The Redwood Gun Guy

Introduction: Being that it is an election year, politics is very much at the front-and-center of discourse in 2020, next to the coronavirus. The presidential electoral field has pretty much narrowed down to just Joe Biden and Donald Trump. On the Democratic side, this electoral cycle has brought on a clear conflict between the establishment centrists, think Hillary Clinton types, and the progressive leftists such as Bernie Sanders or, to a lesser extent, Elizabeth Warren. Because the field has narrowed down to just Joe Biden, he has to try his best (read: his aides and staffers have to do their best) to make him appealing to progressives so as to bring everyone under a single banner against Trump. This relates to the RGG in that Biden's campaign has release a detailed outline of his far-reaching policies on guns. These policies would affect me, and I'm sure many of you as well, so lets take a look.  Details: Point 1: "Hold gun manufacturers accountable&q

Introduction: Modern semi-automatic rifles typically operate through one of three locking systems, with only a few exceptions. These systems are rotating bolt, tilting bolt, and roller-delayed lockups. The lockup of the rifle is largely dependent on the design goals of the rifle. Aspects of certain systems may be preferred when they provide distinct advantages over others. I'll do my best to give an overview of how each locking system works, as well as go over some of the pros and cons of each one. I currently only have access to rotating bolt and tilting bolt rifles, so those two may be more picture-heavy than the roller delayed. Enjoy, and thanks for reading. Details: Rotating Bolt: The first locking system we're going to go over is probably the most common one used in modern day rifles. This is, of course, the rotating bolt. Although there are variations between semi-automatic, rotating bolt rifles, the lockup generally functions the same.  AKM-Type Fron

Introduction: The Mauser rifle action is widely regarded as the apex of what a bolt-action combat rifle can be. It's smooth bolt throw, combined with a reliable extraction system and a cock-on-open action leaves very little to be desired beyond a clear line of sight and a target. But this has not always been the case. Like any solid piece of engineering, there have been iterations and lesson learned. The Mauser action went through three distinct phases: the 89 pattern, the 93/95 pattern, ultimately leading to the 98 pattern. Each iteration has its own unique features and drawbacks that lead Mauser to continue development. I'm going to take a brief look at each variant, what is different about each one, and then conclude by looking at rifles that are built based on Mauser designs that are still in use today. Details: The 1889 pattern of Mauser rifle was one of the first patterns of Mauser to see widespread use around the world. It was also the first Mauser variant to