Great Gun Stuff Blog

Accuracy International has updated their .308 Win. AE rifle and Shooting Illustrated has posted an article about it online ...

Accuracy International (AI) rifles have always been something of an enigma with mainstream shooters in the United States. These distinctive-looking bolt guns are known to tactical shooters around the world as accurate and extremely well-made precision rifles, but AI once had the less-flattering reputation of being slow or altogether absent in the customer-service department. Part of the problem was due to a patchwork of U.S.-based support centers, while a state of financial flux for the company in England added to the issue.

Read the entire article here.

The MKII features Accuracy International's folding stock which is also available for the Rem. 700. It is an amazing stock (also an amazingly high price).

CombatDriver writes at HighRoad.us ...

I discovered this light machine gun last month at a SF team house here in Afghanistan. Its an old post WWI French Mdle 1922 light machine gun in 7.92mm Mauser. There were two models one that fed from a box magazine on top and this one that used stripper fed clips (15,24 &30 rd cap). The French made them is several calibers, including 6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer (Greek), 7x57 Mauser (Spain), 7.7x56R (.303, UK) and 7.92x57 Mauser (Czechosolvakia). This one is missing the charging hande, bipod and muzzle brake.

Cleaning rod has been jammed into the bolt carrier and used as improvised charging handle.

Hugh West was arrested after he tried to sell a zip gun to a passing motorist in the UK. The Daily Mail reports (emphasis mine ...

West, 41, showed the flabbergasted driver the weapon and even demonstrated how it could be put together and be fired.

'The driver said "I'm alright, I don't need a gun" at which point the defendant put the gun back in his pocket and walked off.'

The stupidity of criminals never ceases to amaze me!

Many thanks to David for the link.

Disappointingly the dinosaur gun we were all hoping for is not a dinosaur gun after all. Beretta have not yet published anything yet, but from what I have read, their new autoloader shotgun, Xplor UNICO A400, it is a refinement of the Beretta Xtrema 2 and 391.

Beretta Xplor - It is Green!

Over the weekend I was searching for photos of the new shotgun, and even emailed my contact at Beretta USA, but all I could find was some pretty boring images taken by Beretta showing it being shot from a distance. For some reason Beretta made all the journalists who attended the launch to agree not to publish any photos before November. I believe the photo above is legit. An Italian online store published it, only to take it down soon after (presumably after realizing they were not allowed to publish it). I have blurred out their name so that they do not get into any trouble.

Onto the shotgun itself ...

The shotgun will come chambered in a 3" version and 3.5" super-magnum version. It optionally features the new kick-off^3 (that is kick-off-cubed, for those of you who do not use spreadsheets) recoil reduction system stock. Two hydraulic dampers in the stock (the return spring is forward of the receiver, not in the stock) and another damper, maybe mercury or a spring mechanism, in the forend.

Jim Shepherd reports:

With our barrels plugged for only three shots, I didn't get to try the four-shot speed, but I did empty my three shots at a rate I didn't think possible-and aimed, not simply fired. That's apparently due the test gun's using Beretta's new "Kick-Off" recoil reduction system. Along with a new Micro Core recoil pad, dual hydraulic dampers in the butt and a third to reduce recoil peak from the bit of the bolt against the receiver, it absolutely reduced the impact of a long day's shooting.

Maybe the first recoil damper is inserted into the magazine, which would explain why they were not allowed more than three rounds loaded into the magazine? I don't really know, I am guessing.

It uses a new gas system called the Beretta BLink. The name is a reference to its speed. Weighing in at 6.6 lbs, it is very light and slightly lighter than the Benelli Vinic.

James Marchington, of Sporting Shooter magazine (UK), published a scan of the specifications ...

I will update the blog when more information becomes available.

The PR image I mentioned before.