Categories
Shotguns

Winchester Repeating Arms Introduces the Speed Pump Defender Shotgun

At the 2008 SHOT Show, Winchester Repeating Arms announced the return of the Model 1300 as the new Speed Pump Defender shotgun. The 12 gauge scattergun was part of the company returning the Winchester brand to firearms manufacturing.

Categories
Ammunition

New Barnes Varmint Grenade Bullets

Barnes Bullets introduced several new bullets at the 2008 SHOT Show. In the company’s very popular Varmint Grenade line, Barnes showed the .204 caliber, 26-grain bullet for the .204 Ruger cartridge and a .224 caliber bullet in 50 grains for .223 Remington/5.56 NATO cartridges. The .204 bullets and the 50-grain .224 were both developed specifically […]

Categories
Handguns

Smith & Wesson Model 629 Stealth Hunter

Launched in 2008, the Smith & Wesson Model 629 Stealth Hunter is a Performance Center revolver designed for handgun hunting. The .44 Magnum remains in the company’s catalog, and the company expanded the offering to a second SKU. Let’s dive in and take a look at the Stealth Hunter revolvers.

Categories
Rifles

Ruger M77 Hawkeye Rifles in .300 and .338 RCM

In 2008, Sturm, Ruger & Co. introduced two new M77 Hawkeye “extreme hunting rifles” using cartridges developed by Hornady. These rifles were offered in .300 RCM and .338 RCM. While the guns are no longer built or sold by Ruger, they are an interesting part of the company’s history. If you have one of these […]

Categories
Handguns

Springfield XD with Thumb Safety

Springfield Armory introduced a new version of the popular XD 45 Service Pistol. This .45 ACP model adds an ambidextrous thumb safety on the frame that closely mirrors the function of thumb safeties on the 1911 handguns. The thumb safety was placed far back on the frame to make it relatively easy to manipulate.