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The M1 Garand: America’s Semiautomatic Legacy
Few firearms have earned the reverence, battlefield credibility, and lasting legacy that the M1 Garand commands. Heralded by General George S. Patton as “the greatest battle implement ever devised,” the M1 Garand played a defining role in securing Allied victory during World War II and continued to serve into the mid-20th century across multiple global conflicts. Its innovative design, rugged reliability, and ease of use changed the face of infantry combat—and helped shape America’s military dominance. Development and Design: Innovation Ahead of Its Time Prior to the M1 Garand, the standard issue rifle for U.S. forces was the bolt-action M1903 Springfield—a highly accurate rifle, but slow to operate in combat…
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The Benefits of Learning to Maintain and Assemble Your Own AR-15
The AR-15 is one of the most popular firearms in the United States, prized for its versatility, accuracy, and modularity. Whether you use an AR-15 for hunting, home defense, competition shooting, or recreation, understanding how to maintain and assemble it properly is essential. Learning to disassemble, clean, and reassemble your AR-15 not only helps extend its lifespan and reliability, but also allows you to customize it to your exact preferences. If you own or plan to build an AR-15, investing in the right knowledge and tools is just as important as selecting quality parts. Why Learn More About Your AR-15? Ensure Reliability and Longevity A well-maintained AR-15 functions more reliably…
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The M1 Garand: The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised
Few rifles in history carry the same legendary status as the M1 Garand. Dubbed by General George S. Patton as the “greatest battle implement ever devised,” the M1 Garand was the standard-issue service rifle for the U.S. military during World War II and the Korean War. Its semi-automatic action and robust design gave American soldiers a significant advantage over enemies still relying on bolt-action rifles. Today, the M1 Garand remains a highly sought-after rifle for collectors, competitive shooters, and history enthusiasts alike. A Game-Changer on the Battlefield When the M1 Garand was adopted in 1936, it became the world’s first standard-issue semi-automatic military rifle. Unlike the bolt-action rifles of the…
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The Ruger 10/22 Complete Owner’s and Assembly Guide
The Ruger 10/22 Complete Owner’s and Assembly Guide – How to select, configure, operate, maintain and upgrade your own Ruger 10/22 by Walt Kuleck. WHY A Ruger 10/22 COMPLETE OWNER’S and ASSEMBLY GUIDE? This book is the latest volume in the Scott A. Duff Publications’ Guide series. The Ruger 10/22 Complete Owner’s and Assembly Guide is like the other Guides; its purpose is to give the new 10/22 owner a head start towards an in-depth understanding of the history, operation, maintenance, upgrading and use of his or her rifle, while providing the experienced owner knowledge that they don’t yet have, with the intent of giving even the expert new insights…
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Nelson’s Summer Special
Above from left: Bruce Nelson (Combat Leather), Milt Sparks (early with very thin leather, Idaho City marked), two Milt Sparks (contemporary, for 5″ and 4 1/4″, Boise marked), and lastly another Idaho City Milt Sparks, sans “sweat guard.” Of Bruce Nelson’s designs, the Summer Special may be his most original. Bruce reportedly granted Milt permission to use the Summer Special design, as we see here. I find the variations of Milt’s Summer Specials interesting. Of course, of these only the first and last were likely made by Milt because they bear the early Idaho City mark. The two with sweat guards are marked “TK,” for Milt’s successor, Tony Kanaly. …
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Rogers & Hackathorn Holsters
In contrast to Ernie Hills’ use of steel-lined leather, Bill Rogers contrived a means of permanently bonding leather to Kydex (US Pat No 4340437) to create a rigid holster that would not collapse under the weight of the competitor in a prone stage of fire. Rogers’ designs were generally more minimalist than Hills’. These Hackathorn Combat Specials are a case in point. Ken Hackathorn was an early member of Coopers’ Gunsite circle, even before Gunsite, if memory serves. This holster design is eminently practical for everyday carry in contrast to the more extreme and specialized holsters exemplified by Hills’. The Hackathorn Combat Special is concealable, conforming to one of Coopers’…
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WJK 1911
There has been a lot of positive reaction to my Facebook page’s cover picture of “WJK M1911,” one of the two pistols I built with and for “The M1911 Complete Assembly Guide.” I thought some might find this pistol’s background of some interest. The preparation for the Assembly Guide began with attending Larry Vickers’ second-ever M1911-building class. Larry had arranged for the students to begin with Caspian “gunsmith-fit” frames and slides; each frame’s serial number began with “LVP.” My frame was #11, hence “LVP 011.” Unfortunately, a family medical emergency took me away from that class when I was not yet halfway through it. Fortunately, during the photography and writing…
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The Mysterious Case of the Pachmayr & the Tussey
Some years ago, whilst researching “The M1911 Complete Owner’s Guide,” I came across a Pachmayr custom M1911 in .22 Long Rifle. It was built with a .22/.45 Conversion Unit. Nothing particularly puzzling there, except for one nagging question: what was the source of the frame? Clearly, the frame was produced prior to 1968*, at a time when, while the serial number (if present) of American-manufactured firearms was to be marked on the frame or receiver, the manufacturer was free to place the company name and address and model name anywhere it chose. In the case of automatic pistols, generally, the manufacturer and model were marked on the slide, with the…
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Ernie Hill Holsters
Back in the ’80s the trend to very specialized holsters for IPSC competition really took hold. One of the preeminent holster makers of that era was Ernie Hill. Ernie was an accomplished fast-draw competitor; his metal-lined holsters reflect that heritage. This holster is marked “Enos / Leatham,” two of the most prominent IPSC shooters of the time. The popularity of Ernie’s holsters is demonstrated by the picture (lower right) of a group of competitors at a European IPSC match in the late ’80s. This holster is surprisingly heavy because of the steel inside. It’s definitely not a daily carry rig! The magazine in the mag carrier is roughly contemporary to…
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In My Backyard: Tulle Fusil de Grenadier
One of the most interesting firearms I have had the opportunity to own is a Tulle Fusil de Grenadier. As a lifetime history buff, I knew from a young age that Forbes Road, the 18th century road from Fort Ligonier to Fort Duquesne, passed about two miles south of my home. As a boy it never entered my mind that I would one day own a French musket that may have been carried along Forbes Road. The French & Indian war lasted from 1754 through 1763. In addition to Jumonville Glen, battle sites in my area include Fort Necessity, Braddock’s crossing of the Monongahela River, Fort Duquesne, Fort Pitt, Fort Ligonier…
