Bob Munden, one of the greatest trick shooters ever, passed away in December of last year. If you never had a chance to see Bob work his magic with a six-gun (or other firearm), here’s your chance. Tonight’s edition of Shooting USA’s Impossible Shots, features some of Bob Munden’s “greatest hits” from over the years. Before his passing, Bob was a regular on the Impossible Shots TV show.
On tonight’s episode, Munden flicks coins with his Peacemaker, making them spin like a top. Bob was famous for this and other tricks — like splitting playing cards in mid-air, and shooting the fletching off an arrow. Munden was famous both as a trick shooter and as a speed-draw specialist, with fast-draw records listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Air times for the Bob Munden episode on Shooting USA’s Impossible Shots are listed below. The show airs Wednesday Nights on the Outdoor Channel, and is repeated late Friday/Saturday:
Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC (Colt) is introducing a line of ammunition for Colt tactical and competition rifles. This new Colt-branded “Hunting and Defence Match” ammo will be manufactured by Black Hills Ammunition. The initial offerings are designed for rifles chambered for 5.56×45 NATO and will feature 55gr and 77gr Sierra match bullets. According to the Guns.com Blog: “The 77-grain cartridge may strike a few people as somewhat familiar. It is for most purposes Black Hills MK 262 77-grain ammo… considered by many to be the best factory-loaded 5.56 NATO ammunition on the market.”
Colt Claims Ammo Will Shoot 1-MOA Groups at 500 Yards
Colt says its ammunition will deliver long-range accuracy. During the development process, this line of Colt ammo was ballistically tested in Colt rifles with a requirement of consistent five-shot, one-MOA (5″) groups at 500 yards. Colt calls this the “triple-nickel” standard (5 shots, 5″, 500 yards). Colt claims that the “Triple Nickel” capability of its ammo “assures the experienced shooter incredible performance right out of the box, with no need for load development or experimentation.”
Holding 1-MOA at 100 yards is not that exceptional. But maintaining 1-MOA groups at 500 yards would be impressive indeed. This would require consistent powder charges and tight bullet-seating length tolerances to keep vertical dispersion to a minimum. It will be interesting to test the Colt-branded ammo when it hits the market and see if it works as well as claimed.
“We’re very proud of the ‘Triple Nickel’ requirement of this ammunition,” said said Joyce Rubino, Vice President of Marketing for Colt’s Manufacturing: “Our goal with Black Hills was to bring to market a superior line of ammunition for sport shooters to use in Colt rifles, and we feel we have achieved this through the partnership with Black Hills.”
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The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has produced a video in which management and employees of three Connecticut-based companies, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Stag Arms, and Ammunition Storage Components, talk about the importance of their jobs and how their companies contribute to the Constitution State’s economy.
This video was produced in response to Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy’s recent call for severe new gun control laws. An NSSF statement noted: “We are troubled by the Governor’s apparent change in attitude[.] We do not believe a rush to quick-fix legislation is likely to produce real public safety solutions, while it holds the clear potential to hurt good-paying manufacturing jobs in our state.”
NSSF and member companies based in Connecticut and western Massachusetts have been working for several weeks to help educate legislators, the media and the public not only about the economic impact of the firearms industry in the Constitution State, but also what measures are most effective at keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals and unauthorized individuals. To that end, NSSF President Steve Sanetti authored an op-ed in The Hartford Courant, entitled “Focus on Gun Access, Not Gun Ban”.
Connecticut has a long tradition of arms-making. In 1848, on a site overlooking the Connecticut River in Hartford, Samuel Colt built the Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company factory. A larger factory, called the Colt Armory, was added in 1855. The 1850s were a decade of phenomenal success for Colt’s Connecticut-based enterprise.
Colt’s Mfg. was the first to widely commercialize the total use of interchangeable parts throughout a product. A leader in assembly line practice, the company was a major innovator and training ground in manufacturing technology. Colt’s armories in Hartford trained several generations of toolmakers and machinists, who had great influence in American manufacturing. Prominent examples included F. Pratt and A. Whitney, and Henry Leland (who would end up at Cadillac and Lincoln).
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Report based on story by Lars Dalseide forNRAblog
Colt Manufacturing’s 175th Anniversary Single Action Army revolver is now on loan at the NRA National Firearms Museum. The one-of-a-kind gun (serial number 175) was crafted by the Colt’s Custom Shop and engraved by Master Engravers Steve Kamyk and George Spring. It was created “to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of Colt Firearms”, notes Timothy Looney, Custom Shop Manager.
The firearm is based on the Colt Single Action Army with a black powder-style frame finished in color case hardening. The barrel, cylinder, trigger guard, and backstrap are finished in Carbonia Blue and the balance of small parts are fire-blued. The firearm has been scroll-engraved with C+ coverage and is accented by full gold frame borders including raised running leaf on both sides of the recoil shield. The left recoil shield exhibits “175” in high-relief gold over raised-relief scroll.
CLICK image squares to see larger photos.
The non-fluted cylinder is highlighted by the Colt dome comprised of gold and silver raised relief and the the opposing side displays the serpentine Colt in raised gold. Hand inlaid gold bands accent the barrel and the cylinder. The backstrap has been engraved and gold inlaid with Sam Colt’s signature. The elephant ivory grips are scrimshawed with a portrait of Sam Colt on the left side and the Rampant Colt on the right side.
“The 150th Anniversary pistol was auctioned off and sold for $150,000,” explained Looney. “This one is valued at $175,000. We wanted it … where people could see it because we’re very proud of our master engravers and we like their work to be shown.” The Single Action Army Revolver will be on display at the NRA National Firearms Museum through October of 2013.
Photos courtesy NRABlog and Colt Manufacturing
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Would you like to own guns carried by America’s most infamous criminal couple? Well here’s your chance — the personal handguns of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde), go up for auction in September, along with other personal memorabilia. Bonnie’s personal Colt .38 SPL Detective Special will be auctioned, along with Clyde’s favored Colt .45 ACP Government Model 1911. Bonnie’s revolver was recovered from her bullet-ridden body after the famous 1934 Louisiana roadside ambush which brought a bloody end to Bonnie and Clyde’s notorious crime spree. The snubnose was found strapped to Bonnie’s inner thigh with medical tape. Clyde’s 1911 was found tucked in his waistband.
Both guns have been thoroughly authenticated and carry a rock-solid provenance. Experts predict each handgun will bring $100,000 to $200,000 at auction. Along with the guns, there will be other Bonnie and Clyde possessions up for bid, including Clyde Barrow’s gold pocket watch and Bonnie Parker’s cosmetic case. In addition there’s a letter from Clyde to his brother L.C. Barrow signed “Bud” (the name Clyde used when running from the law). The auction, conducted by RR Auction, will be held September 30, 2012 in Amherst, New Hampshire.
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At the NRA Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Colt Firearms introduced a new bolt-action “Competition Rifle”, the M2012-CLR. Assembled by Cooper Firearms for Colt, the M2012 features a Colt metal chassis with tubular forearm, and a Cooper Arms repeater action. The M2012 rifles on display were chambered in .308 Winchester with fluted 1:10″ twist stainless barrels fitted with Surefire muzzle brakes. The bolt is a three-lug design with a Sako-style extractor. Trigger is a Timney set at 3 pounds — pretty high for a “competition” rifle. Though the barrel is only 22″, the M2012 is fairly heavy. Weight without optics is 13.2 pounds. Given the weight and short barrel, we think Colt is marketing this more for tactical shooters, rather than actual High Power or F-TR competitors.
According to the GDI Engineering website, Colt’s M2012 “appear[s] to have been built on Cooper’s Model 54 action, which features a two-position safety to the right of the bolt. [Features] include an integral 25-MOA Picatinny base and the Colt-specific chassis and stock. The single-stack detachable magazines are from Accuracy International.”
Hefty Price for Colt’s M2012-CLR
MSRP for the new M2012-CLR is $3799.00. Colt’s asking price is approximately $1300.00 more than the price of an Eliseo RTS Tubegun Chassis ($1020.00) with a Rem-clone custom action ($900.00) and a Krieger barrel ($550.00 chambered). The RTS features a 5-way adjustable buttstock, easily removed without tools. The Colt M2012 offers adjustable Length of Pull (LOP) and adjustable cheekpiece height. The M2012’s skeleton buttstock is bolted to the main chassis, requiring an Allen wrench to remove.
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Six decades after the introduction of the M16, Colt has added a gas piston system to the venerable AR15. Colt put a gas piston in this new AR-platform rifle in order to improve reliability and reduce fouling. The new gas-piston Colt AR, designated the LE6940P, will be sold to both civilians and law enforcement agencies. In selling a gas-piston AR, Colt is following the lead of Heckler & Koch (HK 416) and other manufacturers who have found a market among buyers seeking a lower-maintenance AR with significantly less internal powder fouling than the original direct-gas-impingement AR design.
Colt’s product press release declares: “Colt Defense LLC … has advanced its one-piece monolithic upper receiver to introduce the LE6940P. This modular carbine has an articulating link piston (ALP) operating system and offers shooters a highly accurate, lightweight and easy-to-clean AR-platform rifle with an extended lifespan. The advanced piston carbine (APC) is a lightweight, highly accurate alternative to the traditional direct gas impingement system found in most ARs. The LE6940P utilizes a unique articulating link piston (ALP) operating system, which reduces inherent stress in the piston stroke by allowing for deflection and thermal expansion. As a result, shooters are offered a highly accurate firing experience and the weapon’s lifespan is extended.”
Piston Design Developed for U.S. Military “The new LE6940P puts to use a new, improved version of a piston system that Colt originally pioneered for the U.S. Army,” said David Ridley, Vice President of Colt Defense LLC. Ridley added: “Colt was the first to put a piston system in an AR, and we have continued to improve on that system since. Now, any civilian shooter or law enforcement professional has the opportunity to shoot using this superior piston-operated AR.”
Monolithic Upper with Extended Rail
The LE6940P weighs just over 6.5 pounds, and measures 35 inches with stock extended. The rifle is chambered in .223 Rem (5.56×45 NATO) and uses standard AR15 magazines. Colt delivers the LE6940P with a full-length rail running from the rear of the upper receiver to the front sight. This allows many mounting options for sights and accessories. Colt has also includes a back-up iron sight (BUIS) and a folding front sight. The lower receiver is marked “Piston Carbine” and comes with a Colt/Rogers Super-Stoc M4 H-buffer stock kit with cam-lock lever, push-button QD swivel, and accessory kit. The standard barrel is a 16.5″-long M4-type contour with flash-hider. CLICK HERE for large photos of the internals, plus close-ups of the folding sights.
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Our 2012 SHOT Show Media day adventure kicked off with some serious firepower. After arriving at the Boulder City Rifle range and signing the obligatory legal release forms, Jason Baney and I made a beeline for the Colt shooting bay where an amazing Bulldog 1877 repro Gatling Gun was on display. These fully-functional, authentic replicas are crafted by the Bulldog company for Colt. You can buy one if you have a cool $50,000.00 to spend. You heard it right — fifty thousand dollars.
Jason is friends with Gatling project director John Buhay, who let both of us send some 45-70 rounds downrange. While the Bulldog Gatling can dispense a prodigious amount of lead in a few seconds (rate of fire determined by how fast the operator cranks), this firearm is not considered an NFA machine gun. Because an advancement of the crank is required for each shot to be fired, this Gatling is not subject to the severe restrictions imposed on Class III arms. You can purchase a Bulldog Gatling, so long as you would otherwise qualify to legally own a long gun.
Three things surprised me about this Gatling. First was the stunning appearance of the unit. It is beautifully machined and every polished metal component shown like gold in the morning sun. The stability of the unit was also surprising. Because the Bulldog is so big and heavy, it barely bobbles as it sends round after round through its five barrels. And surprisingly little force is required to work those barrels. The crank spins easily. I could see how a trained team of Gatling operators could, back in the 19th century, burn through thousands of rounds of ammunition in a few minutes.
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In late 2010, the NRA’s National Firearms Museum opened its Robert E. Petersen Gallery, which now showcases 400 of the finest and most valuable firearms from the publishing magnate’s world-renowned collection. We know most of you haven’t yet visited the Petersen Gallery, so we’re presenting some “eye candy” from the Gallery to give you an idea of the quality of the collection.
If you can’t make it to Fairfax, VA to view the collection first-hand, you can view a “virtual gallery” on NRAMuseum.com. The flash-based web gallery features hundreds of pro-quality “glamour shots” of the most notable arms in Petersen’s collection, including spectacular double guns and historic Gatlings. Controls allow you to rotate and zoom the images. Below are some representative samples from the Petersen Collection online gallery. CLICK HERE to view dozens more.
Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC (“Colt”) announced that it will open a new firearms production facility in Kissimmee, Florida. Colt’s announcement did not discuss plant closures elsewhere, but we expect that some of Colt’s production (and jobs) will be moved from New England to Florida. Colt’s press release states: “The new 16,000-square foot facility will allow Colt’s Manufacturing Company to expand into new markets and business lines in parallel with the company’s existing 100,000-square-foot facility in Connecticut. Specific information on facility renovations and employee requirements will be determined over the course of the next several months.”
Colt Introduces New California-Compliant ARs
In related news, Colt has introduced a series of California-compliant AR15s. This is good for “black rifle” fans in the Golden State. Colt’s CA-legal ARs include: a 16″ barrel M4 Clone (LE6920CA) with adjustable stock; an Accurized rifle with 24″, 1:8″ twist heavy barrel (CR6724CA), and a “Patrol Rifle” that features Magpul furniture (6920CMP-B). All of Colt’s new California-compliant rifles are test-fired at the factory, and they all have mil-spec barrel, chamber, and bolt carrier group. In addition, Colt’s ARs receive special metal testing. Steve Comus, who reviewed Colt’s new ARs for Western Outdoor News, explains: “There is a magnetic particle inspection test done on all Colt rifles. After a rifle passes the MP (Magnetic Particle) test, MP is stamped on the bolt and barrel, as is C for Colt and MP on barrel. To pass, every single barrel and bolt goes through an over pressure test of 70,000 psi to make sure it can handle high pressure. Colt then takes rifle barrel and bolt and does a magnetic particle test on them. Barrels on mil spec barrels are chrome-lined. Accurized barrels are not chrome-lined.”
Here’s your chance to see a wide selection of interesting new products from SHOT Show 2011. Today, Wednesday June 8th, ShootingUSA re-broadcasts its hour-long SHOT Show Special, originally filmed on-site at the Sands Convention Center in January. This 60-minute telecast features nearly 50 new products, including Colt Centennial 1911s, Smith & Wesson 1911s and Performance Center Hunting Revolvers, new Die Sets from RCBS, Les Baer Monolith AR10s, Mossberg Tactical Shotguns, Ruger Mark III Pistols, Hogue stocks for Savages, new Wood LaserGrips from Crimson Trace, and Thompson Center’s new Venture hunting rifles.
Shooting USA’s hour-long SHOT Show Special airs on the Outdoor Channel on June 8, 2011 at the following times:
The official centennial of J.M. Browning’s 1911 pistol was March 29th, 2011, 100 years to the day since the legendary handgun was adopted by the U.S. Army. (The U.S.M.C. and U.S. Navy adopted the 1911 pistol roughly two years later). To celebrate the 100th birthday of what many experts believe is the greatest self-loading pistol ever made, Colt created a spectacular, fully-engraved “Anniversary Edition” pistol. It’s pimped to the max, complete with gold inlay and genuine ivory grips. The gun is currently up for auction at Gunbroker.com with proceeds to benefit the NRA Foundation.
Price? If You Have to Ask…
Want it? Well you may have to liquidate your 401(k) to buy it. Current bid price is $33,635.00 and a similar fully-engraved Anniversary 1911 sold for $83,025.00 three months ago. See January Auction.
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Bob Munden, one of the greatest trick shooters ever, passed away in December of last year. If you never had a chance to see Bob work his magic with a six-gun (or other firearm), here’s your chance. Tonight’s edition of Shooting USA’s Impossible Shots, features some of Bob Munden’s “greatest hits” from over the years. Before his passing, Bob was a regular on the Impossible Shots TV show.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has produced a video in which management and employees of three Connecticut-based companies, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Stag Arms, and Ammunition Storage Components, talk about the importance of their jobs and how their companies contribute to the Constitution State’s economy.
Would you like to own guns carried by America’s most infamous criminal couple? Well here’s your chance — the personal handguns of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde), go up for 
“The new LE6940P puts to use a new, improved version of a piston system that Colt originally pioneered for the U.S. Army,” said David Ridley, Vice President of Colt Defense LLC. Ridley added: “Colt was the first to put a piston system in an AR, and we have continued to improve on that system since. Now, any civilian shooter or law enforcement professional has the opportunity to shoot using this superior piston-operated AR.”
Jason is friends with Gatling project director John Buhay, who let both of us send some 45-70 rounds downrange. While the Bulldog Gatling can dispense a prodigious amount of lead in a few seconds (rate of fire determined by how fast the operator cranks), this firearm is not considered an NFA machine gun. Because an advancement of the crank is required for each shot to be fired, this Gatling is not subject to the severe restrictions imposed on Class III arms. You can purchase a Bulldog Gatling, so long as you would otherwise qualify to legally own a long gun.
Shooting USA’s hour-long SHOT Show Special airs on the 
