Month: April 2018

If you’re a beginner at hunting and looking at rifles for sale to make your first purchase, the options can seem overwhelming. But don’t worry. We’re here to help make your search less daunting by introducing you to the Browning BLR.

There are certainly plenty of options vailable to beginners, and in this post, we’re going to focus on one of our favorites — the Browning BLR. Browning has a long reputation of quality, and the BLR is a good choice, thanks to its ease of use. The Browning BLR offers the fast shooting of a semi-automatic with the accuracy of a bolt action rifle. This rifle is compact, lightweight, and perfect for deer hunting.

While it’s an excellent gun for almost anyone, it’s particularly well suited to beginners because it has minimal recoil and noise, making it less intimidating.

Hunting

The Browning BLR’s standard cartridges are a win over those of traditional lever-action rifles. Standard Win 308 calibers give you a 400-yard trajectory with enough power to take down the biggest buck.

Its short barrel and light weight make it easy to carry back and forth between hunting spots or to tote up to the tree stand.

The magazine slides nicely into place with little fuss and isn’t really noisy when you move it. It’s detachable, and better than a tube because it keeps the weight closer to the operator. This makes weight distribution easier to manage. When it comes to the best guns for hunting, the Browning BLR is also a standout because it’s quick to load and unload.

While 400 yards is about the maximum distance you get with the Browning BLR, it is a relatively easy shot in a moderately sized package.

Accessories

The Browning BLR is the best lever action rifle on the market because it’s advanced enough to fire off powerful rounds. The bolt locks into place firmly enough to bear the brunt of your shot and enables pointed bullets to fly farther. It doesn’t require hollow point bullets like a lot of lever action rifles with tube magazines.

If you like scopes, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the ease in which you can mount one on the Browning BLR. A traditional lever action rifle with a top eject is difficult to fit for scopes, but the BLR does it with ease.

Quality

Browning is one of the world’s most well-known manufacturers so you can count on the quality of all of their firearms. They are some of the more expensive rifles on the market, but they come with a better fit and finish than many others.

The Browning BLR is not an exception to this rule. It’s sleek and beautiful. You can view the full line of BLR Browning rifles at GrabAGun.

Safety

The Browning BLR is a mite safer for a beginner than a semi-automatic rifle. For starters, you can’t have a live round in the chamber of a semi-auto with the bolt open, so you have to use the safety. While necessary in some scenarios, this makes it more difficult to tell whether or not a rifle is loaded.

A bolt action rifle allows you to have a round in the chamber with the bolt slightly open. A lever action rifle, like the Browning BLR, enables you to have a shot in the chamber with the lever slightly ajar.

The BLR also offers a half cock option. Taking it from half cock to full cock is quiet, and it’s safer than using the safety because the probability is minuscule that you will both full cock the hammer and pull the trigger by accident.

Firing is faster than with a bolt action, and beginners have more selection to choose from.

Drawbacks

One drawback to the Browning BLR is that there are a lot of small parts. You can’t tell when it’s assembled, but if you were to take the BLR apart to clean it, you’d have a heck of a time putting it all back together.

The only other drawback is that the maximum range is 400 yards. If you want to shoot at any longer range than that, a bolt action rifle is your best bet. Accuracy is on point, just not at longer ranges.

At the End of the Day

The Browning BLR features fast firing and easy handling, which is excellent for any beginner who is learning about rifles or learning to hunt. It’s lightweight and has relatively quiet operations, so it’s the perfect hunting companion.

There are many different variations of the Browning lever action rifles like this one with a walnut finish and other classic-looking finishes. You can accessorize as needed and find something that’s just right for you.

Online retailer Grab a Gun has a number of Brownings in stock and can meet all of your lever action rifle needs.

Home protection is at the top of everyone’s mind these days, and so should the Mossberg 500. When it comes to home security, there are a lot of different options. Security systems, smart home controls, and various other electronic devices are all fine choices. Still, those options, which can be pricey, simply alert you to an intruder. For those who understand firearms and firearm safety, having the means to protect your own home should a bad situation arise, provides great peace of mind.

When it comes to home security, a semi-automatic shotgun or pump-action shotgun is among the popular choices when shopping firearms for sale. And a quality, reliable home protection firearm doesn’t have to break the bank. The Mossberg 500 is one of our favorites that checks the list for quality and affordability. The Mossberg 500 meets you at the intersection of home security and cost savings. And, if you want your shotgun to serve dual purposes, it comes in various models suited to different types of hunting too.

History of the Mossberg 500

In its 100-plus years in business, Mossberg has solidified its place as a household name. The 500 model is especially well-known in the shotgun business. It’s safe to say that it is the benchmark by which we judge all other budget shotguns.

Over the years, the 500 Mossberg has been released in more than 100 variants. You can choose from a wide range of finishes, calibers, sizes, and features, resulting in endless combinations.

Models like the All-Purpose 500 FLEX give you the ability to switch stocks, barrels, and butt pads quickly, making it the most versatile of the Mossberg 500 line of rifles.

The Mossberg Maverick 88 comes with a significant pocketbook savings and is essentially a Mossberg 500 without the ambidextrous safety and upgraded trigger group. It offers the same reliability and versatility of the Mossberg 500 and doesn’t feel at all like a downgrade.

Versatility for Dual Purposes

The reason why the Mossberg 500 is the best affordable option for home protection is that it’s versatile. If you can only afford one gun, this one will do most of the things you need it to do by just switching out a few accessories.

By switching out only the barrel, you can have a long-barreled shotgun for hunting waterfowl, and a short-barreled shotgun for deer. Conversely, when you get home, you can switch out your birdshot for buckshot to stop an intruder.

A Perfect Shotgun for Home Defense

The Mossberg 500 is among the most requested firearms for home defense. It is made of alloy, so it’s lightweight and easily maneuverable. The placement of the slide release and safety is perfect because you can reach them both with your shooting hand, giving you the ability to make quick decisions without fumbling the firearm.

You can extend the capacity of the Mossberg 500 to nine, as well as change out accessories like barrels and forend grips. It has two extractors on the bolt, giving you the ability to eject shells when they get stuck. Again, it’s easy to reach with your shooting hand, just in case.

Keeping a round in the chamber always ensures you are better prepared for a worst-case scenario, saving you valuable seconds loading a shell in the pipe. The expanded 8+1 capacity of the 500 Mossberg allows you to do just that.

With the easy-to-reach safety, you can quickly and efficiently defend yourself and your home with one-handed operation. This gun makes it easy to follow common sense firearm safety practices and store it out of reach of children, with the safety on.

You can load the Mossberg 500 with either birdshot or buckshot, but it’s safe to say that buckshot has a better chance of stopping an aggressor. With birdshot, there’s a good chance you’ll have to fire more than once.

It goes without saying that you should always be situationally aware of your surroundings when handling a firearm, becasue buckshot will not only stop your aggressor, it will hurt anyone else in its path, too. Make sure when you fire the firearm, you aim true and make sure your family members are out of the way.

The Mossberg 500 is an affordable choice whether you can only purchase one firearm, or you want a cost-effective firearm for home defense that leaves you to splurge elsewhere. It’s a multipurpose firearm that’s effective for hunting, home defense, and fun at the shooting range.

When it comes to shotguns and other firearms for sale, Grab a Gun has a wide range of options to choose from. Check out our selection of Mossberg 500 shotguns, accessories, and other firearms. Also, check out a blast from the past, a prior Mossberg 500 blog post with even more info on this iconic shotgun!

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If you’ve done you’re research on the most concealable firearms, then Derringers has likely come up in your search. When looking at pistols for sale and considering what to purchase, size is often a top consideration. 

The Derringer is among the easiest weapons to carry simply based on its compact size. Not only does this pistol fit in the palm of your hand, the Derringer also has a fascinating history.

Derringers aren’t the most modern pistol, but they are arguably the most concealable. The historic use of Derringers tells us that. It was made for concealability and ease of use, and its most famous performance is what boosted its novelty and propelled it to success nationwide.

Deringer, or Derringer?

Named for Henry Deringer, its creator, the original Philadelphia Deringer only had one “r.” It was a black powder, muzzle loading, single-barrel pistol. It was sold in pairs, so if the first shot failed, you had another.

Henry Deringer lived in Philadelphia. His father was a gunsmith, so he grew up around the rifles his father created and held an apprenticeship in Richmond, Virginia to follow in his father’s footsteps. The Philadelphia Deringer was one of his first creations, after switching from manufacturing rifles to pocket pistols.

Pocket pistols were not new to the people of Deringer’s time. However, nothing so small and concealable had existed before. Now men and women alike could defend themselves efficiently and secretly.

The Philadelphia Deringer was affordable, making it accessible to anyone. It was popular among gamblers and ladies who used them as muff pistols in their hand warmers. Popularity soared, and money came pouring in for Henry.

As fate would have it, the Deringer became even more well-known with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and from there, other manufacturers started capitalizing on the name. To circumvent copyright law, the Derringer, with an extra r, was born.

Today’s Derringer

Remington, Colt, Heizer, Ruger, Browning and many more all Deringer-inspired pistols in their product lines today. These little firearms have made quite a transformation from Henry’s original.

People most likely associate Remington’s design with derringers because of the improvements Remington made. The double barrel, over-under design (doubling capacity), and the metal cartridges helped maintain its popularity. Smokeless powder enabled the use of smaller cartridges with higher power.

Remington ceased production of their derringer models in 1935, but they paved the way for the evolution of the derringer in other manufacturers lineups.

Other companies have continued to make these pistols in a variety of calibers. Cimarron produces a .38 special and Bond Arms makes a .357 magnum.

Some derringers have trigger guards, and some have longer barrels. They even have fun names like Dragon Slayer, Ranger, and Cowboy Defender.

What’s not to love?

Carrying a Derringer

While a derringer lacks the same firepower as a larger revolver, it’s ideal for deep concealment. You can holster a derringer almost anywhere on your body, but even without derringer holsters, they fit nicely in jeans, jacket pockets, and even a bra. Looking at you, ladies.

Yes, the derringer is for everyone. It’s accessible, lightweight, small, and versatile. It’s not intimidating, and it really is a point-blank weapon. In a self-defense scenario, you only have one chance to make an effective shot, and the derringer’s deep concealability and and short-range capability are designed for precisely that purpose.

You won’t get much distance with it, but a small gun is better than no gun, and this type of pistol is much less frightening and risky to carry. You may not intimidate your target, but the point is that they not see it at all. Should you find yourself in a situation where you need to protect yourself, this gun is most effective where you need it — at close range.

You can carry it when it’s uncomfortable to carry something bigger, and it hides entirely out of sight. Going for a run where you might run into critters? Derringer. You can even stick it in an athletic smartphone carrying case.

We’ve covered how well the derringer conceals, and by now you may be convinced that it’s not just a novelty item. While the history of the derringer makes it a popular pistol by notoriety alone, it’s easy of use and carry are what have kept it in the spotlight all these years.

Derringers are fun to shoot, and while they’re often referred to as ‘dainty,’ or ‘cute,’ don’t underestimate the need to practice with your pistol before carrying it. It offers a one-of-a-kind concealed carry option and is ideal for precisely that purpose. Find a huge selection of Derringers at GrabAGun today!