The K-Var Armory

September: National Suicide Prevention Month

In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and Project ChildSafe are reminding gun owners that securely storing their firearms could help save the life of someone going through a difficult time. [Read more…] about September: National Suicide Prevention Month

The Science Behind Hearing Protection

It’s right there in the rules posted at any shooting range: All shooters and spectators must wear hearing and eye protection. Most shooters are equipped for compliance, quickly donning whatever earmuffs are inside their range bag. Those who come unprepared can always obtain a set of in-ear foam plugs from the range officer. This is the extent to which most shooters think about hearing protection. They think, I have it and I’m wearing it, so my hearing is protected. But that isn’t always true. [Read more…] about The Science Behind Hearing Protection

Open Letter: Duane Liptak NRA Board Member

I’ve just completed some meetings and other duties with the NRA, and I wanted to get some of these thoughts out there, in case anyone finds them useful. There is a lot of work going on, and I’ve never been so encouraged by the efforts I’m seeing move forward. As a disclaimer, these opinions are mine, personally, and I do not speak for the NRA or anyone else in this statement. This is long, and potentially a bit repetitive on points of significance, but I felt it important to say. [Read more…] about Open Letter: Duane Liptak NRA Board Member

Feedback: Top Reader Comments of the Week — September 8, 2018

Even regular readers of K-Var‘s The Muzzle Flash can’t read or respond to all of the reader comments, so we have started a new weekly feature recapping a sampling of the most active, interesting, or on occasion, randomly selected comments from the previous weeks. This will allow you to stay up to date on all of the latest action in the outdoor community. Feel free to respectfully respond to fellow readers comments to continue the debate and reinforce similar beliefs.
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NPR: Education Department Report Inflates School Incidents

Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation recently penned and article that covered an NPR report debunking the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection report which claimed there were nearly 240 schools that reported at least one school-related shooting in the 2015-2016 school year. It turns out, NPR could only confirm a total of 11 incidents. [Read more…] about NPR: Education Department Report Inflates School Incidents

Bear Country Safety

These are the opinions and observations of a guy who’s spent a lifetime outdoors and a great deal of it in bear country. There is no right or wrong way of dealing with a bear encounter. There are some excellent rules of thumb to know, some common-sense lessons to learn, and a fair collection of experiences to draw on. After all, your survival could result from your knowledge of bear country safety. [Read more…] about Bear Country Safety

Gun Test: Ruger SR1911 9mm

Ruger is an old line maker that has offered quality products at a fair price for more than 68 years. They were late getting into the 1911 market, but introduced a 1911 handgun that has earned an excellent reputation for reliability, accuracy and value. When the Commander version was introduced, I obtained one of the first short slide 1911 Rugers and found it good. The SR1911 9mm is an aluminum frame 1911 in the Commander configuration they may be even better. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Ruger SR1911 9mm

Armed Good Guys: Good people carry guns, and they will shoot you — a lot, graveyard dead!

News stories of civilian self-defense seldom receive adequate media coverage. After all, armed good guys stopping violent felons does not make headlines like the lives of innocents being taken. Bias and agendas play their part, but the media does not cover an event that did not happen, such as a case where a good guy stopped a violent event before it it resulted in the loss of innocent life. However, these are exactly the type of stories we need to highlight to educate non gun owners before they head to the voting booth. [Read more…] about Armed Good Guys: Good people carry guns, and they will shoot you — a lot, graveyard dead!

Review: Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan

Typically, I review more tactical rifles and CCW pistols/revolvers, but for some strange reason I was surfing the web for guns to review and I ran across Ruger’s Super Redhawk Alaskan in .454 Casull (*also shoots .45 Long Colt from the same gun). “Why not, sounds like fun!” I thought. I guess it is the CCW of the Alaskan Bush. Plus, I just finished reviewing the .50AE and was starting to get feeling back in my hands, so bring it on Ruger! [Read more…] about Review: Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan

Fighting Back: Don’t be a Carjacking Victim

There are many aspects of crime that we must train to fight back against, to stop, and hopefully to avoid. I often state with the weight of experience that most victims meet their adversary halfway. What the adversary is doing is wrong, both morally and legally. There is no excuse. Just the same, being aware of them is the first step in adopting the vigilant attitude called self-awareness. [Read more…] about Fighting Back: Don’t be a Carjacking Victim

Feinstein Grills Kavanaugh: “Assault Weapons” Are Not in Common Use

Anti-gun Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, during her morning questioning of Supreme Court Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, amid several disruptions, asserted that so-called “assault weapons” are “not in common use” and that such weapons have allegedly been used in “hundreds of school shootings.” [Read more…] about Feinstein Grills Kavanaugh: “Assault Weapons” Are Not in Common Use

Feedback: Top Reader Comments of the Week — September 1, 2018

Stamp Out The NFA!

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Armed Good Guys: Carjacker With Knife Meets Gun

Will Turning Off Your Laser Save the Batteries?

Crimson Trace has a new video series that dispels some of the myths surrounding firearm-mounted lasers. It is not uncommon to pick up a pistol with laser grips and find the switch in the off position. When you ask “Why?” the most common response is to save the batteries. Crimson Trace offers free batteries for life, so that mitigates part of the argument, but you still don’t want to pick up your firearm in an emergency only to discover a dead battery, so Crimson Trace addressed the issue in a video. [Read more…] about Will Turning Off Your Laser Save the Batteries?

Dissident Arms And The VEPR 12 – Unleash The Beast

I have heard it said, the Molot Vepr 12 is a beast that is ready for almost any task. Unfortunately, with the sanctions implemented last year, this beast seems to have been cut down in its prime. With collectors calling for the last few units left in the country, the price of the Vepr—and all Molot’s for that matter—seems to continue to rise. This is unfortunate as the Vepr 12 has seemed to surge in popularity among many shooters and particularly amongst competitive shooters. [Read more…] about Dissident Arms And The VEPR 12 – Unleash The Beast

Did Anti-Gunners Move Too Quickly?

The Daily Wire recently took a scathing verbal swipe at anti-gunners. The anti-gunners seemed to have rushed to exploit the recent shooting at a gamer gathering in Jacksonville, Florida. The assertion is that anti-gunners use such incidents to advance their political agenda before all the facts come out. “Predictably,” the Daily Wire observed, “pro-gun control politicians and activists instantly politicized the shooting before any details were confirmed by law enforcement officials, because it is often in that window of time—when the facts are unknown—that gun control advocates are able to advance their agenda the furthest.” [Read more…] about Did Anti-Gunners Move Too Quickly?

Scratch That AR Itch — Build Your Own!

One of the coolest things about the Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR), built on the well-known AR-15 platform originally designed by Eugene Stoner, is the fact that the system is largely modular and can be assembled and modified by anyone possessing some basic tools and a bit of mechanical aptitude. Happily, for firearms enthusiasts, “easy to assemble” also translates to “easily customizable.” The concept has been so successful that the AR-15 and its countless variants have earned the names, The Swiss army knife of guns, frankengun, LEGOS for adults, and others. [Read more…] about Scratch That AR Itch — Build Your Own!

Will Armenian AKs soon be coming to America?

The press secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Armenia has announced a contract between Kalashnikov Concern and Royalsys Engineering Ltd. This is big news and means AK-12 and AK-15 rifles will soon be produced in Armenia. [Read more…] about Will Armenian AKs soon be coming to America?

Review: Balios Lite Gen 2 AR Pistol

The Balios Lite Gen 2 AR Pistol is exceptional for tactical performance. The lightweight, maneuverable platform is perfect for short- and mid-range shooting. Hitting targets on the move with accuracy and limited recoil gives you a major tactical advantage in the field. [Read more…] about Review: Balios Lite Gen 2 AR Pistol