Home Defense

The Mossberg Persuader Model 590A1 No. 51411 , $443, uses an 18.5-inch fixed Cylinder choke barrel, single front bead sight, non-glare matte finish, and 5+1 capacity. We tested the 5+1 500A Persuader, No. 50411, in the January 2001 issue. The major differences between the two guns are the heavy barrel and matte-black Parkerized finish on the 51411 and the presence of a pistol grip as part of the 50411 package. Also, the 590A1 has a metal trigger guard and safety button. The 590A1 is also more pricey, $443 compared to $357 MSRP for the 500-series gun.

Many shooters want a lightweight, handy 223 carbine for self-defense—and that means reasonable accuracy, a good trigger, shooter friendliness, and ease of handling. In self-defense use, reliability is paramount, but the gun has to have enough accuracy to hit what it’s aimed at.There are several potential solutions to this firearms problem, one of which is the AK-based Arsenal SLR 106FR, $925. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov’s famous assault rifle is the basis for the Arsenal gun. Likely more than 75 million AKs have been produced by more than a dozen countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, China, East Germany, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, and the former Yugoslavia.

Lynch Hummer, a $7.5 million Hummer facility in an upscale St. Louis suburb, has announced the opening of the world's first combined Hummer and firearms dealership.

Every summer at Camp Perry, Ohio, prior to the National Rifle and Pistol Trophy Matches, soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit pass their shooting knowledge on to the next generation of American shooters at the Small Arms Firing School.

The school was instituted in 1918 by the Department of Defense and is conducted by the USAMU, along with assistance by members of the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Army Reserve and National Guard.

The travel writer Arthur Frommer has authored dozens of Frommer’s Travel Guides, and he writes a blog called Arthur Frommer Online. Now he’s trying to organize a boycott of Arizona’s travel industry because he disagrees with its gun laws.

Extreme Shock Ammunition has introduced two new products, the Extreme Shock Magwell and the Extreme Shock Lightwell. These two products are built for use with an M4 or AR-15 to offer better grip, allow for faster reloads, improve stance for CQB and protect the gun itself.

Houston-based B.A. Brooks Sports is a Federal Firearms License dealer who supplies firearms for Gun Tests evaluations. B.A. Brooks Sports sometimes has guns acquired for Gun Tests evaluation that readers might want to purchase. The following list describes those firearms and accessories.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that according to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report released last week by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $109.8 million in the first calendar quarter of 2009; up 43% over the same time period reported in 2008.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced last week that for the second quarter of 2009, the Company reported net sales of $72.4 million and earnings of 46¢ per share, compared with sales of $38.7 million and earnings of 5¢ per share in the second quarter of 2008.

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. announced outstanding June sales results last week.

The Miami-Herald has reported that the state of Georgia is offering free land, new buildings, and tax abatements to convince firearms maker Taurus USA to leave Florida.

Data released by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 968,145 checks in June 2009, up 18.1 percent from the 819,891 reported in June 2008.