carved one out.”

And what he has created since then, with decades of study behind him, is amazing.

More in my column at Guns.com

Got to bump into some groovy hardware last week

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So I hung out at NRA Show for a few days last week. Got to see some cool new stuff and write about it.

Including Springfield Armory’s new XD-E hammer fired compact 9mm single stack


Which complemented FN’s new 509.

So now FN is making striker-fired guns while Springfield XD is making hammer fired. What the what?

Then there was Colt’s new 70 series Gold Cup Trophy and Competition models (yup, no firing pin block).

Those G10 scales, tho

And Savage’s Fox A Grade SXS double shotgun series, which are really sweet and feature bone and charcoal case color-finished receivers over black walnut furniture (though original Foxes are cheaper).

And nope, this one is not made in Turkey

But the coolest thing (that I am soon going to be T&E’ing, squeeeee) is Remington’s Tac-14 870 that I was able to get the first media peek at while touring Big Green’s Huntsville Factory prior to the show.

At 26.25 inches overall and with a Raptor Shockwave pistol grip, the 12-gauge’s 14-inch cylinder bore barrel is not a National Firearms Act regulated item as it is a “firearm” and not an SBS or AOW, thus no tax stamp is required under federal law, though state and local laws may apply.

I will for sure keep you posted on that one…