Last page of the year
This will be the last news page update for 1998. For 1999 we plan on more updates to the product and, and a format change to some of the pages for faster downloads and easier access. Stay tuned for the new additions, and Happy New Year!

See us at the Shot Show!
We are not in the newest Shot Show directory, but we will be there! See us at booth #4655 in Atlanta from Feb 1st thru the 4th. Only those people with Federal Firearms Licenses (FFL) or those who come with an FFL holder are able to get in the door. Be sure to stop by and see what's new for '99!

Colt quality?
Normally I try to stay away from product bashing of our competitors, but I saw a new Colt lower receiver unit and had to make some observations - positive and negative - so that the shooting community knows what to expect if they choose to buy this product.

#1 - Trapdoor for stock is made entirely from plastic - including the "hinge" and latch, which are just sheets of plastic that bend like a cheap lids from a medicine bottle. Thankfully it is replaceable with a standard unit.
#2 - The lower parts are funky! Hammer and trigger pins are STILL oversize that prevents the use of standard mil-spec type parts. The trigger has a long "tail" that is, I guess, there to prevent the installation of an M16 selector.
#3 - The model is a Match Target Competition HBAR (could they put any more words on the side???). It came standard with a 10# trigger pull! This is a match rifle?
#4 - Machining of the lower. The broaching of the magwell looks very nice as does the internal milling, but the external tool marks leave much to be desired. I hope this is a fluke, and not normal. It is a mil-style weapon, but you have to draw a line somewhere. None of the poor machining would affect accuracy, fit, or function - it is purely cosmetic.
#5 - The front pivot pin is now a standard size, but still not of the push in - push out variety. A screw type pin is required, but an offset pin is not, so other uppers are easier to install.
#6 - They got a clue and discarded the block in the receiver and now leave a "bridge" unmilled to prevent the use of an auto sear. Less machining & no extra parts - why was this such a hard concept?

Other than that, everything is typical AR receiver. Everything was functional and put together correctly, but there are still some issues that should be addressed. But now you the reader and customer know what is to be expected so you can make an informed decision about the next purchase you make.

Defend your Rights
It's Christmas time. A time when the majority of us give gifts to others (and sometimes ourselves!). This year I would like to ask you all to give to the future. How? By doing two simple things.

First, join the NRA and/or GOA. Your membership to these organizations is paramount to their survival, and the survival of your Second Amendment rights. And the small amount you give may mean the difference between Freedom or Big Brother.

Second, take the time to write letter not only to your loved ones and friends, but also to your Representatives, Senators, and state Legislators telling them what you expect from them in 1999. Be sure to express your concern over the ever increasing infringements on our rights. It only takes a small amount of your time, and a few dollars. But if everyone who reads this sends a letter, and they tell all their friends to send a letter, imagine the correspondence our lawmakers will get concerning upcoming legislation and the security of our Constitutional rights!

You can find information on how to contact your congressmen and congresswomen at the GOA or NRA websites.

Where are the catalogs?
Dealer catalogs are here!!! We will be mailing them out in a bulk mail next week or so. It should take 1-3 weeks from there for our dealers to get their copies depending on the USPS. Our Retail catalogs are being worked on at this time and should be ready very soon. Give us a try at the end of January '99 and we can get you one!

Hunter Injured when Raccoon Lands on Head
Brad Davis was training his puppy to pick up the scent of a treed raccoon when a friend decided to shoot the raccoon out of the tree. Trouble was, Davis was standing underneath it. The 15-pound animal fell 60 feet onto his head, knocking him out and fracturing three of his vertebrae. Davis says he heard the shot and the next thing he knew he "was seeing lights." He's OK now -- but just in case, for Christmas he got a hard hat.

What in the H-E-Double Hockey Stick?
In November, Donald Hieronimus, 46, was given only a suspended sentence in Kitchener, Ontario, for assault; he had attacked and choked a man, but it was only his lawyer, and, said the judge, he's not likely to attack anyone else.

And Massachusetts inmate Zeferino DePina filed a lawsuit against prison guard Filipe Monteiro for harassing him; DePina is in prison for shooting a man in 1991, namely, Monteiro, who was later hired as a guard and who now refuses to let bygones be bygones.

Other Newsworthy Items
Taking Aim at Kids from ABC News
Brady Bill II
New Gun Checks Under Fire