A POUND OR SO OF PREVENTION

Console Vault’s Vehicle Vault Keeps Handguns and Valuables Safe and Secure

While searching the Web for a discreet gun safe for my Ford F-250, I came across a company named Console Vault, which offers not only vehicle safes, but covert wall safes and security briefcases, as well. Turns out, the company has been making specialized vehicle vaults for law enforcement and government officials around the world for eight years. By the time I’d finished reading its homepage, I’d made up my mind.

The Vehicle Vault uses Console Vault’s five-point locking system and a high-security barrel lock. A keyless combination lock is an option, and that’s the route I went. I can set the combo off by one digit when I’m in the vehicle in the event I need access to my handgun in a hurry. The major components are made of 12-gauge cold-rolled plate steel and refined with welded tabs and notch seams.

What I appreciated most is that the Vehicle Vault requires no vehicle modifications whatsoever. There are only four parts to install on late-model F-250s and three on earlier models; the kit also includes all the mounting hardware.

Installation is pretty straightforward, as long as you can read instructions. First, you set your personal combination. Next, you remove the factory nuts at the bottom of the console. Then, you attach the front, then the rear, support brackets to the bottom of the console. And finally, you mount the lid assembly to the top of the support brackets. Done deal.

When the installation is complete, the Vehicle Vault is anchored discreetly inside the console. Virtually no storage space is lost, because the console lid closes flush up against the Vehicle Vault’s lid assembly. When the console lid is closed, no one would ever know it’s there.

I’ve now used my Vehicle Vault to stow my wallet, watch, keys (my truck has keyless entry), mobile phone and anything else I had in my pockets on several occasions when the truck was parked, whether I was fishing at a bass lake near my house or going for a jog at the beach. While it’s true that my truck has never been broken into (perhaps it’s the NRA, California Rifle & Pistol Association, American flag and assortment of gun decals that are displayed on the rear window of my cab), I get some real peace of mind knowing that if it ever were broken into, the thief would have to be equipped with some serious cutting tools to get to any valuables I’d left in the console.

CONTACT:

CONSOLE VAULT
5000 West Oakey Boulevard
Suite E2
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(800) 878-1369
www.consolevault.com

GW-1212-FIELD TEST

When the installation is complete, the Vehicle Vault is anchored discreetly inside the console. Virtually no storage space is lost, because the console lid closes flush up against the Vehicle Vault’s lid assembly.

Baker's Dozen 13 Quality Handguns for Less than $500

By Dr. Martin D. Topper

The economy is about as lackluster as it gets. Unless, that is, you’re talking about the manufacture and sale of handguns, which is one of the few growth sectors.

A recent article by Martha C. White referred to a Gallup Poll that indicated household ownership of firearms had risen from 41% to 47%. White further reported that the fastest selling items were small, inexpensive handguns.  However it's not just men who are buying guns; the number of women purchasing guns rose 9% in the last year.

If gun buying patterns in my neck of the woods are like the rest of the country, many of those guns purchased by women and men were handguns for personal defense.

Given the current interest in inexpensive handguns, I searched the web for new handguns that could be purchased for less than $500 and went to the Florida Gun Exchange to look at a number of reasonably-priced used guns.  The search turned up many new and used guns priced less than $500, and it was easy to find a representative sample of these pistols and revolvers for this article.

Each gun was inspected for defects in workmanship or signs of excessive wear. All of the handguns described below were well-fitted and functioned smoothly. Some of the used guns had holster wear, but they were otherwise in very good to excellent condition.

New Guns

The new guns examined were regular production models. None of these revolvers and pistols had been modified in any way, and no attempt was made to select the best example of any particular model. These are the same guns that anyone who passes a background check can buy from a well-stocked gun shop.

1 Beretta Tomcat .32 ACP

Beretta's Tomcat is a popular small Double Action (DA) semi-automatic.  It's a bit big for a pocket .32, but it is comfortable to hold and will conceal in either a coat pocket or an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster.

There are a number of hollowpoint defense loads made for this caliber, including a Winchester Silvertip, Federal Hydra-Shok, COR-BON DPX, a Speer Gold Dot and a Hornady XTP. Winchester's factory ballistics have a 60 gr. Silvertip hollow point bullet leaving the muzzle at about 970 fps, which produces about 125 ft. pds. of muzzle energy.

The .32 ACP is clearly not a high-powered cartridge, but actual street results published by Evan Marshall and Edwin Sanow indicate that it expands to a little more than .40 caliber and penetrates a bit more than 9 inches in actual shootings.

The Tomcat examined for this article was well made. It's double-action trigger pull was smooth and the sear broke cleanly. One nice feature of the Tom Cat is its tip-up barrel. This pistol's user doesn't have to cycle the slide to load or unload it. Just release the barrel latch and either insert or remove the cartridge. For those who want carry gun that is easy to use and has limited blast and recoil, the Tomcat is a good option.

SIDEBAR

Specifications

Beretta Tomcat
Action:         Blow back operated semi-automatic pistol
Caliber:         .32 ACP
Frame:        Aluminum alloy
Capacity:        8 rounds with loaded chamber
Barrel Length:     2.4 inches
Trigger:        DA
Overall Length:  4.9 inches
Weight:        14 oz. unloaded
Sights:        Fixed
Finish:        Blue
MSRP:        $435

Out of the ashes of the AR-15, Colt’s MT6700 target match rifle is born

Story and photos by John N. Raguso

Although Eugene Stoner and his design team invented it as a member of aircraft manufacturer Fairchild-Republic’s Armalite division back in the early 1960s, the AR-15’s patent was eventually sold to Colt. This proven defense manufacturer then used its marketing savvy, mass-production manufacturing techniques and military connections to sell the concept of a lightweight, direct-gas-operating system rifle to USAF General Curtiss Lemay as a replacement for the USAF’s aging M1 Carbines. The rest, as they say, is history.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the AR-15 (originally launched in 1963) and its numerous offspring in both military and civilian circles, the Colt MT6700 takes a giant step back into this past and offers a design that keeps things simple. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at this entry-level target match rifle and its direct-gas-impingement operating system in its most basic format, with a 20-inch barrel and /sans/ many of the bells and whistles of modern-era AR-15/M16 weapons and clones.

AR-15 EVOLUTION

The familiar “Rampant Colt” pony and Colt’s Manufacturing logo grace the port side of the receiver of the MT6700. However, the prestigious AR-15 tag has long been removed from this elementary target rifle’s magazine well housing due to various historical and current-day remnants of our country’s controversial AWB (assault weapons ban) legislation—the law of the land from 1994 through its eventual sunset in 2004. Various forms of that national law, including some subsequent and current state legislation, prohibited and/or still ban the sale or importation of many types of weapons, among them anything with the label, “AR-15” on it.

Fortunately, my favorite old Colt AR-15 A2 Sporter (SP2) was grandfathered under the original AWB law and is totally legal, since it was manufactured prior to 1994. Ditto for my Vietnam-era 20- and 30-round magazines that were made in the early 1970s and ’80s.

Even though the national AWB is thankfully gone (for now), and given the variety of state (such as my home state of New York) and municipality (New York City and others) legislation that is still in effect as you read this, Colt’s Manufacturing Company decided to evolve the nomenclature of its AR-15. The company morphed it into the Match Target (and SP Sporter) series of rifles to avoid any political legislation against their sale or distribution.

The MT6700 is sold with none of the offending “evil components,” such as a bayonet lug, flash suppressor or collapsible stock. Both the former and most of the current AWB laws allow the use of only two of the original five evil features—specifically a removable magazine and a pistol grip lower receiver, both of which can still be found on the 2012 edition of the MT6700.

The Colt MT6700 ships with a pair of nine-round mags that are good to go in all 50 states of the union, but it also accepts a variety of pre-ban and current-manufacture 15- (for New Jersey), 20- and 30-round aluminum and polymer magazines designed for the AR-15, M4 and M16 family of weapons.


The Colt MT6700 is an A3 flattop s-style target rifle that ships with a removable carry handle with ½ MOA rear sights, strap, cleaning kit, operations manual and a pair of nine-round magazines.

BIRD OF PREY

Ruger’s High-Velocity Break-Action Air Hawk is a Natural Born Hunter

By James E. House

My association with Ruger products goes back almost 60 years, and I must say, it’s been a darned good ride.

   The Ruger Air Hawk is an entry-level break-action air rifle that can be
used for hunting small game and pests.

My first Ruger was the initial model that Ruger produced: the .22 auto standard model pistol. My second was one of the early Single Six models that had the flat loading gate with a curved thumbnail notch. That was followed by a Single Six in 1958. I’ve owned a considerable number of other Rugers over the years, but my most recent gun from Ruger is not a firearm; rather, it is an economical high-velocity break-action air rifle called the Air Hawk, and the subject of this month’s Air gunning evaluation.

NOT FOR KIDS

Like many other companies, Ruger has diversified the product line to include air guns made elsewhere but carrying the firearm label that is used under license. This is now common for Remington, Winchester and others, as well as Ruger. In this case, the importer is Umarex USA.

I recently bought a Ruger Air Hawk, which is a .177-caliber break action that is advertised to give velocities up to 1,000 fps. This “1,000 fps” category describes numerous break-action rifles, but pellet velocity depends on several factors, such as pellet weight and altitude. Yes, /altitude/, because just as it is harder for you to breathe at high altitude, cocking a break-action rifle at high altitude draws in less air in an analogous way. Less air in the compression chamber means less air compressed at the time of firing, and that means lower velocity.

Not having had firsthand experience with any of the Ruger airguns, I decided to remedy that situation by going to one of the big box stores and buying one. Of the Ruger models offered, the one that interested me most was the Air Hawk, because it is the most powerful, making it suitable for hunting small game and pests. The Air Hawk comes bundled with a 4x32 scope and mount and sells for slightly more than $100. So, what do you get for your money?

When I opened the box, I was impressed with how carefully the air gun was packed. Not all airguns are fully supported, so if the box is dropped on end, damage to the front sight can occur. The Ruger was fully supported on each end and in the middle by sturdy foam inserts. Moreover, the scope was neatly packed in a box that fit in recesses in the foam supports.

The rifle comes enclosed in a plastic sleeve. When I removed this, I was impressed with the hardwood stock. Although not beautifully grained, the stock is nicely shaped, with a raised Monte Carlo section to support the cheek. Also pleasing to me was the fact that the stock was of a conventional design, with no cutouts, thumb holes or a bulbous forearm. Compared to some of the modern break actions, this is a sleek air rifle of stylish design.

The Air Hawk measures 44.8 inches in length, weighs 7.9 pounds and has a cocking effort of 30 pounds. In summary, it is an air gun for an adult shooter.

NOTE: This was excerpted from a recent issue of Gun World magazine.

Kel-Tec’s Radical RFB Is Loaded with Power, Accuracy

Kel-Tec is not your normal gun manufacturer.

If anything, they are the polar opposite, with some of the most creative and singular designs in the marketplace. I had a chance to field test and review one of their most creative, “out-of-the-box-thinking” designs to date: the RFB, or “Rifle, Forward ejecting, Bullpup.” This extremely portable 7.62x51mm NATO rifle is one of the most interesting and intriguing weapons I have ever taken to the range or afield. Let’s lock and load and take a closer look at what makes the RFB such a show stopper!

History Lesson

Kel-Tec’s owner and founder George Kellgren is no stranger to the bullpup design. The RFB traces its roots back to the late 70’s at Interdynamic AB of Stockholm, Sweden, where George was involved with the design of two MKR bullpup rifles. Although neither MKR rifle ever reached the production stage, the “spine” concept, where all components were mounted around a long and rigid barrel, eventually carried over to the RFB.

Kellgren’s work on a bullpup design resumed in the early ‘90s after he founded Kel-Tec. His next bullpup design was the SUB-16, which used 5.56x45mm NATO ammo and standard M-16 magazines. The SUB-16 had dual pivoting extractors actuated by cam surfaces in the receiver and a forward eject feature. The project was suspended with the adoption of the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994.

Kel-Tec’s bullpup work resumed in 2003 with the SRT-6, a dedicated sniper rifle firing a special 5.56x45mm load. In mid-2005, they decided to have another try at the “Holy Grail” of bullpup rifle design, with forward ejecting operation, so the SRT-8 began development in the larger 7.62x51mm NATO caliber. Metric FAL magazines were chosen for the new rifle because of their availability. The design also featured a unique tilting bolt design. A stationary, curved sheet metal forward-chute solved some of the earlier expended case ejection problems and the early prototypes had 18” barrels for convenience of handling.

After the sunset of the assault weapons ban in 2004, they decided to rename the SRT to Rifle Forward ejection Bullpup and the RFB was born. Consequently, the names of the three main models were changed from Sniper (32” barrel), Hunter (24” barrel), and Battle (18” barrel), to the less menacing names Target, Sporter, and Carbine. The RFB was perfected during pre-production trial runs in 2008; Gen2 models were introduced in 2012, and include this RFB I’m reviewing.

Style Points

 The Kel-Tec RFB is unlike anything that you have ever pulled out of a case. The cool-factor is totally off the charts.

 The barrel of the RFB is made from 4140 Chrome-Molybdenum ordnance-grade steel. Recent models (mid-2012 production and later) employ a Salt Bath Nitride-QPQ (quench, polish, quench) finish. According to Kel-Tec engineer Ryan Williams, this process is superior to chrome-plating with a better overall (black) finish that offers superior corrosion and heat resistance and lasts longer.

The bolt, receiver and gas system are also made of 4140 steel, with the bolt receiving a special Titanium Nitride (yellow) finish that was chosen for its protective ability and its resistance to wear and flaking. Ryan also mentioned that the RFB was recently upgraded with a thicker CNC-machined piston plate that is welded onto the front side of the carrier that comes into contact with the gas piston during operation. The gas system was also redesigned to keep the parts simpler and to provide a larger adjustable gas setting range to accommodate different types of ammunition. Additionally, the new gas piston is a ring-less design and can be easily removed for cleaning. Lastly, the carrier channel has a longer internal spring that keeps some tension on the piston post for more reliable functioning.

Both the bolt carrier and upper cover are manufactured from stamped 4130 grade sheet steel that overlaps to offer excellent user protection in case of a catastrophic failure in the breech. A durable parkerized finish coats all external metal parts. The pistol grip and forward handguard are made from a high-tech polymer material. Each is textured to provide operators with positive purchase, plus the handguard features an integral slope or bump at the lower front end to prevent the user’s support hand from sliding forward and coming in contact with a potentially hot barrel.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was excerpted from the January 2013 issue.