Top 10 Articles Of 2015

Welcome to American Shooting Journal reader’s TOP 10 articles of the year. We covered topics that are informative, controversial, cool, inspiring and overall fun to digest. If you missed them the first time around, here is another chance to see what topped the charts. Enjoy!

1. Why I like 9mm

When I used to work at a gun store I was frequently asked what caliber was best for any given situation. It would have been nice if there had been some sort of magic death ray that I could have suggested, but there isn’t, and most people have a pretty flawed understanding of what actually happens when a bullet interacts with a human target. Here’s my take on it and personal reasoning behind selecting a 9mm round. Read the rest of the story on 9mm ammo.

2. Jesse James Maker of Guns

The phone in my office rang and when I picked up, the voice on the other end said, “Hi, it’s Jesse, I heard you wanted to talk to me.” Yes, in fact, I did want to speak with Jesse James of JJFU (Jesse James Firearms Unlimited). Read the interview: Jesse James guns.

3. Gun Review: 995TS

When Winchester produced its famous 1873 lever-action rifles and carbines, Colt wasted no time in chambering its single-action Army revolver in Winchester’s calibers from .44-40 down to .32-20. There are times when the quick handling and easy portability of a handgun is of paramount importance for self defense, but when faced with dire threats cowboys knew it was much better to have a repeating rifle. A handgun and longarm in the same caliber was a winner on the American frontier. From a self-defense standpoint, today’s shooters can find a practical, cost-effective, modern parallel to the 19th century Colt/Winchester pairing in Hi-Point carbines and pistols. Read Gun Review: 995TS.

4. Firearms of Frogmen Part I and Part II

Underwater Pistols Used By Combat Divers Around The World – The Soviet Union was the first to begin developing firearms specifically for their combat divers. The Soviet Navy was worried about divers attacking their ships in their naval anchorages, and in particular those of the Black Sea fleet based in Sevastopol, located on the Crimean Peninsula, and Odessa, Ukraine. Read Part I of frogmen underwater guns and underwater guns Part II.

5. Gun Review: Windham Carbon Fiber AR-15

Since the weight of an AR-15 rifle varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model, it can sometimes be an undesirable element for women who shoot them. A fully accessorized AR-15 can weigh upwards of 10 or more pounds with a fully loaded, high-capacity magazine. This weight can cause the shooter to lean backwards to compensate, and in turn, makes these heavier guns un-enjoyable. Read carbon fiber AR15.

6. Combat Shotgun Identity Crisis

The shotgun is an iconic weapon most often associated with the pump-action badassery of action films and video games. While awesome in fiction, its use in the real world is limited to close combat and breaching doors, not to mention bird and deer hunting. Despite its drawbacks, a mystique surrounds the weapon, and soldiers as well as law enforcement officers still use them. The draw of the gun is so powerful that the Pentagon has spent several decades and millions of dollars to improve on the basic design. Click here to read combat shotgun.

7. Product Review: Three-in-One Rifle Magazine

The UNIMAG solves the need for multiple magazines – With the proliferation of AR15s and STANAG-compatible rifles, many of us end up having to keep numerous incompatible magazines on hand. For example, 6.8mm SPC and 338 Spectre require one type, 223 Remington, 300 Blackout and 458 SOCOM another, 7.62×39 a third. Keeping them straight for a range trip is half the problem. Changing over chest rig pouches from mostly straight 223 to curved 7.62×39 is more annoying. Read rifle magazine.

8. The Top 10 Holsters of 2015

Due the immensity of the shooting world, it was a very tough call, not only for categories, but for final winners. These decisions do not come lightly. Not only does our inquiry start with reader recommendations, it continues through intense research on the company, the product, and the differences they make in the industry. Read more at concealed carry holsters.

9. Coolest AR-15 Bolt Cleaning Tools

It could be a fun weekend shooting with friends, a 3-gun competition, civil disturbance, or zombie apocalypse (I know, so overdone). Guns get dirty, carbon builds up in all the typical places and guns lose accuracy and reliability. A quick in-the-field cleaning can keep guns running smoothly and accurately so you don’t find yourself without an operational gun when things are at their worse or best. Read more about cool AR-15 bolt cleaning tools.

10. Gun Safe Cracking – Too Easy!

Not long ago, I was in the market for a small handgun safe. After visiting a local gun shop and bringing home my new gun safe, I took it out of its box, and wondered if I’d spent too much. Up close, the device looked insubstantial. A nagging suspicion motivated me to go online, where I quickly discovered research by Marc Tobias and Tobias Bluzmanis of Investigative Law Offices and Security Laboratories. Their work confirmed my suspicion about the safe. It could be broken into easily. Learn more on how easy it is to crack your safe. ASJ