Crossfire January 2018
em>GUNS Magazine® welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit all published letters for clarity and length. Due to the volume of mail, we are unable to individually answer your letters or e-mail. In sending a letter to GUNS Magazine, you agree to provide Publisher’s Development Corp. such copyright as is required for publishing and redistributing the contents of your letter in any format. Send your letters to Crossfire, GUNS Magazine, 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128; [email protected]
Buffed Out!
A great buffer column by Glen Zediker (November issue)! It clarified a number of things I did not completely understand about the subject. If I understand things correctly, there are several, interrelated factors involved; buffer weight, buffer spring length/pressure, spring type (flat vs. round coils), ammo type and carrier weight. And maybe others… I would like to see a follow-up article showing specific combinations of these variables in specific rifles/carbines. Something allowing us mere mortals to select the right combination for our particular application.
Thanks for a great magazine with great articles. Please keep it up!
Larry Tanzer
Spirit Lake, Id.
Good idea! Glen will do a comparison setting up a gun for, say, the .223 50-grain HP, and 5.56 62-grain Green Tip NATO load with specific
recommendations.—Editor
UNSUNG HERO
A picky point, if you don’t mind. Barsness’ article on the .280 AI is informative and well written but does not provide some credit that should be acknowledged. He presents the “famous Utah gunsmith and writer P.O. Ackley” with credit for wildcatting the .280 Remington. This is not unique to Mr. Barsness or others.
Could I be so bold as to introduce you to the late M.A. (Rocky) Gibbs? Gibbs achieved a variety of results which have been later attributed to better known wildcatters.
Thirty years ago I had a 7mm Gibbs which was ahead—velocity-wise—of the Ackley Improved from my 24-inch Shilen barrel. I concede the cartridge neck was short-for-caliber, but so what? I never had any disappointment with bullet misalignment attributed to neck length. My experiences demonstrate poor resizing die concentricity, neck irregularities and flatbase bullets have much more accuracy debilitating effects than neck length. By the way, I’m also a huge fan of .300 Win Mag—and we’ve been living with the “neck knock” on that sniper/target round for over half a century.
Bert Lawrence
Madison, Ms.
TOUCHING BASE
I thoroughly enjoy GUNS and American Handgunner. Your stable of writers is among the best I’ve ever read, and I’ve been reading gun mags since the 1960s.
I was the one who first wrote in several years ago after the 2014 Winter Olympics to suggest a series of articles on Olympic class competition firearms would be very much appreciated. I was curious about the straight-pull bolt-action rifles used in Biathlon events. Thank you very much for starting that series. Your choice of Shari LeGate was a very good one. She is wonderful in explaining how a competition gun differs greatly from an off-theshelf firearm.
On a personal note to Editor Jeff John, I miss the old Pony Express days. Over 20 years ago you let me know about a used 1875 C. Sharps that came in and I still have it and enjoy it. My wife and I always enjoyed going to the store and talking with you. Now we enjoy reading your articles. Thanks again.
Meyer Weiner
Los Angeles, Ca.
Shari will cover biathlon rifles soon,since the Winter Olympics are almost upon us. Thanks for the kind words! I learned a lot working at Pony Express under the tutelage of the late Joe Ellithorpe and Ray Howser.—Jeff
