~ SSRsi's Modern Small Arms Page ~

These are conventional civilian firearms, though some are carbon copies of military or police weapons. No full autos or rocket launchers. Always looking for additional info here..

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Torso Targets Survival Primer Website has made these (upper & full) torso targets available for downloading.

How to keep rifles zeroed, assessing accuracy problems ~ Shooting Industry, Dec, 1989 by William Schumaker: One of the most aggravating facts of rifle shooting is when those tight groups you fired today, fail and scatter far and wide tomorrow or next week. Many inexperienced shooters panic and dump the rifle into some gunsmith's shop with multiple complaints and suggestions that the gunsmith who mounted the scope, barreled the action, or made the stock, did a sloppy job...

Remington Country Magazine Preview Article: Buying A Used Gun Many of us, sometime in our shooting lifetimes, will purchase a used firearm. Sometimes this will be done for financial reasons, and other times, nostalgia might play a big part in certain purchases and then there are those spur-of-moment type transactions resulting from your coming upon a "good deal..."

Modern Firearms - Handguns - Intro What is the modern handgun? Why is this piece of crafted metal and (recently) hard plastics still in great demand not only in military forces and police departments ALL around the world? The answers are: They are small, lightweight (well, most of them) and provide good firepower; suitable, not only for defensive situations, but for offensive ones, and even for medium game hunting.

What Kind of Gun do I need? - some basic information for the first time gun buyer.

A Handgun Primer For Novices by Gary Wachs, [email protected], Version: December, 1993: The document introduces some very fundamental ideas and terminology regarding guns, particularly handguns, to beginners. If you know next-to-nothing about guns, read it straight through.

Handgun Cleaning Tips This is a 3 page pdf file produced by safepistol.com

Wheel Guns

The Gun Zone -- Colt Lawman Mk III "Air Crew" Revolver In June 1971, I was hired by the Dallas County Institute of Forensic Science as a Firearms Examiner in the Crime Lab section. During the first six months of my employment, a Colt representative showed up wanting to demonstrate a new concept in the war on air piracy. He carried a standard hard case for handguns.

Fitting the defensive firearm: "making the trusty six-gun a perfect fit." - retrofitting of revolvers for self-defense purposes

Real Revolvers Don't Wear Safeties Funny article about clueless authors and their gun toting characters.

Brownells Cylinder Throat Reamer for .45 Revolvers Revolver accuracy can sometimes be a source of constant aggravation. Shooters experiment with various loads and bullet designs trying to achieve groups that don’t resemble buckshot from a skeet gun. Some revolvers exhibit good accuracy with little or no effort at all, while others of seemingly the same quality will not shoot a decent group no matter the amount of work and frustration involved.

Revolver Accuracy It has become popular in recent years for some shooters, and some writers, to accept mediocre accuracy from their handguns. This new trend in accepting four inch groups at 25 yards as good accuracy from a quality revolver is insane. It may be in part due to the proliferation of new semi-automatic handguns on the market which can't hit the side of a barn from the inside.

An Outline History Of Colt Percussion Revolvers Dave Markowitz. This is a very brief outline history of the various models of percussion revolvers manufactured by Colt during the 19th century.

The new Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull is one of the most powerful commercially available revolvers in the world, and a classic study in creative materials management and design.

High-capacity" revolvers are new self-defense option for women. The firearm most commonly recommended to women looking for a self-defense gun is a revolver. Dealers across the country say, for the new shooter. a revolver is easier to operate and requires less maintenance, and they always recommend them as a first choice for women shooters. The only drawback has been that most self-defense revolvers only have a five- or six-shot capacity, leaving women with less ammunition during a crisis. Critics of lower-capacity revolvers have lost some of their steam since the Brady law limited all handguns to 10 rounds, however.

Defensive Revolvers. In an age of high-tech semi-auto pistols, the sixgun still holds its own as a weapon for personal protection and home defense.

North American Arms .22 LR/Magnum mini revolvers There are many who will argue with considerable persuasion that the world's smallest 5-shot revolvers have no place as self-defense weapons, that they are best suited as mere novelties, as curiosities. But is that really so?

FR&I - Women's Pages - Revolvers Revolvers are not old-fashioned guns or things of the past. Many shooters prefer a revolver over a semi-auto for numerous reasons. Most good quality revolvers can take a bit more neglect than a semi-automatic and still function - there are many true stories of guns kept loaded in bureau drawers for years (this is NOT a safe storage recommendation) which have functioned exactly as needed in a life-threatening encounter. The revolver is 'at rest' even when loaded (assuming it isn't cocked) and therefore, springs aren't being compressed while it sits for long periods of time. Because of this, it is more likely to function properly without constant care and maintenance. Simple controls and ease of cleaning are two other reasons that some people prefer revolvers over semi-autos.

Best For Defense--Revolvers Or Auto Pistols? The author shoots it out with two full-size DA round guns and two full-size autoloaders to see if he can answer this age-old question.

Revolvers vs. Automatics Want to start a fiery argument? Just ask long-time gun owners which is better. If you already have a strong opinion, perhaps not worth reading this. If you are still trying to decide what is right for you, read on.

Howstuffworks "How Revolvers Work" The revolver turned shooting a round into a one-step process, forever changing the face of crime, law enforcement and self-defense. Find out what goes on inside a revolver. Annoying pop-up adds go away if you right-click/close them. See also: Inside a Revolver

38 Snub Nose Truly compact semiauto pistols abound, but is it time to retire the short-barreled .38 special?

Colt Python revolver. Exploded views.

High Standard Sentinel revolver. Exploded views.

Ruger MK II semi auto 22 pistol. Exploded views.

Ruger Bearcat 22 revolver. Exploded views.

Ruger GP100 diagram revolver. Exploded views.

Ruger Red Hawk GP100 and SP101 revolver. Exploded views.

Ruger Security Six revolver. Exploded views.

S&W Model 19 revolver. S&W "K" frame revolvers. Exploded views.

S&W Model 36 revolver. S&W "J" frame revolvers. Exploded views.

S&W Model 29 revolver. S&W "N" frame revolvers. Exploded views.

S&W Model 686 revolver. S&W "N" frame revolvers. Exploded views.

S&W 44 American revolver. Exploded views.

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Auto Pistol

My Para-Ordnance 14.45 LDA I recently got the urge to buy another pistol. I tried my best to buy a Glock 9mm pistol. Every one of my friends who own a Glock pistol loves them. I have never heard a bad word about how they shoot; in fact they shoot extremely well. But I just couldn’t make myself buy that ugly old gun just to have the high capacity of the 9mm. That’s when I found the Para-Ordnance LDA...

Military Equipment Guides -M9 & Military Equipment Guides -M1911A1

M9 Beretta Pistol The M9 is a light weight, semiautomatic pistol manufactured by Beretta and designed to replace the M1911A1 .45 caliber pistol and .38 caliber revolvers. The M9 has redundant automatic safety features to help prevent unintentional discharges. It can be fired in either double or single action mode and can be unloaded without activating the trigger while the safety is in the "on" position. See also 9MM, M9 Semiautomatic Pistol

Beretta Exploded Views 92FS Beretta mod. 92FS

How To Make The 92FS 9mm Shoot New modifications are making the country’s much-maligned Beretta service sidearm much more accurate.

How To Clean A Semiautomatic Gun Information on how to clean and maintain most semi-automatic hand guns. Article includes several good tips on handgun care.

The Glock 22 Pistol Glock was founded by Mr. Gaston Glock, an engineer, in 1963 in Deutsch-Wagram, near Vienna to specialize in the manufacture of plastic and steel components. In the early 1980s, the Austrian military decided to acquire a new duty pistol asking numerous famous local and foreign weapon manufacturers for their bids.

Exploded Firearms Drawings

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Target Pistol

Bullseye Pistol Qualification Program These courses of fire emphasize the development of competition bullseye pistol shooting skills. While some shooters may prefer the course of fire that emphasizes stage (slow, timed, rapid) skill development, others may prefer the course that stresses aggregate (total score) skill development. Both are provided so you can choose the course of fire just right for you.

John Dreyer's Bullseyepistol.com -- There's lots more on this site as well!
The Significance of Competition
Get Into Bullseye Pistol Shooting
American Rifleman's Bullseye Basics
Outdoor Bullseye Pistol Shooting
NRA's Introductory Information on the Sport
Tips on Being a Good Competitor
Proper Etiquette for Competitors
The Essential Equipment
Don't Compromise on Your Equipment
The Custom-Built Bullseye Handgun
Facts and Figures About Red Dot Sights
The Benefits of Custom Anatomical Grips
Army Marksmanship Training Guide
Determine the Best Diet - For Your Pistol
Technical and Reloading Information
Maintaining Your Hammerli 208s Pistol
Proper Techniques in Pistol Lubrication
Restrictions for a CMP (EIC) "Service Pistol"
Three Lessons by Bill Blankenship
The Late Allen Fulford on Bullseye Pistol
Application of the Fundamentals
Error Analysis and Correction
Fundamentals of Pistol Marksmanship
Strength and Stamina of the Pistol Shooter
Mastering the Rapid Fire Stage
Greg Derr on True Fundamentals
Mental Aspects of Match Shooting
The Psychology of Routine in Shooting
The Art of Shooting Under Pressure
Staying Focused Despite Match Pressure
Sleeping Well Before the Big Match
Know All the Rules of Gun Safety
Quotes from Scholars of Gun Control
The Real Causes of Crime, Not Guns
The False Promise of Gun Control
More Research Data from the NRA-ILA
Articles That Explore "Zen in Shooting"
Zen: Where Bullseye Pistol Meets Everyday Life
"Issha Zetsumei" - Core Philosophy of Shooting
Zen in the Development of a New Shooter
Zen in Visualization of Proper Fundamentals
Practice and Lifestyle are Intertwined
The Origins and Evolution of Zen
Recommended Additional Reading on Zen
A Secret to Shooting High Scores?
Army Marksmanship Champion Profiles
Chris Johnson: Making Master in One Year
James E. Clark - A Bullseye Legend
The Attributes of a Champion Shooter
Official NRA Bullseye Pistol Rulebook
NRA's National Conventional Pistol Records
Software Tools for Match Directors

"MCM" Margolin Self-Loading Target Pistol

IZH-34M Target Rapid-Fire Pistol

IZH-35M Standard Target Pistol

OSP Manual (Download pdf 0,8 MB)

Target Pistol Shot Analysis PDF FILE Taken from The UIT Pistol Book by John Chandler and the United States Army Marksmanship Training Unit Manual.

Equipment in Pistol Shooting. Use this article as a guide to selecting and acquiring equipment to participate in this sport. You certainly may get involved in this sport with only some of the equipment described in this article. However, that if you truly wish to become a competitor, and possibly a champion, you may eventually obtain every item in the list. On the other hand, gadgetry can be an obsession, and unneeded expenses can be avoided by using a little logic.

Guidelines for Conduct on a Pistol Range.

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Bolt/Lever/Pump Action Rifle

The Lee-Enfield was the main rifle used by the British Army during the First World War. Other popular bolt action rifles included the Mauser Gewehr (Germany), Lebel (France), Mannlicher-Carcano (Italy), Springfield (United States), Moisin-Nagant (Russia), Mannlicher M95 (Austria) and Arisaka (Japan). This historical site has some neat info on the linked rifles.

Tool For Lapping The Locking Lugs On Bolt Action Rifles How to make your own tool for lapping a rifle bolt locking lugs.

Steyr Scout Rifle The press party for the Steyr Scout was most entertaining. The little gun is truly a jewel, and a great tribute to the ingenuity of the engineers at Steyr. I take satisfaction in the knowledge that this modern version of the scout rifle concept is largely my idea. The little gun is a great pleasure to shoot and, in my opinion, it is indeed a great leap forward. A couple of minor modifications were agreed upon at Whittington and will be incorporated in the production model to be displayed at the SHOT Show in January. These include a somewhat lighter bolt-lift, a black rather than nickel bolt, and a seamless stock juncture. I am doing my best to actuate the left-handed version to be offered ASAP. More Photos and Specifications of the Steyr Scout Rifle

Exploded Firearms Drawings
 

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Semi Auto Rifle

AR15.com – Home of the AR 15 rifle.

Basic Skills - Step by step instructions (with photos) of the skills needed to operate an AR-15.  Loading, unloading, disassembly, cleaning, assembly, function testing, and reacting to a malfunction are all covered.

Operating And Safety Instruction Manual For all Bushmaster XM15 Models [PDF]

Centurion 99 Sporter & Centurion 2000 Sporter (Cal. .308 Win.) Operating And Instruction Manual

Exploded Firearms Drawings See also: Firearm Blueprints and Schematics

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Match Shooting:

Tips for Shooting the IDPA Classifier Match These notes are intended to help those who are shooting the IDPA Classifier for the first time, and who may not be aware of some of its subtleties. The following is what I have observed while classifying several hundred shooters from the Dallas area. However, the opinions expressed herein are my own, and your mileage may vary.

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Shotgun

Shotgun Questions Sort of a short FAQ

A Look At The Tactical Shotgun Without question, the Tactical Shotgun is one of the most misunderstood weapons of all time. Riddled with myths and war stories that obscure its true capabilities, this highly efficient home and self-defense arm has yet to reach its full potential. Learn its real world capabilities and limitations with us at FRONT SIGHT.

Heckler & Koch/Benelli's M4 Super 90/XM1014 - the US Military's Innovative New Tactical Shotgun. By Charles Q. Cutshaw ©1999. The military shotgun has been in use, primarily by the American armed forces, for well over a hundred years. Throughout its history as a military small arm, the shotgun has been called by many names. It was first termed a "riot gun" and later a "trench gun." Later still, the military shotgun came to be called a "fighting shotgun" or "combat shotgun." While the latter terms still prevail among some, we prefer the term "tactical shotgun" because it precisely describes the use of the gun - as a tactical small arm. While the terms "combat" or "fighting" have a certain macho appeal, and the US military acquisition program carried the "combat shotgun" name, neither term precisely defines the role of the shotgun as used by today's law enforcement or the military.

Shotgunning for Varmints by Mark Lisi. The shotgun is rarely thought of in varmint terms. There are duck guns, upland guns, and clay target guns. Each of these general categories spawn discussion on action type, rib, stock, chock, and chamber size. Most hunters just grab a “meat gun”, usually a duck gun, and stuff it with whatever lead shot that is still laying around the house. Much of what drives a decision on a varmint specific shotgun is shooter preference.

Gold Fusion Shotgun Browning autoloader Operating manual. [PDF] see also Gold Autoloading 12 & 20 GA Shotgun

Exploded Firearms Drawings

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Air Gun

General Airgun Forum

Fainting Squirrels & Steel Crows by Jock Elliott. There he sat, square in the crosshairs, almost taunting me. His tail was curled over his back, an acorn clutched in his paws, and he seemed to be saying: "Go ahead, I dare ya." I sucked in a breath, eased half of it out, and concentrated on squeeeeeeeezing the trigger while the image in the scope bounced on the kill zone in rhythm to my pulse. Thwack! The shot was away and hit the squirrel square in the pump. He went down like a stone with a distinct clang.

PCB v1.8 Exterior Ballistics Software by (c) Odd H†vard Skevik (1996). This program is a free ballistics program that was developed by Odd H†vard Skevik from Norway. The program is DOS based and will run under DOS, Win 3.1, Win95, Win98 and Windows 2000. It was originally designed for firearms but it is also useful for airguns. You will need to know the ballistics coeffiecent of your pellet. There is a calculator with the program that will calculate the BC given to velocity readings at a fixed distance. I have used the program for over 5 years now with great success, give it a try.

Airgun Calculators Simple to use, online calculators. Type in the variables and hit enter: Energy Calculator; Translator and Click to Point of Impact Calculator.

Airguns For Wild Boar? More Airgun History. By Robert Beeman, Ph.D. "James, pump up my new air rifle for the boar hunt tomorrow." These might very well have been the words of a wealthy Highland Scotsman to his gillie in the late 1700's. It comes as a considerable surprise to most present-day sportsmen that airguns were among the more powerful, and certainly among the most elite, of large-bore rifles over 200 years ago! This modem lack of awareness is understandable when one discovers that powerful airguns were very uncommon, even then. Good airguns have always cost more to make than equivalent quality firearms. The special skills, knowledge and great amount of time necessary to make the complex valves, locks and air reservoirs of the early airguns meant that only the most wealthy shooters could afford them.

Why Buy an Adult Precision Airgun? by Tom Holzel and Robert D. Beeman, Phd. What can explain the rapid growth of precision airgun shooting? Why are so many new shooters suddenly buying precision airguns? People from all walks of life are discovering that airgun shooting can be a relaxing hobby--or a rewarding, highly competitive sport.

The Three Basic Types of Airguns by Ben Saltzman. Airguns come in many shapes and forms. You know this to be true because you just might want to own one of these swell airguns but can't understand why Beeman imports so many when you want just one. I'll give you some basic information so that you can make a considered choice. Besides the question of caliber, modern airguns fit into three basic groups defined by their power plants (means of pushing a pellet out the barrel). 1. Pneumatic Airguns 2. Spring-Piston Airguns 3. CO2 Airguns.

Airguns, Caliber, and Pellet Selection by Tom Holzel. Airguns are mechanical devices that turn the stored potential energy of a coiled spring or compressed gas into kinetic (moving) energy, and transmit it to a projectile. However, the kinetic energy (or "power") of a gun is not measured directly. Rather, it is the energy imported to the projectile (a pellet) that is measured. This pellet energy is the product of velocity and weight (actually mass), both of which are measured separately.

Inaccuracy in Airguns by Lewis Reinhold. Here is a list of frequent problem areas to look at before you give up in despair. Most of the information applies to conventional spring piston airguns but is appropriate to other systems as well.

Field Use of an Airgun by Dr Robert D. Beeman It's hard to say if more adult air gun shooting is done indoors or outdoors at the present time. As noted earlier there are certainly plenty of reasons for shooting indoors. However, few field activities offer any more relaxation and enjoyment than shooting an airgun. The relative safety and quiet of fine airguns allow you to do with ease things that might not even be possible with a firearm. You don't have to have formal targets or live game to enjoy a day in the field.

Care and Feeding of Airguns A modern spring-piston air rifle or air pistol will deliver its maximum shooting potential and remain trouble-free for an unusually long period of time if properly lubricated and cleaned. Ignoring this will inevitable lead to wear, power and accuracy loss, and ultimate breakdown. Improper lubrication can cause damage to the gun and possible injury to the shooter and bystanders. Understanding the principles will both increase shooting enjoyment and assist functioning. Here are the BASIC POINTS.

General Principles of a PCP Regulator Regulators come in different shapes and sizes. Designs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but the end result is the same. A regulator is simply a valve. Probably one of the simplest regulating devises is the firing valve used in the Titan and Falcon line of guns. The area around the plastic firing valve has a set clearance that limits the air being allowed to pass. In this system the gun remains somewhat constant over a range of several hundred PSI. The conclusion drawn from this is that it isn't a function of pressure propelling the pellet as much as a given volume of air to get the job done. The job of the regulator is to maintain a constant output pressure while the input pressure varies. In the airgun the regulator does not regulate the flow of the air as much as it regulates the pressure of the firing valve chamber. Some regulators have a very slow recovery rate, others are almost instantaneous.

Airgun Shooting Positions by Eric A. Schwartz. Short article covers technique in all (normal) positions.

The Evolution of the Air Pistol by Shri Raj Khalid. Pistol shooting conjures up images of exotic pistols. We all remember Wyatt Earp's famous Colt Revolver with the extra -long barrel made by the famed gunsmith Ned Buntline. In fact the revolver was called a Buntline Special. Through the ages pistols have evolved into remarkably complex yet aesthetically pleasing works of art! No other pistol has evolved as dramatically as the air-pistol.

The Real Meaning of BB by Tom Gaylord. The information I'm about to give comes primarily from Cass S. Hough's book: It's A Daisy! Mr. Hough is the grandson of the founder of Daisy. Originally, the first BB guns had a bore size of approximately 0.180 inches. This is close to the shotgun pellet size BB, which falls in between shot size B and size BBB. Hence, little boys used lead BB shot in their guns. Later, Daisy standardized lead shot to 0.175 inches and called it air rifle shot.

Build a Simple Wood Field Target for under $10. Whether you are starting a new club or wanting some inexpensive practice targets, this wood design Field Target is a great way to go. Building these field targets only requires a few common tools found in just about any home. The design has proven to be both reliable and durable. The basic design was first given to me by Rodney Boyce. I modified it slightly by adding a spring and tension screw adjustment. See also: Target Face designs that can be used for targets

Adjusting the TX200 Trigger by Cliff Smith. It is difficult to understand how to adjust the trigger on the TX200 by following the User's Handbook, or to understand how the trigger operates by looking at the exploded parts diagram. The following may clear some of the fog. There are sure to be other adjustment techniques, but this works for me. First a basic summary of what happens, then some detail.

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OnLine Mags & Trades

GUN TESTS When it comes to selecting a firearm, serious shooters turn to GUN TESTS first. For over a decade, GUN TESTS has delivered unbiased and on-target evaluations of today's most-wanted production handguns, rifles, shotguns and shooting accessories. Subscriber supported, GUN TESTS accepts no commercial advertising. As a result, readers know GUN TESTS' ratings and recommendations are always full, fair and unfettered.

AMERICAN SHOOTING MAGAZINE Appears to be free.

Auction Arms - Firearms auctions with wish list page.

Guns America - Firearms classifieds with email updates on listings.

Gun Broker - Firearms auctions, also known as For The Hunt.

Gun Week

Women & Guns

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Misc. Info

Basic Rifle Marksmanship By David Reed Very good article on the fundamentals of marksmanship. [link updated]

(Sniper) Fieldcraft By David Reed. Includes good info on marksmanship, as well as sniper tactics. Covers the bases on ingress/egress, cover & concealment, site selection, tracking, etc. Good article, a little spooky. Not for everyone. [link updated]

Firearms Tutorial No matter which side you take on the sale and use of firearms in this country, the fact remains that you will encounter the results of firearms injuries. This tutorial is designed to give you a working knowledge of the types of firearms, the types of ammunition used, the nature of injuries that can be produced in the body, and the investigative techniques employed by the forensic pathologist in assessing firearms injuries.

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